An endless feud between the fans of Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar..
Mohammed Rafi was born at Kotla Sultan Singh, near Amritsar . Rafi displayed his talent for singing at the tender age of 13. The lure of movies beckoned him to Bombay in 1944. His first hit was the Tera Khilona Toota Balak from Anmol Ghadi in 1946. India lost this jewel on July 31, 1980. […]
Mohammed Rafi was born at Kotla Sultan Singh, near Amritsar . Rafi displayed his talent for singing at the tender age of 13. The lure of movies beckoned him to Bombay in 1944. His first hit was the Tera Khilona Toota Balak from Anmol Ghadi in 1946. India lost this jewel on July 31, 1980.
Abhas Kumar Ganguly, better known as Kishore Kumar was born on August 4, 1929 in Kandwa. Following the footsteps of his elder brother Ashok Kumar he too ventured into movies. But he soon realised that his heart was in singing. Under the patronage of RD Burman he soon flourished. He would at times compose and write songs himself. Sadly he passed away in October,1987.
The debate as to who was the greater singer carries on even today, even decades after their death. Both of them left an indelible mark in the world of Indian film music, a void that still cannot be filled today. No wonder that their fans are at constant feud with one another trying to prove that their hero was better.
It is a no secret that Mohammed Rafi was a trained classical singer and that Kishore Kumar had a natural talent. Hence Rafi’s fans feel that he was the more accomplished and skilful of the two. Kishoreda’s fans are of the opinion that though he may not have been trained, he had purity and sheer quality of voice. The fact that he wasn’t trained, and could still sing anything, both classical and non classical songs with equal magic rendered him more superior than Rafi.
Fans claim that Rafi was the most favoured singer for many veteran composers while Kishore Kumar was preferred by few and was a playback mainly for Dev Anand and later for Rajesh Khanna. Rafi on the other hand balanced his melodious voice for diverse stars like Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Guru Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Shammi Kapoor.
In support of Rafi’s greatness, many of his fans say Rafi sang for Kishore Kumar in films that Kishore himself acted. They also draw the attention to Rafi’s song Darde Dil in Karz which was based on a single note and proved that he was indeed blessed with God-gifted melody. Mohammed Rafi’s fans also claim that Sonu Nigam and Udit Narayan who belong to the Rafi school are technically better than Kumar Sanu, Babul Supriyo etc.
On the other hand, Kishore Kumar’s fans remind people of songs which he sang by melodiously incorporating his inimitable yodelling. Those numbers are extremely popular even today. They further claim that in the 70’s and 80’s, it was he who sang for a number of heroes.
This debate can go on endlessly. However it must be stated that both were great singers of their times and each had his own distinctive style.
There was no feud between the two and the immense respect that Kishore Kumar had for Mohammed Rafi is clearly seen in the photo during Rafi’s funeral. A silent, sad and grief-struck Kishore in the newspapers portrayed very well that no one except him understood what an irreparable loss had taken place in Indian film music.
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both were greatest of their kind! both had their different way of singing.. though i am the biggest fan of kishore and then rafi.. but i must admit that copying rafi is hard enuff than kishore. koi maanay ya na maanay.. rafi was a trained one and kishore was the selfmade.. we all love them !
Good reading on Kishore and Rafi
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?col=§ion=opinion&xfile=data/opinion/2008/August/opinion_August73.xml
Dear Ashuji
Kishoreda’s songs sound best in his own voice.We have heard a number of singers trying to copy him but nobody can even remotely create his magic.I have several of his songs sung by his son Amit but I am simply repelled by them.Kishore was Kishore and nobody could have sung what he sang at his best.Although sometimes I think that Rafi could have sung some of his songs better but that is because of my immense liking for Rafi.I think it is an idle exercise to imagine who could have done what.Let us just enjoy what these great maestros have left according to our choice.
There is no threat to Rafi from Kishore or to Kishore from Rafi.Both these are giants in their own right.The real threat,Ashuji,to both of them and to good music is from the trashy stuff that is being churned out by Bollywood these days.When I listen to most of the songs of these days I find that it are just western tunes filled out with Hindi words.There is a 6th class student who says that his favourite singer is Michael Jackson.He can’t understand a word of what Michael Jackson sings.It is this craze for western music that has almost pushed our own best music out.
I am 59 years old and a very senior professor of English language and literature.Whenever I talk to my postgraduate students about music they just sneer at the film music of the golden era.Most of them haven’t even heard Talat or Hemant’s name.Some haven’t heard even Mukesh’s.They have heard Rafi and Kishore but neither of them is their favourite.They are not familiar with the best songs of these singers.In Rafi’s case it is just yahoo stuff and in Kishore’s also khai ke paan Banaras wala.I am not saying that these songs are bad but these are not the ones that make both Rafi and Kishore the best.
I have noticed another thing.Generally the people’s liking for a singer depends on what they are exposed to in the formative stages of their life.When I was growing up in 1950s it was Rafi all the way.Rafi’s domination was so absolute that other singers were hardly ever heard.Mukesh was heard only when Raj Kapoor’s film came once in a while.Talat was almost out.Kishore was known for only a couple of his songs and was considered to be a very minor singer,not even of the stature of Mahender Kapoor.Kapoor with his Humraj songs had made a name for himself.My generation liked Kishore’s songs but only modestly.We liked his Meire Mahboob Qyamat hogi but somehow my generation couldn’t by and large appreciate the music of 70s.Ever since I have been participating in this debate,I have listened a lot to Kishore in order to understand and appreciate him but have failed.I can like about fifty of his songs ;beyond that I find him intolerable.I find some of Rafi’s stuff too intolerable but I like hundreds of his songs.This is how my mind is geared.
A great British philosopher of the last century,F H Bradley, says that we find reasons for what we like on instinct.Actually our response to music is instinctive and spontaneous but later we find reasons to defend and justify it.This is the reason for all the debates.Not everybody has the same preferences.For example,Shakespeare is universally regarded as the greatest writer but there have been distinguished dissenters also,the most famous of whom were Tolstoy and Bernard Shaw.
So let us have truce and enjoy what we like best.I have requested you several times to write to me but you haven’t obliged.You may reconsider your decision.
Dear Sudip
I have always enjoyed reading your balanced,dispassionate and perceptive views.I would like to know more about you and if it is all right with you you may write to me.My e-mail id is
dogra_suresh@yahoo.co.in
I agree with the first part of Ashu’s post #1195. It is also true that Kishore’s simplistic approach to singing was well appreciated by contemporaries and even by Rafi fans.. Kishore could make a song look deceptively simple because of the sonorous richness of his voice..Little disagreement here.
But those only do not make the greatest singer. In a previous post of mine, I had mentioned that Kishore has a unique approach to singing..Rafi, on the other hand has elements of almost every singer I know of-and that is his greatness. For example: Kishore’s approach to the few Qawwalis he sang was unique and entirely “Kishorean”.. Rafi’s approach to Qawwali was the traditional approach which makes him sound like a Qawwal. His approach to Ghazals make him sound like an established Ghazal singer..I do not know of any other singer that can adapt to so many genres.. Kishore fans would think the uniqueness is the mark of greatness. I would argue that the fact that Rafi used to adapt to different genres so easily was his greatness. It all depends on what you prefer.
I also think Kishore’s fans ears are too tuned to Kishore. This is not only true with Ashu but every Kishore fans I have come across. So when a Kishore fan says Udit’s “Khaike pan Banaraswala” was nowhere close to Kishore, I would like to know WHY? Did he technically falter anywhere? Just that he has a less sonorous voice than Kishore does not make that song any worse than Kishore.. That would be a uni-dimensional judgment.. In one of the concerts that I attended, Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, the renowned classical vocalist sang two Kishore’s songs to show how classical singers can adapt..I am 100% sure that if Kishore’s fans listen to those, they will say “Ajoy was nowhere close to Kishore”…I am not sure how “not same as Kishore” translates to “nowhere close to Kishore” or “worse than Kishore”..Every singer is different-so we should be able to judge songs on their individual merit.
When I say Rafi clones are worse than Rafi, I am NOT expecting them to be same as Rafi. Nor do I expect them to reproduce a song 100%.. I try to judge them individually on technicalities and vocal attributes. That way, I think Amanat Ali did more justice to a Rafi song more than anyone else, though his style was different from Rafi..
DhaniRamji,
U wrote
None of the Rafi’s clone could creat magic as Rafi. I partially agree to it, but i must say Sonu was on top for last coupleof year.
Aap ko shayad pata nahi hoga, in one of last inetrview Kishore said….”Duniya jis kisi me mera ans dekhegi, use haatho haath legi”
Chahe wo Kumar Sanu ho, ya abhijeet ho aur ya ab “SHAAN” ho
Dear Unknown,
I am big fan of Rafi too. He was great. I keep listening his songs so there is no questionof hatred. If you ask me good thing abt KK. I will write.
Kishore and Rafi shared great relationship. There is no doubt. BUt numerous time i wrote to rafians that he was never Rafi fan, but he likes Rafi as he likes Mukesh and other singers. He was fan of 4 personalities wich i have mentioned already. Mukesh was great fan of Saigal, not Rafi.
There was inetrview of Nitin MUkesh’s son, he said he is fond of Kishore…It was on record of NDTV India..
Dhaniramji,
I am quite bore of reading same thing again and again. I never denied that Rafi was great as Kishore or Mukesh.
I have a problem with those who start comparing them and come up with their own ranking.
Not only you. there was another person on this site said that Kishore could never sing like Rafi. I am 110% agree to that. My reply would be If kishore could have sung like Rafi, then we wouls have not wasted our time in debating who is great. Kishore had his own innovative style like Sachin/Lara, where Rafi was perfectionalist like Dravid.
You can see people copy kishore style still now. e.g.
– There are shown on his name
– Mostof the new movie has his old songs
(e.g. Bachana E Hasino….Producer n Director thought to keep Kishore’s version.. They could have easily asked any singers to sing this songs, but they knew that it can’t be as powerful as it is in Kishore’s voice..Though some parts of songs was sung by Sumit.
DhaniRamji, u wrote:
On this site itself there is a post wherein someone claims that he is a small time singer and can sing Kishore’s songs very well but finds it difficult to sing Rafi’s song because Rafi has sung them with great perfection.I know of many people who believed when Kumar Sanu was at the peak and who still believe that Sanu was a better singer than Kishore.Well,I don’t believe it myself
My reply:
Great thing abt Kishore that he made songs so easy that anyone think that they can sing this songs well. This was great quality in kishore, and i did not find this quality in any singer (Mukesh was 30%)
When i was 10 yrs. old, even i thought i can sing Rafi’s songs and Kishore;s songs easily, but i realized later that no songs are simpler.
Hope u remember VOI-1, There was one bengali singer….He was singing “O Hansini….kaha ud chali”. i am sure u will say it is very simple songs…I agree it is, but do you think anyone could have done justice to this songs as kishore did. Abhijeet made it very clear abt it when he was offering marks to that contestant.
I challenge DHaniRamji, if you are a singer, take any simpler song of kishore and Rafi and publish it here. I am sure you would be closer to Rafi, and far away from Kishore.
It has been proven in so many singing contestant….
Aur ha….U wrote abt “AAKE SEEDHE LAGI”. DHaniramji, we all grown up listening Rafi and Kishore’ songs. If somebody sings it brillaintly it doesn’t mean that he is closer to any of legends. Kisi aur ka gaya gaana, hamesha aasan hota hai.
That’s why these contenstant are not able to get any reasonable work after competition over.
Aur ha..agar logo ki baat kare to.. There are people who believe sonu is better than Rafi (especially younger generation).
One time, people thought Munna Aziz was better than Rafi. There are many people whio think SP and Yasudas arebetter than Kishore and Rafi.
Bolne wale tokuchh bhi bolte hai…Sachhai bolni nahi padti, dikhati hai. BUt noone can help you if you keep your eyes shut.
Dhani Ram wrote:
“also that we should not go by what is happening on T.V. reality shows”..
–I fully agree. Since when was music judged on the basis of “immitability”? If that’s the benchmark, Lata is the worst of them all, because of sheer number of Lata clones. Anuradha, Alka, Sreya and even the bar girls can clone Lata numbers…
Ashu: Since you are a big believer in this theory of “immitability”, please listen to Babul Supriyo’s rendition of Rafi songs..He is well-known as a Kishore (and Sanu) clone, he should have cherished that honor. Then he tried Rafi numbers like “Apni aakhon mein basakar”… Please listen to Babul’s version and give us an honest opinion on how he sang..Here is the link for download:
http://www.dishant.com/album/Babul_Supriyo_-_Souls_Forever_-_Vol_8.html
Dear Ashuji
You have a wonderfully fertile imagination.You build castles of sand on flawed premises and half-chewed,undigested notions and revel in them.Let me take up some of your imaginary bubbles:
1.That you have proven anything regarding Asha’s duets is just gobbledygook.What have you proved and to whom? I hold with many many highly knowledgeable people that Lata-Rafi duets are the best and next are Asha-Rafi duets.Now if you consider your unfounded assertions proofs,they may satisfy just you and nobody else.There is a man qualified better than both you and me,Shankar Mahadevan, who in an article in the Indian Express about a month ago, said that the best duet ever sung by Asha is with Rafi: Abhi na jao chhod kar ki dil abhi bhara naheen from the film Hum Dono.It means that some knowledgeable persons don’t care a dime for your proofs.
I have my own Asha Rafi favourite duets which I rate far higher than anything sung by Asha Kishore.The number runs into scores and I can’t cite them.Just a couple of them are:Yahi hai voh saanjh aur savera jis ke liye tadpe hum saara jeevan bhar; ik chameli ke mandve tale do badan pyar ki aag mein jal gaye;main piar ka rahi hoon teri zulf ke saaye mein zara der thehar jaon etc.The list is endless.Compared to such duets Asha Kishore have sung pretty pedestrian stuff.
You will not agree with what I have said above as you didn’t agree earlier.Fair enough.But if you think that your vociferous assertions are proofs of anything,you need to study a primer on logical reasoning.
2.You are terribly facile in your assertion that any good singer can replicate Rafi’s songs.Rafi started singing in 1947 and till today has there been another Rafi ? There may be imitators galore but none can approach Rafi as a singer even remotely.
You say that nobody can sing like Kisore.You say this only to enhance Kishore at the cost of Rafi.But your assertion has no substance.My purpose in my earlier post was only to show that just as you assert that all good singers can sing like Rafi,there may be others who may equally fanatically assert that even ordinary singers can sing as well as Kishore.On this site itself there is a post wherein someone claims that he is a small time singer and can sing Kishore’s songs very well but finds it difficult to sing Rafi’s song because Rafi has sung them with great perfection.I know of many people who believed when Kumar Sanu was at the peak and who still believe that Sanu was a better singer than Kishore.Well,I don’t believe it myself.But my point is that like you many people assert all kinds of unfounded things.Just as no responsible person with a sound knowledge of music will say that Sanu is a better singer than Kishore,musical fraternity by and large believes that there has been one and only one Rafi.In my earlier post I cautioned also that we should not go by what is happening on T.V. reality shows.Let me add.A couple of months back one Raja Hassan from Rajasthan sang in a reality show Kishore’s amusing song meire banke sawariya in male female voice.I was not the only one to feel that Raja had sung it as well as Kishore but the judges also said so.But not even for one moment I jumped to the hasty conclusion that Raja,or for that matter anybody else,can sing some of Kishore’s best songs like him,though I believe that some of Kishore’s more serious songs could have been sung better by Rafi.But this is a debatable point so I shall not press it.Today itself,Anu Kapoor,the anchor of Junoo tried to sing Rafi’s Ai watan ai watan humko teri kassam and made a mess of it.He usually sings Kishore’s songs much better.Zakir Hussain tried Rafi’s Watan pe jo fida hoga amar woh naujawan hoga today on sa re ga ma pa and ruined the song.
3. You say that you don’t agree that 50s and 60s was a great era.Your sentence construction being faulty at this point,I haven’t been able to clearly understand your import.If you say that it wasn’t the greatest period of Hind music,you are flying in the face of facts.Musical fraternity unequivocally recognises it as the golden period of Hindi film music and Rafi was the leading singer of the period.Yes he sang quite a few ootpatang songs.It is not for them that he is remembered.It is for an awesome output of brilliant songs that he is regarded as the greatest singer.Mukesh,Manna Dey etc were all great singers but Rafi was far ahead of them by virtue of his phenomenal reach,range and sweetness.He deploys a fantastic range of notes to traverse regions of music that no other singer can even dream of.This has been acknowledged by those singers themselves.MDs of the golden period reposed their maximum faith in him.What compells you ,Ashu, to deny what is obvious? Why don’t you base your arguements on facts rather than fantasies?Do you deny the fact that Rafi was the leading singer of the golden period of Hindi film music?
4.Whenever the contribution of male singers to Hindi film music is discussed,three names are mentioned in the following order: Rafi,Kishore and Mukesh.Do you read anything significant in this order?
Ashu: …i see you quoting this instance of kk singiing ‘man re tu kahe’ many times before and even on other forums,,,,i searched all over the net but couldnt find this version…
could you please point us to the link for this…
———————–
My reply:
Kishore could have done 100% better than him.
for e.g.
– Tum bin jaaon kaha
– Man re tu kahe na dheer dhare (sang in concert)
————————–
Ashu:
I think we all kind of agree and disagree on couple of points.
1. We all agree that singing a song is a matter of training, whether it is a Rafi song or a Kishore song. Any good singer-Abhas, Saptak, Arshit, Amit, Aneek with a decent control of sur and taal would sing a song, whether it is a Kishore song or a Rafi song..Occasionally, they may goof up, but it is a matter of practice before they sing correctly.
2. Singing with a certain gayki and voice quality is the difficult part where you feel Kishore is inimitable and we feel Rafi is. The reality is both are..We Rafians feel that no one, right from Aneek to Sonu Nigam has those qualities because either their vocal bass or vocal pitch or both are limited. Rafi had a phenomenal octave range which these guys did not have. And you feel Kishore deserves that spot-fair enough.
A proof of the second point is that none of these so called Rafi clones created the same effect when they sang their own songs. One can listen to a Rafi song 100 times, practice all the harkateins, notes, etc and reproduce that to some degree. But when they sing their own song, they lose their reference.
I respectfully agree, that to Kishore fans Kishore clones may have the similar limitation. I would assert that there is at least one person who in his lifetime reproduced the Kishore effect in his own songs-that was his own son Amit Kumar. I know lot of people who cannot distinguish between Amit and his dad’s voice (note, not in in Kishore’s songs, but in Amit’s own songs).
Kumar Sanu, to me, came nowhere near Kishore-but he ended up creating a similar market effect as Kishore between 1990 and 1996. Again I am not comparing Sanu to Kishore, I am just stating that the market effect in pure revenue terms and fanfare of Kishore between 1970-1976 was comparable to Sanu between 1990-1995…
Dear ashu,
May I know who are you?As I think your one of KK family member or you don’t like Mohd Rafi as person or you don’t know anything about KK and Mohd Rafi or your child age of 6 to 12……..
KK was great singer and greater actor as I think.
The two superstars Rajesh Khanna and Mr Bachchan they was not able to put KK at the top as singer,RD used KK more than Mohd Rafi but 1980 RD back to Mohd Rafi more than KK in Film Shaan, RD used Mohd Rafi more than KK In 1980 Mohd Rafi which was last flim of RD with Mohd Rafi.
In 1980 Mohd Rafi singed only for 8 months it mean mean less than other singers 4 months but number of songs was more than any singer in 1980……
Dear ashu, plz write good things about KK and about his life what other singers or actors said about him.KK was a good friend of Mohd Rafi and he was fan of mohd Rafi.
Mukesh son said that his Father was MohdRafi fan….
If Rafi has been the greatest singer ever I dont see how this can be overcome by the remix induced resurrection of RDB and kk in the past few years…all these are passing trends..Rafi sahab and his songs are everlasting evergreen…
regards,
Dhani Ramji..
U wrote in prev. blog:
Kishore too would have made a mess of Rafi’s songs if he had attempted them
My reply:
Kishore could have done 100% better than him.
for e.g.
– Tum bin jaaon kaha
– Man re tu kahe na dheer dhare (sang in concert)
Har koi Mahendra kapoor nahi hota, sir
Dhaniram ji,
you always have half knowledge, that i have proven many times like
– Asha’s best duets and many..
But great things is, you know partial..There are rafians who don’t know anything and write.
Abt Saptak, I believe u watch “Junoon” reguralry…He was the only singer who got high marks from the judges. His attitude was a problem….aur bhaiyaa sms to kisiko bhi bahar nikal sakta hai, jaise Ali Abbas (my fav.)
Aaj rafi ho te to saayad qualify bhi nahi kar pate.
I wrote abt singer, not abt his popularity. Abhaas is very good singer, and above all, trained singer. Point is, he could not do justice to kishore;s songs. Aur ha, abt Saptak, If you remember(i doubt 🙂 ) in one episode, saptak sang songs from “HUM KISI SE KAM NAHI” sung by Kishore, Rafi and RDB.
– Chand mera dil, tum ky ajaano an dkishore;s number. Rahat said he liked “CHAND MERA DIL”.
Yaad hai.
50s and 60s was great era of music…i am not completely agree. There are so many 3rd grade songs sung by Rafi.
Mukesh, Manna and Talat were outstanding. It doesnot mean that i am degrading Rafi. Rafi was voice of Hero of that era, so he sang many bad songs and at the same time he sang many great songs.
Reference 1178
1.Eternal truth: 50s and 60s is unanimously regarded as the golden age of Hindi film music and the golden voice of the age was that of Rafi.No genuine lover of music with knowledge and perception ever contests this.Hence Rafi is the best playback singer ever.
2.Hallucinatory rant :Only Kishore could have sung Kishore’s songs. Mukesh,Manna Dey,Talat,Kishore or Ashu could have sung Rafi’s songs equally well or better.
Now Junoon and Abhas.Abhas can’t create even one percent of Rafi’s effect.In Junoon itself,Saptak was repeatedly complimented by Anand Raj for singing like Kishore.Saptak sang Kishore’s songs for which he drew applause from the judges.But you should know that Saptak got the lowest ratings and was eliminated.Kishore like singer was ousted to bring in Abhas so that Bollywood segment which was getting a battering could get better ratings.
There are literally hundreds of songs of Rafi which only another Rafi can sing.I give just three:
1.Main yeh soch kar us ke dar se chala tha ke voh rok le gi mana le gi mujh ko
2. Jaag dile deewana rut jaagee vassal yaar ki
3. Koi mujh se poochhe ki tum meire kya ho
Nobody could have sung or can sing these songs.Yes,in a way even I can sing them but what singing is that.The quality of Rafi’s voice was such that it couldn’t be duplicated.
I think of many of Kishore’s best songs which Rafi would have rendered with added grace.One of my favourites is : meire nainan sawan bhadon phir bhi meira man pyasa.Kishore sings it reasonably well but because of lack range in voice he is not able to deliver what could have made this very good composition one of the best songs.
Lata sings this song better because she employs more notes than Kishore.Only Rafi could have excelled even Lata because Rafi had an endless range of notes with perfect melodious voice.
I have observed a serious flaw in Kishore’s singing.It is just a singsong style.Mukhra and antra are sung at the same pitch.Variation in scale and pitch leads to a bleating effect.
There is a non-film ghazal of sterling quality sung by Rafi much applauded by top ghazal singers.Aaye bahar ban ke lubha kar chale gaye.
Ashu, do you think Kishore could even dream of attempting this ghazal? Kishore knew his limitations as a singer and therefore never attempted anything beyond run of the mill populist stuff.He could never scale in music the heights that Rafi did.For example there is absolutely nothing in his repertoire to match the ghazal mentioned above.
I can mention another song which is absolutely beyond the capabilities of Kishore: Dil jo na keh saka vohi raaze dil kehane ki raat aayee.Lata has sung it but just see how Rafi outstrips her.
It is not without reason that Meenu Purshottam has said that Kishore used to say that he could never sing like Rafi.But the irony is that the fans of Kisore like Ashu pretend to be wiser than their icon.
And besides,don’t go by the compliments they pay or don’t pay in reality shows.These reality shows are just stunts.Their purpose is to keep the audience bound by theatricality and dramatics.There is no music in them and no substance.
I must also mention a patriotic song from Manoj starrer Shaheed: Ai watan ai watan hum ko teri kasam teri rahon mein jaan tak luta jaayeinge.
When Rafi comes to:jab manao tum azad bharat ka din us ghari tum hamein bhool jaana naheen.
The whole song and particularly the above portion is sung with such pathos and melancholy that no other singer could have infused a fraction of emotion that Rafi did.It simply not Kishore’s cup of tea.Ashu,listen to this song,put you hand on your heart and honestly tell if you believe that any singer could have sung this song.Yes,any good singer could have sung this song but do you know how? Just as when Mahendra Kapur was asked if he wished he could have sung some of Rafi’s best songs,he replied,” Who wouldn’t have liked to sing like Rafi? But I would have only made a mess of it.” Kishore too would have made a mess of Rafi’s songs if he had attempted them.
dear myk,
ha ha ha…I am insecure….ha ha ha
U guys are insecure, that’s why always come up with illusion. And i always try to bring you guys in reality.
I don’t feel to reply you, because i had already replied to ur illusion or doubt in my prev. blogs.
dear sudip,
I don;t have any issue with word “chand” render by Rafi. Abt three music pundit referred by u…i can just laugh ha ha ha.
If jaikishan and Raj kapoor is pundit, then i am also music pundit 🙂
I believe among these 3, only shankar was highly talented…Jaikishan was manipulator and Raj Kapoor was good listener like u and me….
Aur ha…Rafians ek aur sacchai.
My fav. singer Aabhas (rafi’s clone..i will not say sonu’s clone) is particilatinig in “Junoon” music relaity show. Last week, he supposed to sing rafi;s song from DOsti, but NDTV imagine channel asked him to sing “Bachana E hasiono” from “HUM KISI SE KAM NAHI”….He was terribly failed to sing this songs, and in contrast he sing rafi’s songs beautifully.
CHillane se aur kucchh bhi likhane se kuchh nahi hota..Sachhai sabke saamne hai…any trained singer can sing Rafi’ song easily, not kishore’songs. Rafi or any singer can’t even come closer to genious Kishore.
Aur ha …Yesterday i was watching “Neel Kamal” movie on SAB TV. All songs are great songs..hats-off to Ravi, Sahir, Rafi and Asha. There was a seen where Balraj shahani visited his daughter’s place, and he got disappointed seeing Waheeda’s condition. There was a songs playing in the background “babul ki duyaaye leti ja”. Songs was great, and Rafi took this songs to incomparable height. I felt especially in that situation his voice got broken.
“I don’t like the way Rafi pronounces the world “chand” in “yeh mera prem patra”. his voice gets really thin every time he sings that word. it’s an awful blemish in the song. kishore would have sang this song better.”
-So true! I wonder why three pundits of music -Shankar, Jaikishan and Raj Kapoor who were at the sets did not realize this “awful blemish” and re-take the song with Rafi himself or with someone else.
SAD…SAD..SOB…SOB…
Ashu,
You’re hitting your head against a brick wall by trying to associate Kishore in the same league as Rafi. Your arguments show how insecure you are about your favourite singer. You will never be able to prove that Kishore was as good as Rafi because, simply put, he wasn’t, and that can never happen, and that, let me put it in your words, “is a fact”.
Kishore himself said he could never be like Rafi, and so did a countless number of personalities in the music world, so why the debate in the first place when its obviously clear ?. If its not, then I’m sorry to say its ignorance.
However I admire your spirit to continue such a debate.
I don’t like the way Rafi pronounces the world “chand” in “yeh mera prem patra”. his voice gets really thin every time he sings that word. it’s an awful blemish in the song. kishore would have sang this song better.
Ashu wrote: “If all great songs of Rafi would have been given to Mannad Dey, Talat, Mukesh or any singer…it would be as great as it is now. (Note: Same will not true in case of Kishore’s songs). But this is a fact.”
LOL.
Ashu wrote: “I feel that credit should go to MDs and lyricist.
A lot of credit goes to them. However, Rafi should be credited for his versatility and virtuosity in taking so many compositions to maximum heights. He did this in a period of music that was very rich and where there were many different and demanding MDs and genres.
here’s suresh wadkar singing “ehsaan tera hoga muchpe”
pay attention to lata at 0:44!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymOli4DUY0M
Ashu wrote:
“Most of so called tough songs from Rafi and Manna Dey sung by almost all contenstant in reality show. i.g. Aabhash (VOI), Ankit (Sa Re GA MA)…So if i follow ur analysis then all those songs are not great”
-So you really think Abhash, Ankit, Ismeet, Aneek and the likes sang like Rafi… Why don’t you re-listen to Toshi’s “Khuda bhi aasman se” and Rafi’s version? Same with Abhash’s “Mera to jo bhi kadam hai”… Compare the basses. Again to Anandji’s point, these guys are singing from the throat, not from the navel like Rafi. Initially your point was “no one follows Rafi today”.. And now you are saying “Everyone sings Rafi’s tough songs”..Please stick to one view.
It may be still technically possible to have one or two performances like Rafi or Kishore…But it is not about a single performance..Zakir Hussain in SVOI sang the first two songs very well.. I would not say he was like Rafi but his higher notes were flawless like Rafi.. But in the third performance “Main jat yamla” he was terrible..
Finally, I do not think the songs that these guys sing really fall in the “tough category”…Rafi’s less popular songs are often much tougher.. To me rendition of “Kahin bekhayal hokar” is tougher than “Duniya ke rakhwale”. Similarly “Main nigahen teri chehre se” is a really tough number.. I am yet to see people try those.
Dear Ammad,
Let me clear ur doubt.
I never mean “more songs a singer sings more he will have the ranking.”
What i mean…All songs whihc were selected by jury not based on singer’s songs but as great songs ( I feel that credit should go to MDs and lyricist).
Someone said 50s and 60s was golder era of music…Can you answer why?
Is it because of singer ? I will say NO…NO…..NO.
If all great songs of Rafi would have been given to Mannad Dey, Talat, Mukesh or any singer…it would be as great as it is now. (Note: Same will not true in case of Kishore’s songs)
So, most of the great songs of Rafi fell under that era. Few 70s songs were there though.
I know you will not have great view abt me after reading this blog. But this is a fact.
I must say here, Rafi was as great as Kishore. Personally, You may like one better than other, but you can’t ignore them.
DhaniRamji, again one side view 🙂
They were both brilliant.
Will this boring debate ever end ????????? Why can’t we acknowledge both singers were great.
I must say that to any TRUE unbiased music lover, it not really that difficult to realise that Rafi had the upper edge in skill, range and clarity.
For me I am huge fans of Rafi Saab & Kishore Da.
Goodbye!!!
All the singers of golden period of Hindustani music are great and immortal. Each and every one has sung many great songs which no other singer could have sung better. This whole discussion on who was great has no meaning. All of them are simply greats in their own respective way. A lot of contrbution to their greatness was due to the lyrics of the songs that they sung, the music director and the arrangers. Many a great music masters have played music as musicians in those immortal songs. The period was about dedication, passion, devotion and treating work as god. when we look at the movies, their subjects, stories, directions etc. etc. they have produced masterpieces when technology was in infancy. None of today’s greats can achieve those heights simply because none works harder any more.
If Kishore Da was spontaneous Rafi Saheb was Riaz and perfection. Both have given us gems which generations will remember.
kishorda was superior than rafi.. ye lata didi aur aasha ji ne bhi kaha hai….
Radio Worldspace paid a daylong tribute to Rafi Sahib by broadcasting about two hundred of his songs.After listening to them all one is convinced that it is sheer folly to compare anybody,anybody whatsoever,with Rafi.
In Marlowe’s eponymous play when Dr Faustus sees Helen of Troy,he bursts out,” All is dross that is not Helena.” We can also say that all is dross that is not Rafi.
dear ashu,
I am really upset by the falseness of what u say. in the outlook historical survey of the greatest songs of milenium, Rafi had seven songs and lata had 6 songs while kishore had only 2 songs. Also, if you take top ten of these 20 songs, i am afraid you will not be able to avoid any of rafi songs which means 7 out of 10 would belong to this great and miraculous singer.
and finally i m really disopointed by ur logics. just illogical u r. i mean how u conclude that more songs a singer sings more he will have the ranking. Mukesh sang many more songs than manaday but Manaday’s song was included. Kumar Sanu sang more songs than Sonu but Sonu managed to be part of the list. I mean, how easily u go on saying false and incorrect things. Horrifying.
Ammad
Ashu,
There is no connection between OPN’s rift with Rafi, and if OPN thought he could or could not survive without Rafi. The point is that he was very fond of Rafi, and he said that his rift with Rafi was the biggest mistake of his career.
I disagree with you on your final point, Singers definitely exist on their own right, and they definitely don’t need MD’s to exist. Singers, MD’s and Lyricists all have equal important roles to play.
Dear ashu,
If I ask you that at night we can’t see the sun but your answer will be that we can see the sun in other country but it is not the right answer because in other country also you will not going to see sun at night.
SD used Mohd Rafi in 90 flims from 120..Naushand mostly all he used KK only for one song.i don’t mean that KK was not good singer or any other singer
who said that Mohd rafi was not singing from 1970 to 1975 or singed so less,Mohd rafi singed for more than 113 flims from 1970 to 1975 it mean more than 56 flims a year
1 Aandhi (1975) MOHD. RAFI
2 . Anari (1975) MOHD. RAFI
3 . Chupke Chupke (1975) MOHD. RAFI
4 . Do Jasoos (1975) MOHD. RAFI
5 . Do Jhoot (1975) MOHD. RAFI
6 . Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka (1975) MOHD. RAFI
7 . Geet Gaata Chal (1975) MOHD. RAFI
8 . Kahte Hain Mujhko Raja (1975) MOHD. RAFI
9 . Lafange (1975) MOHD. RAFI
10. Mausam (1975) MOHD. RAFI
11. Pratigya (1975) MOHD. RAFI
12. Prem Kahani (1975) MOHD. RAFI
13. Teri Meri Ik Jindri (1975) MOHD. RAFI
14. Zakhmi (1975) MOHD. RAFI
15. Zinda Dil (1975) MOHD. RAFI
16. Zorro (1975/II) MOHD. RAFI
17. Bhagat Dhanna Jatt (1974) MOHD. RAFI
18. Chor Machaye Shor (1974) MOHD. RAFI
19. Do Aankhen (1974) MOHD. RAFI
20. Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam (1974) MOHD. RAFI
21. Geeta Mera Naam (1974) MOHD. RAFI
22. Haath Ki Safai (1974) MOHD. RAFI
23. Hawas (1974) MOHD. RAFI
24. Hum Rahi (1974) MOHD. RAFI
25. Humshakal (1974) MOHD. RAFI
26. Jurm Aur Sazaa (1974) MOHD. RAFI
27. Majboor (1974) MOHD. RAFI
28. Resham Ki Dori (1974) MOHD. RAFI
29. Shandaar (1974) MOHD. RAFI
30 Woh Main Nahin (1974) MOHD. RAFI
31. Dost (1974) MOHD. RAFI
32 Abhimaan (1973) MOHD. RAFI
33. Anokhi Ada (1973) MOHD. RAFI
34. Barkha Bahar (1973) MOHD. RAFI
35 Chhalia (1973) MOHD. RAFI
36. Do Phool (1973) MOHD. RAFI
37. Ghulam Begam Badshah (1973) MOHD. RAFI
38. Hanste Zakhm (1973) MOHD. RAFI
39. Heera (1973) MOHD. RAFI
40. Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973) MOHD. RAFI
41. Loafer (1973) MOHD. RAFI
42. Samjhauta (1973) MOHD. RAFI
43. Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) MOHD. RAFI
44. Zanjeer (1973) MOHD. RAFI
45. Anuraag (1972) MOHD. RAFI
46. Dastaan (1972) MOHD. RAFI
47. Dharkan (1972) MOHD. RAFI
48. Do Yaar (1972) MOHD. RAFI
49. Ek Bar Mooskura Do (1972) MOHD. RAFI
50. Ek Nazar (1972) MOHD. RAFI
51. Gaon Hamara Shaher Tumhara (1972) MOHD. RAFI
52. Jeet (1972) MOHD. RAFI
53. Koshish (1972) MOHD. RAFI
54. Lalkaar (1972) MOHD. RAFI
55. Mom Ki Gudiya (1972) MOHD. RAFI
56. Roop Tera Mastana (1972) MOHD. RAFI
57. Sazaa (1972) MOHD. RAFI
58. Shehzada (1972) MOHD. RAFI
59. Aap Aye Bahaar Aayee (1971) MOHD. RAFI
60. Adhikar (1971/I) MOHD. RAFI
61. Andaz (1971) MOHD. RAFI
62. Banphool (1971) MOHD. RAFI
63. Bikhare Moti (1971) MOHD. RAFI
64. Caravan (1971) MOHD. RAFI
65. Gambler (1971) MOHD. RAFI
66. Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) MOHD. RAFI
67. Jwala (1971) MOHD. RAFI
68. Kathputli (1971) MOHD. RAFI
69. Lal Patthar (1971) MOHD. RAFI
70. Maryada (1971) MOHD. RAFI
71. Mehboob Ki Mehandi (1971) MOHD. RAFI
72. Mela (1971) MOHD. RAFI
73. Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971) MOHD. RAFI
74. Pakeezah (1971) MOHD. RAFI
75. Parwana (1971) MOHD. RAFI
76. Patanga (1971) MOHD. RAFI
77. Piya Ka Ghar (1971) MOHD. RAFI
78. Seema (1971) MOHD. RAFI
79. Sharmilee (1971) MOHD. RAFI
80. Uphaar (1971) MOHD. RAFI
81. Woh Din Yaad Karo (1971) MOHD. RAFI
82 Pyar Ki Kahani (1971) MOHD. RAFI
83. Aan Milo Sajna (1970) MOHD. RAFI
84. Bhai Bhai (1970) MOHD. RAFI
85. Darpan (1970) MOHD. RAFI
86. Dastak (1970) MOHD. RAFI
87. Devi (1970) MOHD. RAFI
88. Dharti (1970) MOHD. RAFI
89. Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi (1970) MOHD. RAFI
90. Ganwaar (1970) MOHD. RAFI
91. Geet (1970) MOHD. RAFI
92 Gopi (1970) MOHD. RAFI
93. Himmat (1970) MOHD. RAFI
94. Humjoli (1970) MOHD. RAFI
95. Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1970) MOHD. RAFI
96. Jeevan Mrityu (1970) MOHD. RAFI
97. Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan? (1970) MOHD. RAFI
98. Kankan De Ole (1970) MOHD. RAFI
99. Khilona (1970) MOHD. RAFI
100. Maa Aur Mamta (1970) MOHD. RAFI
101. Maa Ka Aanchal (1970) MOHD. RAFI
102.Mastana (1970) MOHD. RAFI
103.Mera Naam Joker (1970) MOHD. RAFI
104.My Love (1970) MOHD. RAFI
105.Naya Raasta (1970) MOHD. RAFI
106.Pehchan (1970) MOHD. RAFI
107.Raaton Ka Raja (1970) MOHD. RAFI
108. Sachcha Jhutha (1970) MOHD. RAFI
109.Sawan Bhadon (1970) MOHD. RAFI
110.Suhana Safar (1970) MOHD. RAFI
111.Train, The (1970) MOHD. RAFI
112. Umang (1970) MOHD. RAFI
113. Bombay Talkie (1970) MOHD. RAFI
Post 1162 – Mr. Ali,
I have appreciations for your essay. That is Fine especially your comments abouts Sri K J Yesudas.
I request you to pl. read carefully with patience my post 1111 and give your comments please.
The following comment
“My dear friend, once more i would like to write…Singers exist due to MDs not vice versa.”
This is what one can say.
This can be the case with any other singer but not with Rafi. If we go by the above theory then Rafi should have not recorded a single song from early 70s onwards.
Dear myk,
I know complete story of OPN and Rafi.
I meant to say, if he was so find of Rafi, and if he think he could not survive without Rafi, he could not have rift with him.
My dear friend, once more i would like to write…Singers exist due to MDs not vice versa.
Sudip,
Fact is startdust, Hero Honda award :)….Aur kya chahiye….
I know the standard of stardust , hero honda….
Shahrukh is getting award every year.. 🙂
I am not surprised
Ashu:
Rafi was INDEED honored with the “Best singer of the millennium” by Hero Honda and Stardust magazine in Mumbai on Jan 7, 2001. Similarly the Filmfare award for Best male playback singer also went to Rafi.
Check the facts..
Ashu,
OPN was very fond of Rafi, the reason why he stopped recording songs with Rafi in a small part of the late 60’s is because they had a small misunderstanding. The move to not record songs together during that period was taken by OPN and not by Rafi. OPN later said, that move was the biggest mistake of his life. OPN and Rafi’s relationship stood till the very end as well.
Ali,
This is my last reply to you. Reason is, most of ur words are imaginary which was already raised by some other rafians, and i have already replied to these illusion with facts in my blogs.
If you ask someone abt Rafi, he will say very good things abt Rafi. And if you ask someone abt Kishore, he will again say great thinigs abt him. So you can’t conclude based on someone’s favorite. It is all subjective.
I give one example. I hope u watch “Sa Re Ga MA” or “VOI” or” Superstar”. Judges are well establish MDs, but regarding contestant their choices vary.
– Manytime it happened that Ismail like someone, but Himesh, Vishal-shekhar not and vice versa. What soes it mean?
TO mere dost, e sab subjective hai…
RDB openely said that Kishore is best among male. Again, it was his choice.
Abt O P nayyar…He stopped composing songs with Rafi later 60s…If he was so fond of Rafi, then he would have not done that.
For e.g. MM..He was very fond of Rafi, so realtionship stood till the end.
RDB…He was fond of Kishore. so relationship stood till end.
Ali, Pls. Don’t write something which is completely imaginary.
Dear Ashu
What the stars say about Rafi Sahab(taken from Geocities website) :-
OP Nayyar(Music director)
“I loved Mohammed Rafi. His death was a big loss to me. When I composed for Shammi Kapoor or Johnny Walker, he managed to sound like them. He sang so many wonderful songs for me. Rafi miyan was a wonderful person. Nobody can ever be compared to him.”
Lata Mangeshkar(singer)
“A man of unassuming temparament, Rafi Sahab was very melodious. It’s my good fortune that I sang the maximum number of duets with him. He sang every kind of song so brilliantly that even those listeners not very conversant with music, would spontaneously break into appreciative wahs – wahs. Singers like Rafi Sahab aren’t born everyday.”
Asha Bhosle(singer)
“His greatest ability was that he could sing at a high pitch and shift to a low pitch immediately. He could manage that very well. One of his songs which I love is Suhani raat dhal chuki.”
Johny Walker(comedian-actor)
“Rafi Sahab was such a dedicated singer that he would take time to meet with the actors and to study the actors’ personalities so that he could match his singing style with the actors’ style, accent and pronunciation. Jab Rafi Sahab mere liye gaate, tab aisa lagta ki main khud ga raha hoon(When Rafi Sahab sang for me, it seemed like I was singing)”.
Laxmikant(music director)
“He was a great human being. He would never ask what he was going to be paid for a song. Apart from waving off payments, he even helped producers financially. He’d help out the needy. He always gave without thinking of the returns.
Once Rafi recorded six songs in a day for us-two for Anjaam, one for Maa Aur Mamta, two for Man Ki Ankhen and one for Pyasi Shyam. Imagine, he could memorise six songs in a day! And he could do this at live recordings and not through the easy dubbing method that’s on today. If any singer claims that he has recorded 25-30 songs in a day, he’s talking nonsense. There’s only one singer in India who can even attempt that and that’s S.P.Balasubramaniam, not anyone else.
The demand for Mohammed Rafi’s songs is phenomenal. No other singer, not even Lata Mangeshkar, has been able to attract such a tremendous following. It’s almost as if he were still alive.”
Shahid Rafi(son)
“If a producer was in a tight spot Abba would’nt accept any money from him. He was a God fearing man. He felt he was an instrument through whom God was singing…whenever he was extra busy he’d ask the producer to give the song to another singer)”.
Naushad Ali(music director)
Tu hi tha pyar ka ek saaz
Nafrat ki is duniya mein
ganimat thi teri awaz
nafrat ki is duniya mein. On Rafi’s death Naushad sahab remarked…
Kehta hai koi dil gaya, dilbar chala gaya
Saahil pukarta hai, samundar chala gaya
Lekin jo baat sach hai, woh kehta nahin koi
Duniya se mausiqui ka paembar chala gaya !!!
“He earned respect and his popularity touched the sky. The magic of his voice enthralled the whole world. His popularity, respect and wealth all increased tremendously, YET he ALWAYS remained modest. Like a fruit-bearing tree, the more he fructified, the more he bent in front of the world. His heart was filled with fear of God and the love for truth. Generosity and altruism were part of his system. God and truth were the only sources of inspiration for him. And he always used to say Tum yahan jaisa karoge waisa bharoge, ye duniya ek mandir hai”
Jagjit Singh(ghazal singer)
“Rafi sahab had immense versatality and an ability to take on the personality of the hero on whom the song was picturised. Every time you hear a Rafi song, you see the hero, you can vividly put in place the situation and correctly access the mood.”
Raj Kapoor(Actor/producer/director)
Raj kapoor’s reaction on hearing the news about Rafi’s death wasb “In the world of music, the uncrowned king of singing has left us”.
Shammi Kapoor(actor)
Shammi Kapoor acknowledges that Rafi had a lot to do with his success. “It was amazing the way Rafisaab adapted himself to what I wanted him to do. I used to be terribly involved with my songs and go for all the recordings. I used to make it clear how I wanted a certain line sung and Rafisaab always responded. I remember when the song Tareef karoon kya uski (in Kashmir Ki Kali) was being recorded, I wanted the signature line Tareef karoon to be repeated till it reached a crescendo. O P Nayyar, the composer and a friend of mine, objected. He thought it would sound boring. But suddenly, Rafisaab spoke up and said ‘I would like to do it the way the boy wants it because I know what he wants’.” When the film was released, the song was a big hit. Nayyar hugged Kapoor and congratulated him for his foresight, but the actor maintains “it was possible only because Rafisaab had taken the song to such a pitch and had sung each repetition in a different style.” He adds, with a touch of pride, “Though Rafisaab sang for all the actors — be it Dilip Kumar or Johnny Walker — he was especially identified with me. Some songs sung by him and picturised on Joy Mukherjee and Biswajeet were actually my kind of songs. Baharon phool barsao, Pukarta chala hoon main or Teri pyari pyari surat ko — these were my songs, sung in Rafi’s special style for me. I remember when he sang Main gaoon tum so jaao for Brahmachari, I told him how I wanted him to sing one particular line. When he saw the picturisation he came and kissed my hand and said, ‘it’s very beautiful, why didn’t I think of that?’ I felt as if my own voice had been lost and could not utter a word for hours when I heard this shocking news of Rafi Sahab’s death.”
Shabir Kumar(singer)
“I have been singing Rafisahab’s songs since 1968 when I first started performing on stage in my hometown of Baroda. I have met Rafisahab only twice and both meetings were very moving. He was so nice and kind to me even though I was a nobody at that time. The first time I met him at Famous studio in 1972, there were a lot of people waiting to meet him. I used to sketch then and drew a sketch of him when he was recording. As soon as he passed me I showed the sketch in his hands to get his attention. He encouraged me a lot. Even today, there is a large audience for Rafi’s songs.”
Anand Bakshi(lyricist)
Even today when I write something I imagine how it would sound if Rafisahab had sung it. His place can never be filled again.”
Nitin Mukesh(singer)
“Amongst his contemporaries, my father’s favourite singer was Mohammed Rafi. He loved Rafisaab’s voice, and believed that nobody could replace him.”
Udit Narayan(singer)
Udit Narayan talks about his FIRST recording with Rafi Saheb “As it was a dream come true I was obviously excited, and to add to my excitement I was to sing none other than with Rafisaab, that very singer whom I worshipped as my guru, whose voice I used to hear on the radio, was in front of me! I can’t describe my ecstasy. But I was a bit nervous too. Rafisaab, realised this and the angel that he was, he comforted me by saying ‘You remind me of myself. I too was of your age when I came in the industry. Do not worry keep going.’(Mohd. Rafi was a chorus singer at the start of his career.) ”
Khayyam(music director)
“Rafisahab was the pride of India. His voice and his memories are still with us even though his body has left us.”
SD Batish(singer of 40s)
“His extremely humble way of showing respect for my seniority, before all gathered, left an impression of utmost respect and regard in my mind. Time went by, and Mr. Rafi, with his, ever flexible good voice and sensitively flexible behavior, did not waste much time, in becoming the favorite playback singer of the film industry. It had been observed that he would not disappoint any film producer or music director who would invite him to sing. Whether he could pay or not. This created no problem for the generous Mr. Rafi. At the appointed time, the song would be recorded to the satisfaction of the music director.”
Manna Dey(singer)
“Despite being an educated singer, I could never reach Rafi’s height of popularity. And he sang very good songs that I could never hope to sing. His style was unique. I sing Rafi’s songs to myself when I am alone. He was a singer par excellence. He was an uneducated singer like Lata, but their voices are gifts of God. It cannot be anything else!”
“I have been singing for many years now. I have seen and heard so many singers. But the most brilliant of all singers and all songs are the ones sung by Mohammed Rafi! ”
“Mohammad Rafi was king, and Manna never grudged him his success because he genuinely believed that Rafi was better than he was! ”
“In my time, there were giant singers. Rafi was there, and he was such a great singer. He used to sing for everybody — the hero, the villain and the comedian. ”
“How can you ever dream of singing what legendary singer like Rafi have sung? I do not claim to come up to his standards. ”
Dharmendra(Actor)
On being asked “Hemant Kumar, Mukesh, Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar… all of them provided playback for you. Whose voice suited you the best?”, macho man Dharmendra said: ” Mohammad Rafi’s contribution to my career is immense. From numbers like Jaane kya dhoondti rehti hain yeh aankhen mujh mein (’Shola Aur Shabnam’) right till Main jat yamla pagla deewana (’Pratigyaa’) have remained evergreen. The other singers have also made huge contributions to my career. I can never forget that. But Rafi saab is a personal favourite. ” – Source: Filmfare 2000
Sonu Nigam(singer)
“Rafi Saab is God to me. I have grown up listening to him and imitating him in my early years. Rafi Saab sounded only like Rafi Saab if he sang Chahe koi mujhe junglee kahe from Junglee, or Man tarpat Hari darshan ko from Baiju Bawra which is what made him the legend he was.
The above says more about Rafisaab,the singer, the man and the saint-the singing saint! When people -who were so close to him both personally and professionally – have such magnanimous words for him, who are we to doubt about his capability. Just note what Laxmikant says about his phenomenal popularity even today(unmatched even by Lata!)
Yesudas
South Indian singing sensation, Yesudas in one of his interviews posted on chennaionline.com today declared that:
I have worked with M S Viswanathan, Ilayaraja, Devarajan, Dhakshinamurthy, Baburaj… I like Mohammed Rafi’s voice. I got an opportunity to sing along with him but due to unavoidable circumstances it did not happen. He used to address me as his son, which made me feel proud. I have known Kishore Kumar also
Plz give name who spoke about KK AS SINGER ONLY SINGER boz your comapring mohd Rafi as singer with KK as singer
above all : se i hav read comments .. i respect both the singers .. its never be a good idea to compare .. them. all i can say is if u remove Kishore Kumar from bollywood.. then wat u got lost…………think..
we will lost aur most of the greatest stars. like rajesh khanna, Rishi kapoor, Dev anand, Amitabh bachchan, dharmendra, even some stars are not so popular but still people remember them only due to the fact that kishore da sung for them..eg; rakesh roshan, sashi kapoor, tariq shah, Jitendera etc & some stars got good start only due to Kishore da, eg: anil kapoor, sunny deol, sanjay dutt. also if u listen any song of kishore ji with details u will notice that kishore ji gives actors an idea how to act in that particular situation or mood & somebody wrote that Rafi had more emotions then kishore ji in singing…thats sad.. actually he is actor on both ends in front of camera & behind the microphone.. & in his singing i feel even without melody he creats magic.. & much more versatile then rafi ji.. No dought there is nobody like Rafi ji coz he was better singer then Kishore but my frnds If rafi ji was singer then kishore ji was a performer. his voice attracts.. if u know better abt singing for movies.. then only we need is betther performer with singing capabilities. Kishore had it Both.
at last but not least rafi ji cannot sing most of the songs of kishore ji with same mood & energy………..lot more to say gotta go..
Dear Ali,
I think u have not read all my prev. blog… I have already replied to all question raised by you long back.. Pls. read my prev. blog..It will bring some light to you with respect to photo and other imaginary things..
I wrote many times, but let me write once more. I personally visited Kishore’s bungalow an di could see only his and K L Saigal photo. He was great fan of K L Saigal.
I have already posted a blog on kishore’s Fav. Pls. read. Hope it will bring some light to ur knowledge.
Ashu,
It’s not about logic, it shows that Kishore accepted that Rafi was a better singer than him, and acknowledged it greatly.
Ashu, I am not referring to outlook survey that was taken by 25 judges. Please also not that Rafi did not have 4 to 5 soongs but 6 to 7 songs. Make sure that you provide correct info. (4-5 is not 6-7).
Rafi was declared as beast male playback singer og milenium sometimes in 2001 or so. I do not exactly remember. It has nothing to do with information you have given which is anyway false.
Dear Ashu
Manna Dey said that Mohd Rafi is no 1 to 10 and he is better singer, Mukesh son said that his father was a fan of Mohd rafi and Talat ji said that Mohd rafi is gift of God.I don’t know if KK said that I will never be able to sing like Mohd. Rafi”. but i am sure mohd Rafi never said that I will never be able to sing like KK”.as said by md Ravi there are many songs in which KK was not able to sing and there is no song in which mohd Rfai not able to sing,P from LP when be asked do u make music as singer?the answer was yes but if singer is Mohd Rafi Lata and Asha jest we make the music boz they can sing and any way we made it but other singer not.
About SDB was great but some said that his son RD was more greater than his Father I don’t think so I think RD can’t be 20% of SD…as music we got few great boz of that we all not going to agree that SD was no 1,If you ask I will say no 1 SJ 2 Naushand 3 SD 4 Madan mohan and 5 OPN….
vipul my dear friend,
Rafi was never voted best male singer of century. In survey, penalist selected top 10 songs, In that i think Rafi had 4-5 songs, Kishore had 2 songs, Lata had 6 songs…
Since Rafi had more songs than any other singer, he was rated no. 1 (because of occurance of songs….I don’t thing its great because Rafi and Lata had sung more songs compared to other singers, and All Rafi’s songs was from 50s and 60s era…so it clearly shows the popularity and who i sno. 1 :))…In facr, SDB was voted best music director.. What is ur take on that? 🙂
Vipul, pl.s enhance ur knowlegde and then write after….
Aur ha…I don’t want to reply ALI…because all those songs are rafi’s best songs…Why kishore, take Manna Dey, Mukesh or Talat’s indivisual songs…noone can match to those because it was already executed by legends….So i don’t think there is any point in discussing on somethign whihc we aready discussed.
myk,,,,,kya logic hai…great.
u wrote:
“I will never be able to sing like Mohd. Rafi”.
my reply:
If kishore can able to sing like Rafi, then i think we would have not wated our time here…..Clones can never be great…Clones are always clones like Sonu nigam, Abhijeet, kumar sanu, anwar etc.
In many occasions, Even Rafi said that he can’t sing like Kishore..
The answer why people don’t compare KK with Lata Ji boz KK has been paid 1 rs less than Lata ji boz kk………………………
Ashu……..all said that the best music in bollywood was in 1960’s why plz?
I can say that i am Ali better singer than mohd rafi but i don’t know AB of music and your doing the same.son of KK said that his father is fan of Mohd rafi only having Mohd Rafi photo in his home……..
Dear Ashu plz don’t try to compae two great singer.
name like Shammi Kappor,OPN
Dear ashu,
I don’t know why your speaking about yoodlee?!!!!!!!is yoodlee is lesson in music?offorse KK and asha ji are great singers but they never be compare with mohd rafi and Lata ji..why you want to compare mohd Rafi with KK please try to compare kk with mukesh or manny day or any singer you want.why you all have Mohd Rafi to compare.I never saw that some one compare Lata jo with KK and there are many who try to compare Mohd Rafi with Lata ji!!!!!!!!!do u have the answer?i love KK as an actor more than singer offourse he was great singer……….
Dear ashu,
I don’t know why your speaking about yoodlee?!!!!!!!is yoodlee is lesson in music?offorse KK and asha ji are great singers but they never be compare with mohd rafi and Lata ji..why you want to compare mohd Rafi with KK please try to compare kk with mukesh or manny day or any singer you want.why you all have Mohd Rafi to compare.I never saw that some one compare Lata jo with KK and there are many who try to compare Mohd Rafi with Lata ji!!!!!!!!!do u have the answer?i love KK as an actor more than singer offourse he was great singer……….
Singer Minoo Purshottam recently revealed on TV Asia’s “Abhi To Main Jawan Hoon” that Kishore was a fantastic harmonium player, and that Kishore used to say:
“I will never be able to sing like Mohd. Rafi”.
When Kishore and virtually every other musician, singer, lyricist etc. all hail Rafi as the greatest, why is there even the issue of a debate ?. Something to ponder over.
This debate was over a long time ago, it has already been proven that Rafi was and is the greatest male singer of all time.
Ali, wonderful post (1146). I think Ashu will avoid replying to u on that.