‘Rafisaab Has Not Left Us’

”He
used
to
do
his
homework
before
singing
a
song.’
‘He
used
to
find
out
who
the
hero
of
the
movie
would
be
or
the
situation
in
which
the
song
would
play
in
the
film.’
‘Accordingly,
he
moulded
his
voice.’
‘For
example,
he
sang

Tel
Maalish
and

Main
Bambai
Ka
Babu
for
Johnny
Walker
in
Johnny
Walker
style.’
‘He
would
sing
in
different
tones
for
Shammi
Kapoor,
Dilip
Kumar
and
Guru
Dutt.’

Mohammed
Rafi,
whose
voice
lives
on
in
thousands
of
memorable
chartbusters,
would
have
been
100
on
December
24.

When
he
did
on
July
31,
1980,
at
the
young
age
of
55,
it
marked
the
end
of
a
glorious
career
that
had
started
with
his
big
break
in
the
song,

Yahan
Badla
Wafa
Ka
with
Noor
Jahan
in
1947’s

Jugnu.

“He
had
made
up
his
mind
that
he
would
retire.
It
was
because
of
a
religious
issue,”
Rafisaab‘s
youngest
son

Shahid
Rafi
reveals
to

Syed
Firdaus
Ashraf/Rediff.com.
“He
started
keeping
a
distance
from
the
film
industry.”

On
his
100th
birth
anniversary,
what
are
your
thoughts
about
your
father,
the
legendary
Mohammad
Rafi?

He
is
remembered
till
date.
The
best
proof
are
the
reality
singing
competitions
shows
that
you
see
on
television.

Many
young
children
sing
his
songs
and
they
sing
very
well.

Rafisaab
was
an
institute
where
music
is
concerned.

Whoever
is
a
music
lover
follows
Rafisaab.

People
talk
of

gharanas
of
music
but
Rafisaab
had
his
own

gharana.
He
made
a
distinctive
mark
in
the
singing
world.

Did
you
ever
ask
him
about
his
beautiful
singing
voice?

He
always
told
us
that
he
was
nobody,
his
voice
was
God’s
gift
to
him.

Even
today,
youngsters
who
aspire
to
be
singers
follow
the
path
of
Rafisaab
songs.

Parents
tell
their
children
to
hear
his
songs
before
becoming
a
singer.

Singer
Nitin
Mukesh
told
me
that
his
father,
the
legendary
singer
Mukeshji,
told
him
that
if
he
wanted
to
pursue
singing
as
a
profession,
he
must
follow
Rafisaab‘s
singing.

He
sang

bhajans
too.
How
did
he
get
so
devotional?

He
was
God
gifted.

He
used
to
do
his
homework
before
singing
a
song.
He
used
to
find
out
who
the
hero
of
the
movie
would
be
or
the
situation
in
which
the
song
would
play
in
the
film.
Accordingly,
he
moulded
his
voice.

For
example,
he
sang

Tel
Maalish
and

Main
Bambai
Ka
Babu
for
Johnny
Walker
in
Johnny
Walker
style.
He
would
sing
in
different
tones
for
Shammi
Kapoor,
Dilip
Kumar
and
Guru
Dutt.

Today,
would
his
voice
have
suited
Shah
Rukh
Khan
or
Varun
Dhawan?

He
would
have
done
justice,
100
per
cent!

I
will
give
you
an
example.
There
was
a
film
called

Laila
Majnu.
The
lead
star
was
Rishi
Kapoor
and
everybody
knew
that
in
those
days,
(singer)
Shailendra
was
the
voice
of
Rishi
Kapoor
on
screen.

But
the
music
director
of

Laila
Majnu,
Madan
Mohanji,
was
adamant
he
would
compose
the
music
only
if
Rafisaab
sang
for
Rishi
Kapoor.

The
director
H
S
Rawail
told
Madanji
that
Rafisaab
was
a
mature
singer
while
his
hero
was
young,
so
his
voice
would
not
suit.

But
Madanji
put
his
foot
down.

Rawailsaab
gave
in,
and
all
of
Rishi
Kapoor’s
songs
were
sung
by
my
father.
He
moulded
his
voice
in
such
a
manner
that
no
one
believed
it
was
not
Rishi
Kapoor
who
was
singing
on
screen.

In
the
1970s,
did
it
get
challenging
for
Rafisaab
with
the
rise
of
Kishore
Kumar’s
successful
collaboration
with
Rajesh
Khanna?

He
had
made
up
his
mind
that
he
would
retire.

It
was
because
of
a
religious
issue.

He
started
keeping
a
distance
from
the
film
industry.
He
was
not
in
need
of
work
at
that
time.

Later,
people
told
him
his
singing
was
his
bread
and
butter.
They
convinced
him
that
he
was
a
great
singer
and
God
had
gifted
him
with
a
divine
voice.
They
said
that
he
should
utilise
his
singing
skills,
as
he
had
no
other
talent
like
running
a
business.

Which
song
brought
him
back
in
the
1970s?

In

Aradhana,
his
songs
(Baggao
Mein
Bahar
Hain
and

Gun
Guna
Rahey
Hain
Bhawarein)
were
picturised
on
Rajesh
Khanna.

So
to
say
he
was
absolutely
down
is
not
right.

He
had
the
song

Gulabi
Aankhen
in

The
Train
(1970),
which
was
a
hit.

The
song

Yunhi
Tum
Mujhse
in

Sachaa
Jhutha
was
a
superhit
duet.

I
don’t
think
Rafisaab
ever
had
a
downfall.
It
was
only
my
dad’s
own
doing
(of
doing
less
work).

What
memories
do
you
have
of
your
father?

Memories
are
for
those
whom
you
forget
or
leave
you
in
life.

Rafisaab
has
not
left
us.
He
is
in
our
minds
and
hearts.

Rafisaab
and
my
mother
were
family-oriented.
My
father
never
socialised.
He
would
finish
his
work
and
come
home.

He
spent
the
maximum
time
with
his
children.

He
was
fond
of
flying
kites,
playing
carrom
and
badminton.