Mohammad Rafi-The Voice That Swayed Millions

Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) had an immortal, melodious voice. He was trained in classical music and had an unparalleled range. Rafi conveyed different shades of emotions through his songs whether romantic, sad, classical, devotional, ghazals or bhajans. He could sing every kind of song with an ease and perfection that made him the uncrowned king of Indian playback singing. 

He was born on December 24, 1924, and was fond of singing from childhood. As singing was not considered respectful in those days, he ran away from home to Lahore, where he got training under maestros such as Bade Gulam Ali Khan and Ustaad Abdul Waheed Khan. Rafi sang on All-India Radio before he entered the cinema. Sham Sunder was the first music director who recognized the artiste in Rafi and gave him a break in a Punjabi movie, Gulbloch, in which Rafi sang Soniye, Hiriye nee.

 Mohammad Rafi's first big break came late in 1946. Shooting for a Dilip Kumar, Noorjehan starred blockbuster film Jugnu which was started in 1946.He sang a duet with Noorjehan"Yahan badla wafa ka be wafayi ke siwa kya hai"When the film was released in 1947, this very duet became the best selling song. This gave the necessary break to Mohammad Rafi and from then on he never looked back and went from strength to strength. He also acted in this film.

By the middle of 1947, Mohamad Rafi had become a household name in Hindi speaking North India. His flexible, sweet, and velvety voice suited most young actors including the brilliant rising star Dilip Kumar. Most of the finest music directors, spearheaded by the duo of Pandit Husnalal Bhagatram, were showing interest in grooming his raw talent further into the art of film playback singing.
Pandit Husnalal Bhagatram gave Mohammad Rafi an immortal song "Is Dil Ke Tukde Hazar Huye, Koi Yahan Gira koi Wahan Gira, Behte Huye Aansoo Ruk Na Sake koi Yahan Gira koi Wahan girl".Mohammad Rafi gave his emotion-filled voice to this song. This song became an instant hit.
In 1948 another song by Rafi "Watan ki raah mein watan ke naujwan shaheed ho" from Shaheed, which became the signature tune for the movie, became overnight a nationwide hit.
The music director Shyam Sunder's tunes rendered by Mohammad Rafi for film Bazaar(1949) including a duet with Lata Mangeshkar entitled "Apni nazar se door voh, unki nazar se door hum, tum hi batao kya Karen, majboor tum majboor hum" caught the imagination of entire Hindi knowing India.

Mohammad Rafi's utmost devotion to his profession and hard work under the music direction of Pandit Husnalal Bhagatram paid great dividends and he became India 's leading duet singer in the company of Lata Mangeshkar. Some of his pre-1950 duets with Lata Mangeshkar are acclaimed as some of the finest in the history of film singing.
After 1950 most of the great music directors of India considered Mohammad Rafi a force in film music. When Naushad composed his masterly tunes for films like Dulari (1949) and Deedar (1951), Mohammad Rafi became the star that no one could afford to ignore. Film Deedar song "Huye hum jin ke liye barbad became an all-time hit. Later on, his high pitched numbers sung for films, Amar and Baiju Bawra put him up at a very high pedestal. Mohammad Rafi was honest to the core, never greedy and success did not make him arrogant.

S D Burman also used Rafi's voice for Dev Anand and Guru Dutt beautifully.Rafi worked with Burman in 37 movies, including Pyaasa (1957), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Kala Bazar, Nau Do Gyaran, Kala Pani , Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Guide (1965), Aradhana (1969), and Abhimaan (1973).

Rafi's partnership with Shankar Jaikishan was among the most famous and successful in the Hindi film industry. Under Shankar-Jaikishan, Rafi produced some of his songs for actors like Shammi Kapoor and Rajendra Kumar. Out of six Filmfare awards, Rafi won three for S-J songs – "Teri Pyari Pyari Surat Ko", "Baharon Phool Barsao" and "Dil Ke Jharokhe Mein". The song "Yahoo! Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe" was sung by Rafi, only to be matched a fast-paced orchestra and a composition by Shankar Jaikishan. S-J had Rafi give playback for Kishore Kumar in the film Shararat ("Ajab hai daastan teri yeh zindagi"). Rafi sang a total of 341 numbers (216 solo) for Shankar-Jaikishan. Among the films of this combination are Basant Bahar, Professor, Junglee, Suraj, Brahmachari, An Evening in Paris, Dil Tera Deewana, Yakeen, Prince, Love in Tokyo, Beti Bete, Dil Ek Mandir, Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, Gaban and Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai.
The composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal (L-P) patronized Rafi as one of their singers, right from their very first song by him from the film Parasmani (1963). Rafi and L-P won the Filmfare Awards for the song "Chahoonga Main Tujhe Saanjh Savere" from Dosti (1964). Rafi rendered the highest number of songs for the music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal: 369 numbers (186 solo) for L-P.
Rafi sang for many famous music directors during the 50s and 60s. He sang Naushadâ's composition Man tarpat Hari darshan ko, with the same perfection he sang O.P. Nayyar's light composition Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan. He also sang S.D. Burman's Khoya-khoya chand – Kala Bazar, Shankar Jai Kishan's Ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar – Junglee, Roshan's Zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi – Barsaat ki Raat, Madan Mohan's Main nigahen tere chehre se – Aap ki Parchhaiyan, Salil Chowdury's Koi sone ke dilwala – Maya and Ravi's Sau baar janam lenge – Ustaadon ke Ustaad.
Rafi was truly a singer for the masses and not for any particular class. His voice appealed to all, the old, young, rich, poor, men and women.
Rafi brought cheers and smiles to millions of his fans through his songs. In his songs like Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya, Rafi tried to inspire the dejected and give hope to those who had lost faith in life and God. On July 31, 1980, a massive heart attack silenced this peerless singer forever. But his songs keep him alive.
The First Song of Mohammad Rafi

                                            Rafi Sahab's first Hindi Film Song

Song from Pehle Aap 1944

The Song that gave fame to Mohammad Rafi-first duet with Noorjehan

Song from Jugnu 1947

First On screen appearance 

First Solo Hit

Song from PYAR KI JEET 1948

The First Duet of Mohammad Rafi & Lata

Song from Shadi Se Pehle 1947

First Filmfare Award Song

Song from Chaudhvin Ka Chand 1960

Second Filmfare Award

Song from Sasural 1961

Third Filmfare Award Song

Song from Dosti 1964

Fourth Filmfare Award Song

Song from Suraj 1966

Fifth Filmfare Award Song

Song from Brahmachari 1968

Sixth Filmfare Award Song

Song from Hum Kisise Kum Naheen 1977

English Song By Mohammad Rafi

The Last Song of Mohammad Rafi

Song from Aas Pass

The journey of singing great Noor Jehan in Bollywood

Noor Jehan began to sing at the age of five and showed a keen interest in a range of styles, including traditional folk and popular theatre. Realising her potential for singing, her mother sent her to receive early training in classical singing under Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. He instructed her in the traditions of the Patiala Gharana of Hindustani classical music and the classical forms of thumri, dhrupad, and khayal.
At the age of nine, Noor Jehan drew the attention of Punjabi musician Ghulam Ahmed Chishti, who would later introduce her to the stage in Lahore.She had a desire to act in films at that age.Theatre owner Diwan Sardari Lal took the small girl to Calcutta in early 1930s and the entire family moved to Calcutta.Here in Calcutta she got her new stage name Baby Noor Jehan. 

Still from Heer-Sayyal 

In 1935, K.D. Mehra directed the Punjabi movie Pind di Kuri in which Noor Jehan acted along with her sisters and sang the Punjabi song "Langh aja patan chanaan da o yaar", which became her earliest hit. She then acted in a film called Missar Ka Sitara (1936) by the same company and sang in it for music composer Damodar Sharma. Jehan also played the child role of Heer in the film Heer-Sayyal (1937). One of her popular songs from that period "Shala jawaniyan maney" is from Dalsukh Pancholi's Punjabi film Gul Bakawli (1939). All these Punjabi movies were made in Calcutta.

She  returned to Lahore in 1938. In 1939, renowned music director Ghulam Haider composed songs for Jehan which led to her early popularity, and he thus became her early mentor.It was in 1942 she got a film Khandan as an adult heroine role,in this film Pran the legendary villain was her hero. The success of Khandaan saw her shifting to Bombay, with director Syed Shaukat Hussain Rizvi. She shared melodies with Shanta Apte in Duhai(1943). It was in this film that Jehan lent her voice for the second time, to another actress named Husn Bano. She married Rizvi later the same year.
After taking the role of leading lady in Nadan (1943), she was presented with second lead in Naukar (1943) while Shobana Samarth (Indian film actress Nutan's mother) played the heroine opposite Chandramohan. Dost (1944), directedby Rizvi, had the extremely gifted Motilal as the leading man opposite Noor Jehan, with Rizvi (who was now her husband) playing her brother in the film. It was in this film that Noor Jehan lent her voice for the first time to another actress, Husn Bano. It was in Lal Haveli (1944) that Noor Jehan starred opposite singing star Surendra Nath for the first time (they later made the all time classic Anmol Ghadi (1946)). Lal Haveli (1944) was also notable for the fact that Meena Kumari, then a child star, acted as the young Noor Jehan.

The year 1945 was a turning point for Noor Jehan. In Master Vinayak's Badi Maa (1945) she played lead with "Baby Lata Mangeshkar" and "Baby Asha Mangeshkar" in supporting roles. 
The year 1945 also brought Noor Jehan her first superhit in Bombay, Zeenat (1945). It was her inimitable rendition of "Bulbulo Mat Ro Yahan" that gained her the title Malka-e-Tarranum, Queen of Melody. 
In 1946 Noor Jehan acted in the enduring classic Anmol Ghadi (1946).The songs like 'Awaz De Kahan Hai', 'Jawan Hai Mohabbat', 'Mere Bachpan Ke Saathi', 'Aaja Meri Barbad Mohabbat' and 'Kya Mil Gaya Bhagwan' composed by Naushad to make her the undisputed queen of films.

Noorjehan in Jugnu

The year 1947 saw the release of Jugnu.She starred with Dilip Kumar in this film that time Dilip Kumar was an upcoming star.In this film Mohammad Rafi sang his first duet with Noorjehan "Yahan Badla Wafa Ka Bewafai Ke Siva Kya Hai".This song gave popularity to Mohammad Rafi.
Unfotunately the year also saw the partition of the country,Noorjehan opted to leave the country. 
Noor Jehan's last film in India was Mirza Sahiban (1947) which starred Prithviraj Kapoor's brother Trilok Kapoor. Many of the songs were hits like 'Aaja Tujhe Afsana Judaai Ka Sunaye' and the duet with G M Durrani 'Haath Seene Pe Jo Rakh Do To Qarar Aaye'.

Song from Khandaan 1942

Song from Zeenat 1945

Song from  Badi Maa 1945

Song from Anmol Ghadi 1946

Song from Anmol Ghadi 1946

Song from  Jugnu 1947

Song from Mirza Sahiban (1947)

Song from Mirza Sahiban (1947)

The New Wave Cinema or Parallel Cinema of Bollywood

Mrinal Sen is considered to be a pioneer of the new genre called ‘ New wave’ Cinema . In the late 60s soon after the release of his BHUVAN SHOME (1969)with the success of the film this genre took the birth in Hindi Cinema.Some critics are of the view that Shyam Benegal’s ANKUR (1974) was the real path – breaker and that Benegal was the pioneer of the New Wave genre.

Both Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal inspired many young film makers of the 1970s and 1980s, particularly graduates of the FTII, Pune . There were admirers and detractors for the new cinema.There is no doubt that these movies opened a new chapter in the history of movies in India. A totally new generation of film makers emerged. They used new techniques and evolved a new cinematic language, which was sometimes called idiosyncratic.
Without imitating the techniques of commercially successful movies which are usually mixtures of rapid action , maudlin drama , violence , erotic dancing and singing a parallel cinema also flourished side by side.

Many of these movies were not ‘ hits’ at the box office but they earned the respect and admiration of National and International film – makers and critics . Big names include Govind Nihalani , Ketan Mehta , Mani Kaul , Kumar Shahni , Sayeed Mirza , Adoor Gopalkrishnan , G. Aravindan , John Abraham , Nirad Mahapatra and Girish Kasaravalli . All of them pioneered a new path in film making. All their films differed from the ones generally ‘manufactured’ in the ‘masala’ or ‘ fixed formula’ mould . Since these movies were not produced fixed formula’ mold .

Scene from Chhoti Si Baat

In the 1970s, there was also the parallel cinema, with directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee and Gulzar and later, Sai Paranjpye. Their films had songs and dances and sentiment and appealed to the middle class.Their films were commercially successful.By the mid 70s Action films making big success for few years this type of cinema struggled
Today with the emergence of Multiplexes this type of cinema got a new life.Young directors like Nagesh Kukunoor (Hyderabad Blues, Bollywood Calling and Iqbal), Sudhir Mishra ( Hzaron Khawaishen Aisi ) and Anurag Kashyap (Black Friday) have been able to make a mark thanks to the multiplex phenomenon . Small low budget films like Being Cyrus, Mixed Doubles, Joggers Park and other feature films were released in such theatres..
 Subjects like Constipation(Piku),Homosexuality, old age (Being Cyrus), HIV-Aids (My Brother Nikhil), live-in-relationships (Salaam-Namaste), communication with the physically and mentally challenged (Black, Iqbal ) sperm donation(Vickey Donor) are now very well accepted.We can see many more films on new subjects.

Song from Nishant

Song from Manthan

Song from Bhumika 1977

Song from Bazaar 1982

Song from Arth 1983

Ameen Sayani-The Man with the Gravelly Voice and Stylised Drawl,

He is one of the most imitated announcers even today. His style of addressing the crowd with "Behno aur Bhaiyo" is still treated as an announcement with a melodious touch. He has produced, compered (or spoken for) over 54,000 radio programmes and 19,000 spots/ jingles since 1951.He achieved fame and popularity all across South Asia when he presented his Binaca Geetmala program of the First ever Hindi film Songs countdown hits over the airwaves of Radio Ceylon.
He was born on 21st Dec 1932 in a family deeply involved with India’s Independence Movement.His eminent college, ST. XAVIER’S (Bombay) nourished his talent in the performing arts – and turned him into a keen student with a romantic touch of endless optimism.His elder brother Hamid Sayani introduced him to All-India Radio, Bombay, where he participated in English programmes for ten years.

It was a Wednesday from the summer of 1952, and a newly independent India heard, rapt in awe, a deep baritone with a touch of melody from Radio Ceylone. It joked with its audiences, teased them, gave interesting trivia, interviewed celebrities and punctuated it all with “filmi sangeet”, the kind that was taboo in most households of the time.
What began as a 30-minute programme turned into a rage in 1952 and continued for almost half a decade. First it was called Binaca Geetmala, then Hit Parade and finally Cibaca Geetmala which was how it was known for the longest time.
He was India's leading voice.He compered over 2000 stage functions of all sorts in India, including musical variety shows, beauty contests, fashion shows, award functions, film silver jubilee functions, an International Film Festival closing session (in Delhi), concerts, seminars, workshops, and trade presentations. Has also compered stage shows abroad – in the USA, Canada, UK, South Africa, UAE, Holland and the West Indies.
He was conferred the Padma Shri award in 2009.

The Immortal Song"Man Dole Tan Dole"

Nagin (1954) is a film directed by Nandlal Jaswantlal and loosely inspired by Bijon Bhattacharya’s play Jiyankany and William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It stars Vyjayanthimala and Pradeep Kumar, and has a hit musical score by Hemant Kumar.  It included thirteen tracks, including the hit "Man Dole Mera Tan Dole", whose "Been Music" was performed by Kalyanji on clavioline and by Ravi on harmonium, who once worked under Hemanta Mukherjee's direction and later became independent music directors.
Nagin was a box office hit, and the popularity of its music would boost the careers of the personnel involved in the production, especially Vyjayanthimala, who being a gifted dancer trained in the classical style of Bharata Natyam, offered an outstanding visual complement to Lata Mangeshkar’s voice. Nagin also propelled Kalyanji’s career, despite his apparently secondary role as the performer of the ‘Been music’ theme, which moreover was arranged by Ravi, on the Clavioline.
The first time Kalyanji used the Clavioline to recreate the sound of the been was in S.N. Tripathi’s Naag Panchami (1953). Tripathi then recommended Kalyanji to Hemant Kumar, who was able to take advantage of the novelty effect that the synthesized snake charmer’s sound could still achieve, due to the relative lack of success of Naag Panchami – at least as compared to Nagin. 
Hemant Kumar skyrocketed to fame with Nagin. All the songs were hit but the song "Tan dole mera man dole. became immortal.One of the reasons for the appeal of Nagin’s music is the seamless integration of the" Been sound" with the main melody.
The reason being actual "Been" instrument not used in the song because the "been" is constrained and can only move from one note to an adjacent note. It cannot jump suddenly from a note to another note which is not adjacent. Also, you cannot produce short, staccato sounds on the been. 
It is said that when “Nagin” was released, snake charmers entertained the crowd outside the cinema halls during the intermission. It is also said that some theatre owners would engage these snake charmers to keep an eye just in case the tune from inside the hall ‘attracted' a reptile in the neighborhood.
The ethereal Vyjayanthimala, barely 18, illuminates the screen with her stunning beauty, moving around daintily from one song to the other; from the bewitching “Man Dole Mera Tan Dole” to the poignant “Mera Dil Ye Pukare Aaja…” Of course, the soul of the movie remains Lata Mangeshkar's voice and Hemant Da's unforgettable composition to some impeccable lyrics by Rajinder Krishan. Simply unmatched…
Vyajayantimala in an interview told that Man Dole Tan Dole Snake dance created a sensation,crowds thronged to see those snaky gyrations to Lata  Mangeshkar hit.This dance is inspiring today's generation too as well as western youth.
Here are some Dance Videos on the Nagin Song

Song from Nagin 1954

Modern Nagin Dance

                        Colombian Belly Dancer- Nagin Music- MAN DOLE TAN DOLE

                                              Man Dole Tan Dole || Nagin || Bollywood Snake Dance

                                       Nagin mix-"Been" -man dole - Instrumental & Vocal-Nagin (1954)

50 Years of RAM AUR SHYAM

Exactly today Ram Aur Shyam turns 50.the film was released on 15th Dec 1967.Ram Aur Shyam was the remake of the popular Telugu film Ramudu Bheemudu, which in turn was loosely based on Alexander Dumas’s The Corsican Brothers. The film was a super hit.
The success of Ram aur Shyam, directed by Tapi Chanakya, must be credited to two great actors – Dilip Kumar and Pran. The music by Naushad, with lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni, adds to the movie’s charm. One of the best songs is Aaj Ki Raat Mere Dil Ki Salaami Le Le, in which Shyam bids farewell to Rehman before abandoning his fake identity as Ram. 
Dilip Kumar played Double Role in this film.He got Best Actor award by Filmfare for this film.
He is both Ram, the timid and seemingly mentally-retarded son of a millionaire industrialist, and Shyam, a sturdy yeoman brawler with an appetite like that of the legendary Bhima of the Mahabharata. 

 Ram isn’t really retarded, just terrorized by his sadistic, whip-wielding brother-in-law, Gajendra (Pran, of course), who, goaded by an evil mother, keeps Ram, along with his own wife and daughter, virtual prisoners in their palatial mansion.
 Shyam is strong, brave and mischievous,he is  Ram's long lost twin brother Shyam (Dilip Kumar) lives in a village with his adopted mother Ganga whom he believes to be his birth mother. No one other than Ganga knows the truth about the twin brothers. He escapes to the city, after a mischievous conflict with Ganga, and meets Anjana, who is impressed by his personality. Anjana and her father confuse Shyam with Ram. Ram meets Shanta who thinks he is Shyam and takes him forcefully to his mother. Ram and Shanta develop feelings for each other. Meanwhile, Shyam decides to take the place of Ram to face Gajendra.
The scenes of Dilip Kumar as the flamboyant Shyam are in sharp contrast to those of the timid Ram, who is so terrified of Gajendra that he dare not look him in the eye. The thespian’s bonhomie with his co-stars Waheeda Rehman and Mumtaz is apparent, leading to relaxed and memorable performances from all concerned.
Only a truly fine actor like Dilip Kumar could have done pulled off the double act so convincingly, making Ram Aur Shyam a lasting treat for Hindi film buffs.

Songs of Ram Aur Shyam

Aayee Hai Bahar Mite Zulmo" - Mohammad Rafi & Chorus

Aaj Ki Raat Mere" - Mohammad Rafi

Main Hoon Saqi Tu Hai Sharabi" - Lata, Mohammad Rafi

Khemchand Prakash-The Composer who gave us Immortal Songs

A Tribute To Khemchand Prakash on his 110th Birth Anniversary

Born on 12 Dec 1907 was one of the giants of the Hindi film industry. He shaped and defined Hindi film music when it was still in its nascent stages. In a short career spanning just about a decade, he left behind a legacy that exceeded his output as a music director.
Aayega Ane Wala (Mahal, 1949)  from Lata and Sapt Suran Teen Graam (Tansen, 1943) by K L Saigal are few of them.
Khemcand Prakash's father, Pandit Govardhan Prasad, was a musician in the royal court of Jaipur and also taught him music. He worked as a court singer and then tried his hand at acting in films before found his true calling in film music. After assisting composer Timir Baran in a few films, Khemchand Prakash debuted as a music director for the film Meri Aankhen (1939).
Early on in his career Khemchand Prakash showed glimpses of his ability to set trends and his penchant to handle the female voice. 'Pehle Jo Mohabbat…' catapulted singer-actress Khursheed from relative obscurity to becoming one of the leading female artists of the time.
His genius was visible in Tansen a 1943 film.Tansen was possibly the first film to embrace classical music with gusto. Backed by excellent subject matter and KL Saigal’s glorious voice, Khemchand Prakash composed songs that became immortal while retaining their authentic Hindustani classical base. The music of Tansen set the stage for a phase in Hindi films that borrowed heavily from classical music. 
Khemchand Prakash was among the few composers who heard the tremendous potential in Lata’s voice, when most of Bollywood was unsure if the thin voice of young Lata would appeal to the masses. Earlier he gave Lata a song "Chanda re Ja Re" in 1948 film Ziddi which became hit.He gave Lata Mangeshkar the song Aayega Aanewala despite Raaj kumari and Zorabai Ambalewali who were big names.
This was the song that made Lata Mangeshkar a household name, a name that would be at the forefront of Hindi film music for the next 60 years or so.
Very few know that K L Saigal's Devdas(1935) songs were also composed by him but the credit was not given to him.One of his assistant Daan Singh in an interview said that the two main songs of the film weren’t Baran’s compositions but Khemchand’s ‘Balam Aan Baso Mere Mann Mein’ and ‘Dukh Ke Din Ab Bitat Nahin.’ But as he was an assistant composer, the credit went to Baran.”
Unfortunately, Khemchand Prakash did not survive long enough to see the success of Mahal or the shaping of the golden era of the Hindi film music of the 50s. He passed away on August 10, 1950 at the relatively young age of 42. 

Song from Devdas 1935

Song from Shaadi 1941

Song from Tansen 1943

Song from Tansen 1943

Song from Sindoor 1947 

Song from Ziddi 1948

Song from Mahal 1949

Song from Mahal 1949