Thirty years on, Mohd Rafi remains a favorite

NEW DELHI: Without him, Guru Dutt wouldn't have been the same serenading Waheeda Rehman in Chaudhvin Ka Chand. Without him, Dev Anand wouldn't have looked so heart-broken crooning Din dhal jaye hai in Guide. And without him, Shammi Kapoor's rebellious yell, Chahe koi mujhe junglee kahe, would have lost much of its manic energy.
Without Mohammed Rafi, who passed away on July 31, 1980, exactly 30 years ago, some of the most unforgettable moments in Hindi films wouldn't have been the same.
The Amritsar-born Rafi began his career as a playback singer in the early 1940s. A versatile singer, who could render classical, rock and roll, indeed any kind of song with ease, he was Hindi film's favourite male voice through the 1950s and 1960s.
"Whether he was singing in the lowest, middle or highest octave, there was no difference in his voice. His throw of words remains matchless. People try to copy him but nobody can recreate the same magic," says singer Jaspal Singh, who became well-known after delivering hits in films such as Geet Gaata Chal (1975) and Saawan Ko Aane Do (1979).
Singh has a lasting regret. He had recorded a duet with Rafi for music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Phoolon ke basanti gehne, dharti ke dulhan ne pehne in 1979 for Sarhad. "Unfortunately the film, being produced by the Nadiadwalas, was never completed," he says.
It wasn't just Rafi's singing. Everybody vouched for the man's simplicity and sincerity. Music director Rajesh Roshan, who composed Rafi chartbusters such as Logon ka dil agar jeetna tumko hai to (Manpasand, 1980) and Mujhe chhoo rahi hain (Swayamvar, 1980), remembers the singer as "a warm-hearted simple person with no ego".
Renowned radio personality Ameen Sayani recalls the singer "as a magnanimous person who hated to get into quarrels." The presenter of the cult radio show Binaca Geet Mala too has a lingering regret. "Rafi was shy of giving interviews. I used to prod him to give me one but he kept putting it off. Finally, one day he said, you construct the questions in such a way that I give you the answers in songs. But before that interview could take place, he passed away," reminisces Sayani.
Senior Bollywood lyricist Yogesh remembers Rafi crooning Mana mere haseen sanam tu rashq-e-mahtab hai, one of the first songs he wrote for an obscure C-grade 1965 flick, Adventures of Robinhood and Bandits.
"I remember going with music director G S Kohli to his home for the song's rehearsal. During practice, he seemed to be having problems getting the tune right. But the next day, he was perfect during the recording," says the writer of songs such as Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye (Anand, 1971).
In 1969, Kishore Kumar stormed Bollywood central with Aradhana. The singer formed a hit pair with actor Rajesh Khanna and became the hottest singer in Hindi films. For a few years, Rafi was pushed to the background before he made a resounding comeback with Laila Majnu (1976) and Hum Kissi Se Kam Nahin (1977).
Roshan recalls an interesting incident during the recording of Saj rahi gali mori amma (Kunwara Baap, 1974), his first song as composer. "The song had a chorus of hijras. When Rafi saab saw them at the studio, he got nervous. Mehmood bhai had to cajole him to do the recording," says Roshan.
Rafi's death, following a heart attack, was sudden. "The void he left behind may never be filled," says Singh. Millions of Rafi fans would agree.

[@SamSharma9999]

Rafi has no rival. Rafi has no comparison. Rafi is simply the best

[@latifbutt7526]

Mein Rafi sahab ki era ka to nahi but unka aashiq zaroor hon, i like kishore da too but Rafi sahab was something else, he was and will remain the supreme playback singer. Love you sahab

[@YogeshSharma-ru6bj]

रफी साहब हमारी जान थे। बहुत याद आती है

[@manobendrabordoloi4630]

India never forget mahan Rafi saab.

[@HariKrishna-dx7nw]

jism ko mauth aathi hai rooh ko mauth aathi nahi rafi s voice is always alive

[@HarshYadav-rg9bk]

The Greatest legendary blockbuster versatile veteran evergreen Play back singers, Mohammad Rafi ji and Kishore Kumar ji 🙏🙏🙏🙏😭😭😭😭😭🥰🥰

[@mohdali.bawaengland572]

Rafi Saab Left a lessen for other singers to learn from him. Even after 41 years later singers are still trying to sing like him. No one in the world has born like him.

[@jiwahgie8811]

Shammi Kapoor is a legend...... still remain in everyone's heart

[@Bonprimitif]

It is without any doubt that Md. Rafi was the supreme emperor of Hindi songs and the greatest male singer ever born in India. There had been other greats like Kishore Mukesh Hemant Manna who were all doyens of Indian Films with supernatural blessings from GOD. But considering the total spectrum and the versatility Md. Rafi stands miles ahead of anyone. A singer of his caliber comes only after few centuries.

[@singhharjeet8611]

Mohamed Rafi Saab Jaisa Na Koi Hai Aur Na Koi Hoga

[@Anjalimohan1]

The greatest singer. Mr. Rafi, we salute you.

[@RajaKhan-qf1lw]

Rafi sahab duniya ke ayese singar hai jiska koi jor nahi

[@anjusharma4133]

those who can sing 30% like rafi is greatest singer now a days. No rafi and lata, anyone will be for all time to come.they are perfect in vocal music.

[@shivendrayadav9704]

Tru ma'am

[@mdmobinmdmobin8164]

Shammi Kapoor ke baad Aisa koie actor hi nhin aaya jiske liye itne energetic gane gayen wo allardher wo jhanah wo ainthan wo sarur wo mastangi uske baad sirf ek gana Dilip sb ke liye gaya mere pairon men ghunghru waise to Dilip sb ke liye bhut energetic gane Rafi sb ne gayen hain

[@RaviKumar-cu2uk]

मेरा आदर्श जनाब मोहम्मद रफ़ि साहब आपको कोटि कोटि नमन

[@lallitasingh616]

Greatest singer only one RAFI SAHAB ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😂❤😂😂❤❤

[@mridza1193]

3 decades without him..just liked eating roti-chapati without dal...rice wihout curry..

[@ATVVideosNews]

Main meri zindgi ke aakhri lamhe tak Rafi sahab ko kabhi bhula nhi sakta jab bhi sunta hoon unhe to aankhon se aansu apne aap behne lagte hain.. Khuda unhe Jannat Ata Farmaye love you Rafi sahab

[@lokeshsharma5960]

n jane kyu, kayi log rafi ke saath dusre singer se compaire easily kyu kar dete h, bhai logo, rafi is simply best in our subcontinent.

[@rajkumarkaushik8918]

रफी साहब...तुझको, तुम्हारे बाद ज़माना ढुढ़ रहा है !

[@Noniskia]

Ghantasala was nothing in front of Gr8 Rafisahab, no body else had that melodious and sweet voice which Rafi Sahab possesed

[@sahidahmad3105]

Mohammad Rafi is a good

[@premlal22]

JAB TAK SOORAJ CHAND RAHEGA RAFI SAB KA NAM RAHEGA THXXX JOOM

[@srinivaspillai4622]

Indians, urge the government to give this greatest playback singer of our country, Bharat Ratna.

[@mullaa1]

there is NO ONE NO ONE a bit like Rafi really amazing God givin he was the BEST

[@shaileshpatel856]

mullaa1 rnmg

[@AkhileshSingh-ts4vy]

Gurudev ji ke rup hai Bhagwan ke rup hai 🙏

[@umersheikh194]

Rafi sahab n Shammi ji world's best jodi Shammi ji I really miss u n Rafi sahab aap ki yaad toh dil se jaati hi nahi voice from heaven love u

[@1101smartkooldude]

woh apne fun se zyada apni insaaniyat aur akhlaaq ke liye mashhoor the. Ek zinda misaal hai ke koi kahin bhi rahe apne ko har burayi se bacha ke rak sakta hai- Rafi saab film industry mein reh kar bhi apne kirdaar pe aanch nahi aane diya. funkaar to bahut ache the usmein koi do raaye nahin. "Tum mujhe yoo'n bhula na paoge-jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere" Rafi saab aapko kaun bhool sakta hai bhale aapne geet sune ya na sune, aap to dil-o-dimaagh me bus gaye ho.

[@TheMobashah]

Rare singer that is Mohd Rafi

[@boshirmh007]

jo aadmi acha aur sacha hain unke awaaz mein bhi woh sachay nazar ayegi, to be an extra ordinary artist you also have to be an extra ordinary human being. which he was in abundance. he did not even want to accept royalty for his music because he did not see it fit, to get something for nothing. he believed everybody should earn their keep. thats the honesty he had.

[@Indrajeet2Indru]

Rafi sahab is immortal.

[@abdul188]

Rafi sab ki awaz me sukun hei

[@deepankerlehri8751]

Rafi sahab ko Salam

[@gfaarmyindian2957]

मोहम्मद रफ़ी साहब सायद यही बताने दुनिया में आए थे कि गाना कैसे गाया जाता है (मोहम्मद रफी जैसा न कोई बना और न ही बन पाएगा) ये मेरा तजुर्बा है

[@anoopsharma2999]

Mai khana khaz

[@SameerFreeFire5548]

Kya comment kiya dost Dil chhoo liya aap ke is कॉमेंट ने

[@papaji931]

I love you Bhai

[@SamSharma9999]

Rafi sir is the greatest

[@faisalarzaan1266]

Wah Rafi sahab kya kargaye aap...,saari Bollywood ki Ekta ki wajah ho aap, U r a medium for unity of the whole B industry.... MaashaAllah wah isey bolte hain a true LEGEND

[@shriramkakkar3683]

A True Legend.

[@biasheikh3751]

Love u rafi saab❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@JohnSmith-ll9no]

Very nice clip. All generous with compliments

[@sadaqatali3912]

Great singer Rafi Sb , apko kabi bhula na payen ge

[@user-vn5kh9fq5b]

Absolutely Rafi ws the best

[@salamzamadar1030]

Md Rafi is great singer and Allah ka dan hai.

[@prabhakarannairnairpk9844]

Rafi saahab appne bilkul sehi phermaya tum muche yoom bhoolana pavoge

[@asifkhan01234]

There were many great singers in the past and there are even today but there was something special in MD Rafi sahab which not every one has. I love other singers too like Kishore Da Manna Da Mukesh Ji and others but Rafi was out of this universe. No comparison with Md. Rafi Sahab.

[@muhammadafzal2653]

RafiSb.isUnmatchableIneveryRespect.

[@deepusoni8118]

श्री रफ़ी साहेबजी कृपया आप जहा कही भी हो वापस आजाओ बरसो से पूरा हिंदुस्तान आप को ढूंढ रहा हे।आप जेसे देवता स्वरुप इंसानो की देस को बहुत जरुरत हे

[@ayaankhanproudindian9850]

bhai log karan johar ki maa ki chut aap sabne toh suna he hoga usne duniya ke 1 of da bstst human k bare mein kya kaha hai film ADHM k ek scene me marhoom rafi sahab aapke liye aaj k baad main kabhi karan johar ki movie nai dekhunga or aaplog ka main aap par chodhta hu

[@ImranShaikh-qb3bi]

Deepu Soni bas karo bhai aansu agye aankh me

[@shivendrayadav9704]

@@ayaankhanproudindian9850 sachh baat h mere bhai

[@krishanpalsingh3620]

Bhai galat bolkar juban gandi na Karen kyunki Rafi Sahab ne hamen yah nahin sikhaya jo hua use pure Desh mein dekha aur samjha

[@muzamilahmed9245]

saahi kaha rafi sahab hum appko bhulana payage aur appi awaz

[@premakumarwooday7696]

Great human qualities, golden voice and a very versatile singer.

[@dangerouslydead]

he does not need ratification from some cheap politicians to be Bharat ratn... he is one in all our hearts...

[@sisirmisrasisir8249]

Rafi Saheb Versatile jenious Singer .

[@akramsayed244]

Laxmi Pyarelal ney Sach hi kaha tha ke "Mohd.Rafi" Saab ek FARISHTA NUMA INSAAN thaa !!! Mohd.Rafi Saab ke gaaney dekhney ke liye ham College Bunk kar ke ounki Filmey Dekhney ke liye jaatey they. Poora Cinema Hall ounkey Ganoo par Jhoom outha tha,aur ham log coins screen par phektey they.Ye ous zamaney ka ek traditional ban chuka tha. Mohd.Rafi Saab ka Deedar bhi huva. I can just say that we are lucky to Born at earlier stage. Warna Ham bhi Ghadhey hotey !! aur "GHADHA KYA JANEY ZAAFRAN KI QADAR"

[@gouravpal1917]

guemeet Paul me bas itna he kahna cahuga ki rafi shab mahan इंसान the me unka chota sa चेला hoo vo taarif se nahi balke taarif उनसे थी ham sab rafi bahkto ka rafi sahb ko dil ke gahari se hamari ruh se rafi shab ko सलाम

[@ayushsrivastava5062]

Rafi saheb 😢😢😢😢

[@shamsherali323]

Md Rafi sahab apni unique awaz k liye waise hi mash hoor hain jaise suraj apni chamak k liye aur chand apni shitalta k aur hawayen apni Lazzat k liye. Rafi sahab ki barabri kisi ne nahi ki aur na mustaqbil me aisa hone ka kuch imkan hi lagta hai. Inka intaqal hamari paidaeesh se pahle hi ho gaya Lakin agar kisi singer ki awaz ne mere dil pe dastak Di to ye awaz Rafi sahab ki hi hai. Budhe bhi jawan bhi aur bachche, mard bhi aurten bhi sab Rafi sahab ko pasand karte hain, aur jinhen music k bare me thodi bhi jankari hai, aise log to deewane hi hain Rafi sahab k. Allah kare Rafi sahab Jannatul Firdaus me khud ko payen, Allah unke gunahon ko darguzar kare. Aameen ya rabbalalameen.

[@KhalidKhan-mm3gc]

Tum Mujhe Yun Bhula Na paoge Jab Bhi Suno Ge geet Mere Tum Bhi Sang Sang Gun Guna Ho Ge I like Rafi Sahab

[@dinakarvelagala845]

All Shammi Kapoor songs are hit because of MD Rafi Saab Songs

[@geordiechacko1394]

He left a bit too.early.Amazing voice talent nd such a wonderful human being.

[@mohammadsansari1473]

Greatest indian singer!

[@kuldeepkherakhera219]

Shammi Kapoor and all Kapoor family is great Debtor of Rafi sahab.They all were dump without Rafi sahab.They should build Rafi Baseras in his Memory.So Jai Jai Rafi 24 24 Rafi Rafi.

[@BalwinderSingh-qu3vw]

Greatest man n singer ever

[@MalikShabir21]

at 4:20 see the two great legends together. . .. Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Rafi

[@Mrpkv1006]

rafi saab iis not a human being .he is ana vatar of god

[@user-gw7rs8zn2f]

Rafi sahb ko allah janat ata farmaye ameen

[@SyedTauqeerHussaini]

Only the best singer that Indo-pak has produced was Mohd Rafi

[@sweetymishra726]

Love u Shammi jiii 😘😘😘😘😘

[@labeeb241]

I am speechless..... But missing some people here on this occasion, most importantly Sonu Nigam ...

[@helaluddin9894]

la jawab.....itni izzat....!! love & respect.

[@mohdbilal2644]

I love you mohd rafi Saheb

[@armanshaikh1622]

tum jab yaad aye bohat yaad aye

[@nusratjamia7953]

Amazing Sammie Kapoor.💐😘🌼🌸🌼🌸😘🌸😘

[@BalwinderSingh-qu3vw]

He has sung for everyone

[@kamalraja6824]

Rafi voice dillll me he

[@yasinmansuri3592]

हिन्दुस्तान की फिल्म इंडस्ट्री में एक रफी साहेब our muggle Azam not repeat in world wonder of world creat by god

[@desiguy55]

such greats singer and actor of the 60's, there can't be other like them.

[@drasutoshpanda]

My favourite singer

[@NasirKhan-ix1he]

Shammi Kapoor used to make sure with the film director that all his songs must be sung by Mohammad Rafi. i.e. there is no other option but exclusivity of Rafi. This was indeed true in more than 90% of his movies. Rafi sang for Shammi in Skakti Samanta's "Kashmir ki kali" in 1964. The music director was O P Nayyar. After that movie O P fell out with Rafi so in 1967 Shakti in his next movie for Shammi "An evening in Paris" had no option but to appoint Shankar Jaikishan in place of O P to accomodate Rafi.

[@dhermendrasingh3099]

Rafi Sahab jaisa na koi tha na kabhi hoga, Rafi sahab ke nidhan ke baad agar kaha jaaye ki sangeet hi khatam ho gaya to shayad ye sahi he, Jo geet hum aaj sunte he wo sirf 2 dino ke baad bhul jaate he lekin Rafi sahab ke gaaye gaane aaj bhi pure yaad he, Aaj ka sangeet mahabakwas ya kaha jaaye ek tarha se Maa saraswati ki baijati jaisa , Besura sunna ya gaana dono hi paap, Maa Saraswati ki Awaj to Rafi sahab ke nidhan ke baad bund hi gayi jo ab kabhi nahi aa sakti

[@faridanalwalla113]

Rafi sahab ko kisi se compare karne ka sawal hi nahi aata bhala bhagwan ki tulna kisi se hoti hai kya God of hindi songs one and only rafi sahab

[@ranveercarlos9557]

sonu beta baap ka anviseery par aya he nahi rafi cha-cha we love u n miss u u ll always. b in everyone's heart

[@munawarsultana2074]

Rafi sahab ki Tarif karne ke liye Alfaz nahi

[@vidyabhushankumar3040]

Great salute to you md rafi saheb

[@altafraza5725]

Khuda ki awaz

[@rajansaha7529]

rafi saheb, bharat ratna ke hakdar hai but unhey ab tak nahi diya gaya..

[@EVERYTHING-nk1mg]

Love and respect

[@deeptimishra2949]

Rafi aur u Mr. Shammi jii always live in my dil love u shammi jii forever ever

[@NikkiChauhan-nb6sc]

Rafi.is.god.ya.Bhagwaan.satish.rajput.Bijnor

[@Kalsi9219]

simply the best rafi saab

[@Sia1670]

Rafi ji is best no doubt ❤️🔥

[@umedrawat8206]

Shaami kapoor sir with Mohammad Rafi Sahab deadly combination for movies.

[@arsenalforever5877]

Never will rafi be superior to other better/more popular singers. A Muslim can never be considered superior in India.

[@MdIbrahim-kp6el]

sammy kapoor sahab jabtak jinda tha rafi sahab ka yead kiya

[@deepankerlehri8751]

Greatest singer

[@itsimran2u]

All the best and I loved the way Jackie Dada said .... ha ha

[@karimmoosa7315]

Koi dusra Rafi Saab Nahi baan saktay

[@hs0022]

Where is Sonu Nigam? He should have been there as he is a big fan and follower of Rafi saab.

[@RavindraSingh-vo6jb]

Rafi ji ke jese na koi aaya tha na koi aayega

[@premlal22]

Uske KAD ka kisi ko GUMAN na tha vo Aashman tha aur sar JHUKAYE khda tha

[@ms0507]

the one who dislike this video is a hater , who has no clue about music.

[@flash-uj6ly]

Because you hate Freddie mercury.

[@ishaquequreshi9151]

KAHA chale gaye rafi SAHAB my best singer

[@Faqiria73]

Wah, Rafi Sahab wah kia awaaz thi aap ki.

[@premlal22]

My heart beating Rafi sab ,voice of God thxxx UL

[@kantak1000]

SALUTES....THE GREATEST EVER. RAFI SAHEB

[@YasmeenQ]

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!