A tribute to Rafi with his duets concluding his centenary celebrations (24 December 1924 to 31 July 1980) and wishing Merry Christmas to all
Rafi would have been a hundred years old today. His life was cut short at a young age of 56 years, but in this short span he gave joy to millions of music lovers all over the world and established himself as the undisputed most versatile male playback singer. I greeted the new year 2024 with a tribute to Rafi with his solos from A to Z. That was about his solos starting with different letters of alphabets (25 songs with ‘X’ not feasible). That gave ample idea of his diversity, but with the emphasis on alphabets there was some imbalance in music directors. Since my selection was spontaneous, i.e. I put in my most favourite song starting with a particular alphabet that first came to my mind, some music directors were overrepresented, and a great music director, SD Burman, was inadvertently left out. Some readers rightly pointed out this omission.
Rafi was already the most covered singer on the blog with his solos and duets with different music directors. Plus, there have been several articles in this centenary year – some by guest authors – which throw ample light on different aspects of his singing. I conclude the series with his duets over the years in his career as a singer. Why duets? Because I find duets very charming. His voice with different female singers added another aspect to his variety; with some music directors, such as Chitragupta and OP Nayyar, you would remember Rafi’s everlasting duets more. Every great music director who gave the best songs for Rafi included a good number of duets too, in which they gave chance to some of their less favourite female singers, but the combination turned out to be superlative. In a TV programme Daastan-e-Rafi, I heard Mubarak Begum saying her range was less than other famous singers, so she requested Rafi to adjust his range in a duet she was singing with him. Rafi did so, and he helped turn out a great duet, Mujhko apne gale laga le ae mere hamrahi (Hamrahi, 1963, Shankar-Jaikishan). A great human being and a great singer.
My criteria is one duet from a year which is my most favourite. If in a year my most favourite happens to be by a music director already covered I have looked for an equally worthy replacement. With Rafi there is never a dearth of choice. In many years the problem is of plenty, as if several music directors by some unknown force decided to create their best duets for Rafi in that year. Thus I have chosen not only one duet a year, it would be one duet by a music director. Here I go with my tribute to Rafi with his duets over the years as a culmination of his centenary (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) celebrations in the current calendar year. This is also wishing Merry Christmas to all.
How it all began
Rafi debuted with a duet Soniye nee heeriye nee teri yaad ne bahut sataya in the Punjabi film Gul Baloch (1944) in Lahore, composed by Shyam Sundar. In Bombay his first film Pahle Aap (1944), composed by Naushad, had a duet with Shyam Kumar, Tum Dilli main Aagre, in which Rafi seemed to be following Shyam Kumar who was Naushad’s favourite singer about that time. Village Girl (1945) had a duet, Jab dil ho kaabu mein to dildar ki aisi taisi (with GM Durrani), composed by Shyam Sundar. This is supposed to be his first recorded song in Hindi films, but its release was delayed. The year 1945 had some more Rafi duets, though not much known today.
In the year 1946, Rafi fulfilled his dream of singing with his idol KL Saigal, Roohi meri roohi (Shahjahan). There are some more proper duets in the year. One I especially like is Rookhi sookhi main kha lungi paas bula lo more raja (with Hamida Bano) from the film Insaaf. This is a fun song I discovered during year-wise review of the best songs of 1946. I start Rafi’s journey of his duets with different music directors over the years with this song.
1. Rookhi sookhi main kha lungi paas bula lo more raja Rafi and Hamida Bano from film Insaaf (1946), lyrics DN Madhok, music HP Das
This duet is far ahead of its times as the lady asks the man to send for her in saawan. He demurs because the moody daroga who is a Hitler of anger would not agree, but she persists she would be able to convince him.
The last song may not be well-known, but Rafi burst upon the scene with at least two everlasting duets next year. One was Kisko sunaaon hal-e-dil… Humko tumhara hi aasra tum hamaare ho na ho – with Lalita Deulkar from the film Saajan (1947), composed by C Ramchandra. This film and Rafi has an important place in the history of male playback singing. It is said that the hero Ashok Kumar dropped hints that he would like to sing his own songs, as he had done so many times in his career. C Ramchandra was quite curt that he should no longer harbour such dreams, now was the era of professional playback singers. Rafi did not disappoint him; he had already sung some exquisite solos for C Ramchandra a year earlier in Safar (1946). I have earlier remarked that to C Ramchandra should go the credit of creating some great songs at early stages of Rafi’s career, though it was Naushad who later took him big time despite some initial spectacular songs with Mukesh and Talat Mahmood.
We are likely to meet C Ramchandra again, therefore, I choose the other great duet from the year which is also of historical significance. Noorjehan was the leading female actor-singer of her times; Rafi got to sing a superb duet with her in the film Jugnu (1947), composed by Firoz Nizami.
Soon both Noorjehan and Firoz Nizami migrated to Pakistan after the Partition. Noorjehan became a national icon there, known as Malika-e-Tarannum. And talking of historical significance, lovers of old film songs know that Rafi had a brief screen appearance in the film in the song Wo apni yaad dilane ko ek ishq ki duniya chhod chale. And Rafi had his fist duet with Lata Mangeshkar in the year, Chalo ho gayi taiyyar from the film Shadi Se Pahle.
2. Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai by Rafi and Noorjehan from Jugnu (1947), lyrics Asgar Sarhadi, music Firoz Nizami
I believe this is the only duet of Rafi-Noorjehan. In an eerie coincidence Noorjehan’s death anniversary (21 September 1926 – 23 December 2000) falls a day before Rafi’s birth anniversary. With this song I also pay a tribute to Noorjehan on her 24th Remembrance Day. Another great film personality Shyam Benegal passed away yesterday 23 December 2024. Did Rafi sing any song in his film?
3. More raja ho le chal nadiya ke paar by Lalita Deulkar and Rafi from Nadiya Ke Paar (1948), lyrics Moti BA, music C Ramchandra
We didn’t have to wait long for C Ramchandra. The very next year among many solos and duets by Rafi, this composition by C Ramchandra is quite the front-runner and its popularity is not going to dim ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99F4QcTx7f0
4. Ae mohabbat unse milne ka bahana ban gaya by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Bazaar (1949), lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi, music Shyam Sundar
1949 was the year of flowering of Rafi just as it was a great year for Mukesh. Lata Mangeshkar also caused quite a Tsunami in the year. Among several superb duets of Rafi-Lata, this has long been my special favourite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhDhIeGkJus
5. Kah do humein na beqaraar kare wo jise mera dil pyar kare by Surinder Kaur and Rafi from Sabak (1950), lyrics DN Madhok, music AR Qureshi (Allah Rakkha)
Surinder Kaur was a big name in Punjabi films and folk songs. She had a brief foray into Hindi films for about 3-4 years from 1948, but whatever she sang left an indelible mark. She starts this duet and Rafi joins late, therefore, she leaves quite an imprint. The music director is the famous tabla maestro and the father of another legend Ustad Zakir Hussain, who passed away a few days ago. This duet has long been my favourite and was quite popular in the radio era.
6. Ho..yaad aane lagi, dil dukhane lagi, chaandni raat ab sataane lagi by Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi from Daaman (1951), lyrics Ehsan Rizvi, music K Datta
By 1951, Lata Mangeshkar was oozing honey from her voice. Rafi was by now firmly in Naushad fold (Deedar). He had become a favourite of other music directors too, such as Hansraj Behl, Ghulam Mohammad and Husnlal-Bhagatram. Among his many famous duets, I especially like this ditty by now a little known music director, K Datta. One interesting bit about K Datta (Datta Koregaonkar) I remember is he was among few who were enraptured by Noorjehan and, compared to her, had disdain for Lata Mangeshkar. But hear this song for her sweetness.
7. Akeli mat jaiyo Radhe Jamuna ke teer… Ho ji ho..Tu Ganga ki mauj main Jamuna ka dhara by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Baiju Bawra (1952), lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Naushad
With two magnum opus in a year – Aan and Baiju Bawra – Naushad had clearly secured his position at the peak of music creativity. This diamond jubilee film fetched him the inaugural Filmfare Award for the best music director. The respect the film brought him for his prowess in classical music was immeasurable. It also skyrocketed Meena Kumari’s career fetching her the Filmfare Award for the best leading actress.
8. Sun more saajna re, dekhoji mujhko bhool na jana by Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi from Aansoo (1953), lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi, music Husnlal-Bhagatram
This ethereal duet has a haunting quality which stays with you for long. An everlasting song if there was one. Combination of great composition and two great singers at their peak.
9. Muhabbat kar lo ji bhar lo aji kisne roka hai by Rafi and Geeta Dutt from Aar Paar (1954), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music OP Nayyar
OP Nayyar had debuted in 1952, but Aar Paar’s music created a sensation. Shabab by 1954 was a great score by Naushad, many reckon as his best. But Naushad is already included, so I choose this OP Nayyar composition for a different flavour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1BsXULRl-U
10. Bhula nahin dena ji bhula nahi dena, zamana kharab hai by Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi from Baradari (1955), lyrics Khumar Barabanqvi, music Nashad
Please note the music director is not ‘Naushad’. The story of this deliberate sound-alike name is one of personal pique. Two years earlier, Naqshab Jarachavi, director of the film Naghma (1953) had first approached Naushad to compose the music for the film. Naushad declined, perhaps because he thought it was beneath him. Felt slighted, Naqshab asked the music director Shaukat Ali Dehlavi to change his name to Nashad and the name stayed with him forever. The year 1955 had many superlative scores, such as Mr and Mrs 1955 (by OP Nayyar) and Urankhatola (by Naushad). But I must say I have no hesitation in choosing this duet among several famous songs in the year.
11. Aa ja ke intezar mein jaane ko hai bahar bhi by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Halaku (1956), lyrics Shailendra, music Shanar-Jaikishan
OP Nayyar was on a roll with CID, but since he is already covered, I include another very worthy song. Shankar-Jaikishan in this outside-RK Studios film have composed great music. It is nice to hear this beautiful Arabic tune from them.
12. Vrindavan ka Krishna Kanhaiya sabki aankhon ka tara by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Miss Mary (1957), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Hemant Kumar
1957 was a big year for several top music directors such as Naushad, C Ramchandra, OP Nayyar, SD Burman, Madan Mohan, Chitragupta, SN Tripathi, Hansraj Behl etc. Amongst these here is a perennial favourite composed by Hemant Kumar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTvZuQ2-bYk
13. Sambhal ae dil tadapane aur tadapaane se kya hoga by Asha Bhosle and Rafi from Sadhna (1958), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi, music N Datta
It is one of the quirks of fate that BR Chopra fell wholesale for Ravi in place of N Datta after some initial films. Datta Naik was an outstanding composer and he had a pronounced bias for Asha Bhosle compared to Lata Mangeshkar. And she did deliver superbly. Rafi was always tops.
14. Bheegi palkein utha meri jaan gham na kar by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Do Gunde (1959), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Ghulam Mohammad
Once in a while a song comes that towers above reputations and ranking. If I look at the names of great music directors who gave superb music in 1959, I am awed, but this song by Ghulam Mohammad removes all my doubts. One of the greatest duets of Rafi-Lata Mangeshkar.
15. Deewana mastana hua dil jaane kahan hoke bahar aayi by Asha Bhosle and Rafi from Bambai Ka Babu (1960), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music SD Burman
SD Burman’s absence in my inaugural post riled some readers. This duet can make up for many omissions. The song has a haunting music. I have earlier remarked that Lata Mangeshkar’s hiatus with SD Burman did not seem to affect him one bit at least as far as duets are concerned. Chitragupta had some great compositions in the year. I hope he makes a worthy appearance later.
16. Teri duniya se door chale hoke majboor humein yaad rakhna by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Zabak (1961), lyrics Prem Dhawan, music Chitragupta
You can’t keep a talented person down for long. Every year since 1957, Chitragupta was composing something big. Ignore the banner and cast, Teri diniya se door is one of the everlasting Rafi duets composed by Chitragupta. Rafi’s duets by Chitragupta are exceptional and I have written a post on this earlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGuHno7cHFk
17. Baar baar tohe kya samjhayein payal ki jhankar, tere bin saajan laage na jiya hamaar by Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi from Aarti (1962), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Roshan
In the 60s Roshan gave the best songs for Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. Aarti’s music is transcendental. Aapne yaad dilaya to mujhe yaad aya is a typical Roshan-duet. This one is slightly different. The shy lovers come upon a group of villagers, the dancer pirouettes at a fast pace with equally fast Baar baar tohe kya samjhayein. Meena Kumari can’t resist tapping her feet. She lowers the tempo and then starts this beautiful duet.
18. Wo jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Parasmani (1963), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Rarely a music director has debut like this. In 1949 Shankar-Jaikishan created a storm with their debut in Barsaat. That was an RK movie. Laxmikant-Pyarelal debuted with a B-grade fantasy film, and what a sensation they caused! They went on to displace SJ from their pedestal and became the top duo, and in due course demolished all records. This duet shows their talent.
19. Tu shokh kali main mast pawan, tu shamm-e-wafa main parwana by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Main Suhagan Hun (1964), lyrics Kaifi Azmi, music Lachhiram Tamar
Rafi gave his all even if the music director was not in the top bracket. A great duet from a forgotten composer. I have written a post on him in the series on Forgotten Composers. Ajit in his hero roles got to sing many memorable songs.
20. Thahariye hosh mein aa lun to chale jaiyega by Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur from Mohabbat Isko Kahte Hain (1965), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Khayyam
A signature Pahadi from Khayyam. Humming by Suman Kalyanpur adds to the beauty.
21. O haseena zulfonwali jaan-e-jahan by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Teesri Manzil (1966), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
This crime thriller, centred around a music band in a night club, gave RD Burman full scope to experiment with different percussions and sounds. A great night club song with loud music and dance. Asha Parekh who has come to avenge her sister’s death still suspects Shammi Kapoor.
22. Kabhi raat din hum door the din raat ka ab saath hai by Rai and Lata Mangeshkar from Aamne Saamne (1967), lyrics Anand Bakhshi, music Kalyanji-Anandji
When you think of Kalyanji-Anandji, the top playback singer that comes to mind is Mukesh, thereafter, one recalls Mahendra Kapoor. But when you hear Kabhi raat din hum door the they appear equally comfortable with Rafi. (The centenary series has revealed KA composed about twice the songs for Rafi than Mukesh.)
23. Mohammad Shah Rangeele re by Lata Mangeshkar from Nadir Shah (1968), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music SN Tripathi
SN Tripathi was as adept with mythologicals as with court music of Muslim rulers. Mohammad Shah was one of the declining Mughals; his obsession with music and dance earned him the epithet of ‘Rangeela’. In this duet Rafi has a minor role. Some sources mention that in the film the female part was sung by Suman Kalyanpur, but the record was cut in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar. This is a video clip, but to me it sounds like Lata Mangeshkar. A beautiful duet.
24. Ye parda hata do zara mukhada dikha do by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Ek Phool Do Mali (1969), lyrics Prem Dhawan, music Ravi
This was quite a popular song in its time, a radio era favourite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR2aUbFkrW0
25. Sun sun sun O gulabi kali, teri meri baat ab aage chali by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Sawan Bhadon (1970), lyrics Verma Malik, music Sonik-Omi
This was the debut film of Rekha. She has a lot of chubby fat and the film exploited her physical attributes. Much later she would grow into a respectable leading lady. The music directors are a duo comprising Manoharlal Sonik and his nephew Omi Sonik. They had a great debut in the film Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (1966). Sun sun O gulabi kali was a superhit of its times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fww3Ql6BJZw
Twenty-five years, 25 songs, one each year, 25 music directors, one song each MD, each song superb, hats off to Rafi. Readers must also have noted that my filter of selection did not affect the superlative quality of the duets -what a plethora to choose from! I wish to thank the readers and guest authors who made Rafi’s centenary celebrations grand.
Note:
There is a saying it is not over until it is over. I had meant it to be the concluding article in Rafi’s centenary celebrations. But Rafi-fans can’t have enough of him. Some known Rafians have sent me their articles quite late, therefore, the celebrations would be extended for a few months in 2025 too.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
The songs links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog does not have any commercial interests. It does not claim or suggest any copyright over these songs which vests with the respective rights-holders.
{ 123 comments… read them below or add one }
AKji,
Thank you for the wonderful post on the birth centenary of Mohammad Rafi. I have just browsed through the post, will go through the post and listen to the songs at leisure.
25 songs, 25 music directors, 25 films…… and………only 8 female singers.
Not surprisingly heavily tilted towards Lata Mangeshkar (13) and Asha Bhosle (6).
As far as the song-writers
Majrooh Sultanpuri (7) has the maximum; I can understand that it is not by choice,
A quick observation, need not read much into it.
And applying all the filters, no non-Hindi films, no male duets and not even all female triads.
Strictly male-female duets.
Just to fill the gap, in 1945 Rafi sang at least two duets. One of them may be the first MF duets of Rafi in Hindi films.
Dil Diye Chale Hum Diye Chale Aise with Mohantara Ajinkya (Talpade), film Begum, lyrics Gopal Singh nepali and H P Das
Topiwale babu ne dil chheena re with Amirbai Karnataki, film Kul Kalank, lyric Roopbni, music Allah Raka Qureshi.
Will be back soon.
Venkataramanji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. I started my journey with 1946 because in Rookhi sookhi main kha lungi Rafi’s voice modulation is very clear. I looked up the two duets of 1945, Rafi seemed to be tentative, or the audio was not clear. But thanks a lot for adding these two duets. It completes the record.
By duets we generally mean the Male-female duets. Would there be a male-male duet of equal merit in the year?
AKji,
Merry Christmas to you and the SoY family!!
This is an excellent celebration of Rafi’s birth centenary today.
An interesting bouquet of 25 songs, I heard a couple of them for the first time. The choices can be different per individual but its a nice concept to cover one duet per year, per different MD.
Wondering if I could add songs covering the next decade.
Dr Deshpande,
Merry Christmas and thanks a lot for your appreciation. Post-70s I would like to have someone like you who has a good recall and connect with later songs to do the honours. The field is yours.
AK Ji
The birth centenary year of Rafi has been a bonanza from SOY for Rafi lovers like me ! Excellent article and songs. Heard some of the early 40’s songs after a long time.
One small nitpicking–about L-P removing S-J from their pedestal in 1963 itself? I wonder….
Anyhow that is not the main theme…let us celebrate Rafi!!
Yes.
Rafi sang one song in a Shyam Benegal movie.
Ishq ne thodi sar pe Qayamat…
JUNOON, 1978.
Jigar Moradabadi, Vanraj Bhatia.
Besides the song mentioned by Pradeepji @ 6, Shyam Benegal did use Rafi’s voice in his very first film Ankur (1974). Not directly. Surya (Anant Nag) plays parts of two records on his record player over the course of the film. The first recording, sometime in the middle of the film, consists of the third stanza of the song ‘Yahi To Hai Who’ by Mohd. Rafi from Solvan Saal (1958) and towards the end we can also hear the first line of Talat Mahmood’s ‘Ae mere dil kahi aur chal’ from Daag (1952).
Rafi also sang with several other singers of the time such as Kamal Barot, Usha Khanna , Usha Timothy , Usha Mangeshkar , Krishna Kalle and Sudha Malhotra. May be it requires another blog to include all these.
To each his own. More so when it is about picking one’s favourite from a huge body of work.
1968 with AADMI ( Aaj purani rahon se, Na aadmi ka koi bharosa ) , BRAHMACHARI ( A superlative score with multiple Rafi gems: Main gaaoon tum so jao; Dil ke jharokhey mein…, Chakke pe chakka, Aajkal tere mere pyar ke.. ) , MERE HUMDUM MERE DOST, JHUK GAYA ASMAN, ABHILASHA, KANYADAN , NEELKAMAL, MERE HUZOOR, SHIKAR, SANGHARSH, RAJA AUR RANK etc etc. I won’t even remember NADIR SHAH.
AK ji; and Venkataraman ji,
Thanks to the blog master and our senior reader who is also a great guest author , for the latest two posts. Both these posts are so good that I don’t have enough words for praising the two.
Regards and best wishes.
Carry on merrily.
Sivanandamji @5,
“Small nitpicking”: That was the brginning of end of the reign of SJ. If not 1963, I think in 1964, Lp won the Filmfare Award for Dosti in the face of blockbusters like Sangam. They soon out-SJ-ed SJ in all the tricks of the trade, including how to win Filmfare Awards. After Mera Naam Joker, LP displaced SJ from RK camp and wrested Bobby. Good and ruthless.
Dr Dhetty @6,
I am impressed. Thanks a lot.
@9,
It had to fit at least two filters – only one duet a year, and one duet a music director, plus obviously not a mechanical fitting, but the song had to be outstanding by any measure.
KB @8,
My self imposed filters of one a year, and one a music director had a purpose to showcase Rafi’s amazing quality. It is possible to do a duet with other playback singers, but the other filters have to be dispensed with. You are right, it would need another post.
Tyagiji @10,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation
AK ji
I will not comment further on S-J vs L-P…to each his own…for me there is no comparision between them.
Sivanandamji,
Buddhiman ko ishara kafi. I remembered your special fondness for SJ. They have created something immortal in the early years in both RK and non-RK films. They had 14 years lead over LP. LP cannot overtake what SJ have done. My brief statement was not meant as a comparison. When their time came, they were Masters of all they surveyed.
A great closure to the great Rafi centenary celebrations. It is not easy to do each year one different MD’s Rafi duets for 25 years . Recently SOY had a series on Usha Khanna where a lot was said. Unfortunately she does not figure among the twenty five MDs here . Nor does any woman MD figure here . But the participants can make up…
https://youtu.be/CSmc8lq2Ay8?si=GEHwfTnw8NZablEU
Mr S Joseph,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. You have added a great Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar duet by Usha Khanna.If you look at the list, this was going to replace Tu shokh kali main mast pawan, tu shamm-e-wafa main parwana from Main Suhagan Hun. A difficult choice, though possible.
AK ji
Marvelous post to close the year.
Apart from 25 MDs for 25 years and other statistics mentioned by Venkataraman ji what is also impressive is the range of moods captured by you.
From thariye hosh me and bar bar tohe to parda hata de and sun sun o gulabi kali it’s a fabulous rainbow of Rafi duets.
Rajesh ji has mentioned personal preferences. I feel if 10 different experts do this exercise there will be 250 different songs and it will be difficult to eliminate any of them.
I find that Madan mohan is absent in the list ( and I am not riled by the omission) but this song from Heer Ranjha is hard to ignore
Meri duniya me tum Aaye- Kaifi Azmi
https://youtu.be/9EoJ75Tfvfo?si=xgdhDN8vDsBRW5UA
AK,
I think everybody at SOY expected a Rafi post and that too from you because opening and closing would naturally come from you. I was guessing and the duets came in my mind but was not sure. I totally agree with you that duets are a very important aspect of Hindi film songs and every MD over his/her career composed at least more than 25 per cent. CR and OPN were known as duet kings. The songs listed are all great and I have listened to them a number of times. Even without the filters you used there could not be unanimity on the choice because it is not possible to select only one from a year.
You said that in your first post you missed SDB and this time you have missed Madan Mohan. I remember you had used ‘bhula nahin dena’ earlier too, so it is hardly difficult to conclude that this is one of your great favourites. Ajit also gets another duet ‘bheegi palken utha’. What a song. You are absolutely right about the ‘mohammad shah rangeele’. The singer is Lata without doubt. Despite similarities of their voices I can always differentiate between Lata and Suman.
For songs, I start with Madan Mohan and for a change neither Lata nor Asha. It is a very famous song ‘jhoom jhoom ke do deewane’ by Rafi and Laxmi Shankar from Mastana.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26jr59PwBwQ
An important female singer who sang a number of duets with Rafi and is left out is Shamshad Begum. I give here the famous song ‘ae dil na mujhe yaad dila yaden purani’ from Sawan Aaya Re. The composer is also in addition to the 25 – Khem Chand Prakash. Lyrics are by Bharat Vyas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc28xSuLZ6Y
Mr Muli,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Rafi is known to have sung some great songs for minor music directors. Lachhiram makes an automatic entry. Ajit had more than a fair share in this list. That is also not conscious. He was part of some of the greatest duets in Hindi films. My overarching criteria besides one a year and one an MD, was the quality of the song – best of the year or equal replacement if adjustment was necessary to meet the main two filters. If you add two more filters – proportionate number to top singers, and no top composer to be excluded. I am sure a list is still possible, but I am sure quality would give way. With some effort it was possible to include Madan Mohan, but my choice would have been different, such as Do wo jo paas aa baithe – that would mean replacing Vrindavan ka Krishna Kanhaiya. Tough choice though possible.
Hans,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation and endorsement. There are so many great duets with Rafi of equal merit that in many years we have the problem of plenty. I agree with you Shamshad Begum is an omission. Who composed greatest duets for her with Rafi? Naushad, Ghulam Mohammad, Chitragupta. But they incidentally composed their greatest duets with Lata Mangeshkar and they are included here. So you see the difficulty. Thanks for adding superb songs.
I would paraphrase the last sentence of your first para as – Even without any filter, most people’s choices of the best 25 would have a number of common songs from this list.
Rafi had sung quite a few songs with Sharada. For example —-
:
Jane chaman gora badhan from Gumnaam
Sun Sun re balma from Pyar Mohabath
Badkama Badkama yekade pothera from Shatranj
jab bi ye dil udaas hotha hai from Raath aur Din
Sharada had a unique voice but she did not get lot many songs to sing from other music directors except SJ.
R Vasudevan,
Some years ago we were speculating if there could be anyone who liked Sharda’s voice. I think we can put you in that category.
On 24.
This comment I did not expect.
It hurts me.
Mr Vasudevan,
Sorry about that. Thanks for telling me. That discussion showed our irreverence to Sharda.
Very interesting theme for the birth centenary celebrations!
Loved the songs!
Thank you for this post.
Difficult task to come up with such a post.
Anup
🙂
Anup,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
Talking about Sharada, I was not aware till few months back that she passed away on 14th June 2023. I do not remember seeing any news .may have been relegated to some obscure corner.
She may not be everyone’s favourite( even i don’t like her songs except one or two like Titli Udi)… but sad like her mentor she also seemed to have passed away unnoticed. Film Music world is ruthless…even greats like Sajjad, OPN, Shankar just faded away with not even a handful from the industry paying their respects during their last journey.
Sharing an incident that I was personally witness to. When the noted composer Ravi passed away, I was in Mumbai . The last rites of someone known to me was also happening in the same crematorium. When we saw a large crowd with Ravi’ s funeral procession , we could sense it must be some well- known personality. We asked someone who was it…the answer we got was never expected….they said Varsha Usgaonkar’ s father-in-law!!!!
When I got some comments on my blog about Rafi songs with lesser- known composers, few commented on my inclusion of some composers who they thought cannot be termed lesser-known. I was reminded of this incident…when a great composer like Ravi is called like this….what to say about our general public knowledge / memory!!!
Shamshad Begum along with Lata Mangeshkar was the major partner with Rafi in Male-Female duets upto 1950. Of the 156 MF duets Rafi sang from 1944 to 50 he paired with Shamshad in 44 and with Lata in 36, which meant both of them were part of more than half of such duets. Husnlal Bhagatram used Shamshad in 40 songs of which 28 were duets, out of which 15 were MF duets and Rafi figured in 12 of them. HB gave this pair 7 songs in 1950 which were all good and popular. I have selected 3 of them links of which are given below.
Sajaniya kit bhage karke mera dil chori – Birha Ki Raat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P59IQxZF4Bc
Idhar jawani udhar jawani ban gayi ek kahani – Chhoti Bhabhi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZnDZMz6fTM
Mere dil ko jalaya na karo – Gauna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TXiR1K5epc
Despite having a similar voice Zohrabai Ambalawali had just 3 duets with Rafi. I am giving here one of them. This film is also from 1950
Jawani chand salona chamke aur chhup jaye – Saudamini – SN Tripathi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K08iRnACBNE
As per my records Suraiyya had 22 duets with Rafi. She had some very famous duets with him. I am giving one of the three duets from Shaan which came in 1950. After Pyar Ki Jeet and Badi Behan this was the 3rd hit film Rehman had with Suraiyya. Rehman also was in the Ghulam Mohd film Pardes. So at this time he was right at the top having hits equal to Dilip Kumar. DK was taken by Naushad under his wings and look where hi went.
Dil ke dhokhe mein na aana – Shaan – Hans Raj Behl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdy70_blFB4
Thanks SoY for a very apt ‘favorites’ collection of one Rafi duet a year per music director.
As mentioned 1957 had many competing songs. I pick up one, composed by Madan Mohan
Do Ghadi Jo Paas AA Baithe – Gateway of India – Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna
https://youtu.be/b2Q8B2jLvVM?feature=shared
Sivanandamji,
Nothing could be more ironic that Ravi being described as Varsha Usgaonkar’s father-in-law. His last days were quite painful, allegedly due to harassment by his son and Varsha over his property.
AK, a fitting tribute to a great singer. This must have been a mammoth exercise – choosing one duet per year, per composer! Hats off to you. The problem I find with Rafi (and to the same extent with Lata and Asha) is the problem of plenty – it’s not ‘what to choose’ but ‘what to leave out’.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and the trivia you provided in some cases.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you and fellow SoY-ites.
Hans @31,
Thanks a lot for adding these very good Rafi-Shamshad Begum duets from 1950. My top Rafi-Shamshad Begum duets from early films are two from Chaandni Raat (1949), composed by Naushad – Chheen ke dil kyun pher li ankhen; Kaise baje dil ka sitar.
Ashokji @32,
1957 indeed provided a difficult choice. Someone has mentioned omission of Madan Mohan. This is a very worthy song. But the one I selected is also my great favourite. Thanks for adding Do ghadi wo jo paas aa baithe.
Anu @34,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation and wishing you Merry Christmas.
Here is a qawwali composed by Amirbai Karnataki in her only film as MD.
Tere nazdeek aate hain na tujhse door hote hain – Shahnaaz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51wLaFmUkh8
Khusheed sang only one song with Rafi in Dev Anand film Aage Badho.
Saawan ki ghatao dheere dheere aana – Sudhir Phadke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt4qHTsOtU4
This is my favourite duet Rafi sang with Mohantara.
Sandesh mera paake mujhe daras dikhana – Veer Ghatotkach – SN Tripathi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQewy2NvQNY
Sulochana Kadam had 3 duets with Rafi and one of them from Dholak composed by Shyam Sunder is of a good quality. ‘Magar ae haseen e bekhabar’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLxkPti7NlY
Nirmala Devi had two duets with Rafi of which one was the famous OPN composition from Musafirkhana ‘jhoothe zamane bhar ke’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxTCN0Ado_I
Hans,
You have posted a great find, Rafi-Mohantara duet, Sandesh mera paake mujhe daras dikhana, from Veer Ghatotkach, composed by SN Trpathi. An extremely melodious song, but didn’t get traction. All other duets are good and I was familiar with them.
I was just comparing with Mukesh’s vintage duets with a variety of singers like Khursheed, Hamida Bano, Shamshad Begum, Suraiya, Sushilarani Patel, Zohrabai Ambalewali turned out to be very popular and known till this day.
Thanks s lot Hans ji for the song Sandesh mera paake…I am listening for the first time! And also hearing the name Mohantara Talpade for the first time…sorry about my poor knowledge on singers of 40′ s.
She sounds so melodious without the typical nasal touch that was the norm those days…
It is such priceless gems that i discover in SOY that makes it an invaluable encyclopedia for music lovers. Kudos to AK ji for this forum!
AKji,
And in the first place I got it all wrong. Thus my earlier comment and stats. too were misplaced. Sorry for that. Too much of travelling makes one’s thinking muddled. Will be in Kolkata for a few days before I take off again on 2nd January. Just had forty winks before I got the time to go through the post yesterday evening.
‘Rookhi sookhi main kha lungi paas bula lo more raja’ (#1), ‘Yaad aane lagi, dil dukhane lagi, chaandni raat ab sataane ’(#6) and ‘Tu shokh kali main mast pawan, tu shamm-e-wafa main parwana’ (#19) are the three duets that I do not remember hearing before. ‘Kah do humein na beqaraar kare wo jise mera dil pyar kare’ (#5), and ‘Bheegi palkein utha meri jaan gham na kar’ (#14) are the two duets I could not connect instantly since I am hearing them after a long time. The rest were familiar. And a special thanks for the inclusion of ‘Shah Rangeele re’ (#23), ‘Baar baar tohe kya samjhayein payal ki jhankar, tere bin saajan laage na jiya hamaar’ (#17), ‘Teri duniya se door chale hoke majboor humein yaad rakhna’ (#16), ‘Bhula nahin dena ji bhula nahi dena, zamana kharab hai’ (#10), ‘Ae mohabbat unse milne ka bahana ban gaya’ (#4). Thanks for the superb selection of 25 songs. Enjoyed listening them.
I have made late re-entry, and the stalwarts have taken over the field, let me try to make amends.
Posting a duet which I find very good. Everywhere, including HFGK, the name of the female voice is mentioned as Chand Burke, but this is a trade mark Shamshad Begum song. It seems, the song comes twice in this film and the second version is also in the link given below (03:20). Hope this duet fits the post.
Chanda ki gode mein, taaron ki chhaon mein by Md.Rafi & Shamshad Begum(Chand Burke), Film Jeevansathi (1949), lyrics Hameed Khumar, music S Mohinder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQt6eOZs_Q
Venkataramnji,
Welcome back. I was conscious that only the first song Rookhi sookhi main kha lungi should be unknown. Rest of the songs are pretty well-known and were radio era favourites.
The duet from Jeevansakhi (1949) is very good. Thanks a lot.
Akji, @ 2,
“By duets we generally mean the Male-female duets.”
Well, point taken. Ok. No male-male duets.
Addressing the second part,
“Would there be a male-male duet of equal merit in the year?”
Though I will not be posting the link to this familiar duet, can I consider the song, ‘Gam ki andheri raat mein dil ko na beqaraar kar’ by Rafi and Talat as “duet of merit”. The duet was from the film Susheela (1966), lyrics Jaan Nisar Akhtar, music C Arjun. After some changes the film was re-released again in 1977 as Subah Zaroor Aayegi with almost all the songs from its previous avatar Susheela.
Posting a MF duet from the film Subah Zaroor Aayegi (1977)/ Susheela (1966),
Bahut Khubsurat Hain Aankhen Tumhari by Md.Rafi & Mubarak Begum, music C Arjun, lyrics Jaan Nisar Akhtar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usVVKsRoCyE
You may consider this duet under ‘post 1970’ MF duets. And I think this C Arjun song should fit the bill.
AK,
I clearly remember I had posted ‘sandesh mera pake’ earlier and you had said something similar. I would not discredit music lovers of those times by assuming that they did not like such a melodious and meaningful song. There were a number of films on historical or pauranic personalities in the 40s and 50s and they were more successful than a lot of films we talk about nowadays, because watching such films was considered OK in those days while in general films were not recommended. So I cannot be sure about such things in the manner you are.
The Mukesh vintage post you referred was a great article which was hugely enriched by a number of commenters and I would recommend friends who have not seen it to visit it. In that post you gave 13 songs of which one was a triad and one of them at no 8 was essentially a Raj Kumari song with Mukesh singing the prelude and joining her at the end in repeating the mukhda. Of the remaining 11 you said in a note that 5 of them you came to know from ASAD and you thanked Sudhir Kapoor for researching old Mukesh songs. This means they were not well known. That is nothing against Mukesh because I am a great fan of Mukesh and have listened to most of his vintage era songs. For me even a singer with one great song and MD with a single great composition is important like Sivanandam said recently and I think it is the same with you. The fact is that Mukesh left behind all other singers of 40s except Rafi who was far ahead of Mukesh. A number of MDs regularly used him much more than Mukesh, because he must have given good and popular songs with more regularity than Mukesh.
Regarding Sharda I would say commenting on the voice rather than singing was not the right thing about which AK has felt sorry. But Mr Vasudevan should not have been hurt because even if he was alone – which he is not – he should have believed in himself. At least Shankar believed in Sharda. I like a number of her songs. Both the solos from Suraj are of a very high quality and I like ‘dekho mera dil machal gaya’ more than ‘titli udi’. I think her voice was of a different kind and she had some diction problems, which is natural for a non-Hindi speaker. Geeta Dutt, Lata and Asha faced such problems early in their career, but there were patient people then and there was no ‘READY TO FEEL HURT MONOPOLISER’ in those days. The problem with Sharda was that she squeezed the already being squeezed space due to her decision not to sing with Rafi which Lata felt. Such a hullaballoo was made in film circles that Sharda did not get any time to settle down with her diction. There were a number of others who had no diction problems but were sidelined.
The songs mentioned by Mr Vasudevan ‘jane chaman shola badan’ from Gumnaam, ‘badkamma’ from Shatranj and ‘jab bhi ye dil udas hota hai’ from Seema were really good and popular too. I give here a lesser known song ‘jigar ka dard badhta ja raha hai’ from Street Singer whose composer was Suraj which some say was Shankar himself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-OH-L37fW8
Hans,
Not to belabour the point about Mukesh which we have said earlier – Mukesh had this quality in his voice which left an imprint in listeners for long. But he remained a niche singer. Therefore, even with much less number of songs he left a big impact.
Sivanandam,
@ 29
If you want have information about such film personalities you can subscribe to Listeners Bulletin of Mr Hamraaz, though that is in Hindi.
@30
Thanks a lot for sharing the incident about Ravi’s funeral. AK had earlier too given information about his dispute with his son and his distress.
@ 40
Thanks for the appreciation. This song has been my constant favourite ever since I found it. Meena Kumari’s fresh face is an added incentive. Mohantara was a very good singer who sang as Mohantara Ajinkya and Mohantara Talpade. I think she sang less number songs due to family commitments otherwise she would have sung more songs.
I here give another duet of this pair from 1946 film Amar Raj composed by Firoz Nizami. Mohantara sings just in the start with line ‘main jab chhedoon prem tarana’ and then Rafi takes over with ‘main jab gaun geet suhana’. See the mature singing of Rafi even at that early time of his career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aURFCKh8sok
Venkataramanji, @ 41
The singer in the Jeevansathi song is not Shamshad Begum. Pushpa Hans and Surinder Kaur too had voices similar to Shamshad but they were different still.
AK,
For me Rafi effect is as long lasting as Mukesh effect. I have no interest in diminishing the value of Mukesh. So let it stand there.
Tuntun, the greatest female comedian – if not the only pure female comedian – sang two songs with Rafi. I give here both.
In the first one she is giving a playback for another (perhaps Ameer Bano) as Uma Devi. Song is ‘chand ke sundar nagri mein’ from Dholak. Shyam Sunder used a trick in the song. The music teacher singing in the voice of Uma Devi is followed by students in chorus and they copy her in nasal voice. But when Rafi’s singing starts they follow him in normal voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z61X7eMEbiQ
In the second song ‘wai wai qurbaan o meri jaan’ she sings for herself as Tun Tun in the film Khufia Mahal. The composer was Pardesi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXpR3sZMYLc
Hans,
Thanks for adding the two beautiful duets. The first one is excellent.
Ashok Tyagiji @ 10,
Thank a lot.
Hansji @ 48,
Well, you will know better.
But this is the only song (duet) credited to Chand Burke. There is information available on her acting career, but there is no mention of her as a singer nor I could find any other song sung by her. Even I could not find her name in the casting list of JeevanShakti.
I thought, since Shamshad Begum had sung four other songs in the film, this song too could be rendered by her.
I gather, she started her career as a child artist in films produced from Lahore and went on to act in Punjabi and Hindi films. After partition she migrated to Bombay. Incidentally she did the cruel aunt’s role in Boot Polish and she happens to the paternal grandmother of Ranveer Singh.
Rich tributes have been paid to Rafi on his birth centenary by so many across the country . My view is that only some superman can assess / appreciate and compile for us at one place the entire personality and works of such greats and also that there may never be one like Rafi .
This post and the enlightening comments by the learned readers has added to my knowledge .
I have been of the view that we would be able to understand so much more once AI tools are fully developed . I am sure that soon the learned participants at SOY would start using AI tools to reveal much more. Please see the reply to my one querry about Rafi that CHATGPT has given …
The “Hindi Film Geet Kosh” (HFGK) is the most comprehensive database for Hindi film music, and it provides detailed information about songs, films, and artists. According to HFGK, Mohammad Rafi has lent his voice to approximately 4,700 Hindi film songs during his illustrious career.
Breakdown:
1. Solo Songs: Around 3,500 songs.
2. Duets: Approximately 1,200 songs, featuring collaborations with legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, and others.
This count does not include Rafi’s non-film songs, regional songs, private albums, and devotional tracks, which would bring the total to over 7,000 songs across various languages. His versatility, spanning romantic, classical, patriotic, sad, and comic songs, makes him one of the most prolific playback singers in Indian cinema history.
Mr S Joseph,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. The ChatGPT’s answer is like a human being’s. I am impressed, but I think I am old school and I am going to use AI tools. I am told it can also write essays.
I give here Rafi’s duets with five more singers from the period upto 1950. With this the total goes up to 19 singers from this era.
Raj Kumari
Aao chalen manwa more door kahin re – Amar Prem – 1948 – Datta Thakur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFI4ELyMpAs
Razia Begum
Balam harjai jawo ji main to preet kiye pachhtai – Shikarpuri – 1947 – Md Shafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQibwWlzMtk
Kumudini Dixit
Jaao jaao na bolungi main – Salgirah – 1946 – Bulo C Rani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPsyDyox7Js
Beenapani Mukherjee
O lachhi tu laage mujhe achhi – Rumaal – 1949 – Hans Raj Behl and Azeez Khan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tgqQaRj7pE
Ramola
Hawa tu unse jakar keh de ik parwana aaya hai – Rimjhim – 1949 – Khem Chand Prakash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64l2-ZTcGhs
Venkataramanji, @ 53
Thanks for the information about Chand Burke. I knew about the cruel aunt in Boot Polish but nothing else. Regarding the single instance of her being a singer, such instances are there in our films. Jasmine the partner of Johny Walker in ‘jane kahan mera jigar gaya ji’ is said to have acted only in that film. People are still tracing the ‘hawa mein udta jaye mora lal dupatta’ girl in films with different claims. There may be other instances. Arunji may throw light on some of them.
I have listened to a lot of Shamshad Begum songs of Hindi as well as Panjabi films and am aware of her many modulations, but this song is definitely not her. Like Chand Burke, Pushpa Hans sang songs in Sheesh Mahal where Shamshad also sang songs and Surinder Kaur and Shamshad both sang songs in Sunehre Din. Both Pushpa Hans and Surinder Kaur have similar voice and in Panjab they were called clones of Shamshad.
Hans @56,
Thanks for adding these duets, I had not heard them. The best by one with Razia Begum from Shikarpri (1947), Balam harjai jaaoji main to preet kiye pachhtai, but it seems the male singer is not Rafi, but Mohammad Shafi, the Music Director. HFGK mentions Shafi’s name. The uploader Sadanand Kamath is very thorough in his research. The link also mentions Shafi.
Rajaji @ 53
I agree with Hans the singer is not Shamshad Begum.
Thanks for information about Chand Wirk.
I am amazed by your search ability.
I tried AI to get some information about Chand Wirk.
All that it could gather was this
“I did find a reference to a singer named Chand Wirk, who performed the song “Chanda Ki God Me Taro Ki Chav Me” alongside Mohammed Rafi in the 1949 film Jeevan Sathi, with music composed by S. Mohinder.
Hindi Geet Mala
Unfortunately, details about Chand Wirk’s career and contributions to Hindi cinema are scarce. It’s possible that she was a playback singer with limited recordings or that her work wasn’t extensively documented. If you have any additional information or context about Chanda Wirk, please share it, and I’ll do my best to assist you further.”
From its source “Hindi Geet Mala” I could get that Shamshad Begum has four songs in Jeevan Sathi, but only two of them are duets. Rafi has four duets two with Shamshad Begum One with Chand Wirk and one with Amirbai Karnataki, surprisingly Amirbai sounds somewhat like Shamshad Begum too.
Check it out.
1949-Jeevan Saathi-04-Rafi+AmirBai-Main Kaise Kah Doon Tumse-Surjit Sethi-S Mohinder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwmqF3ixzjA
Hans @ 56
Thanks for adding “Aao chale manva more”
This song led me to dig in my saved songs and am thrilled to find this one.
I am sure you will like it too.
Enjoy.
Rang Mahal 1948: Roottho na tum bahaar mein mausam-e-khushgawaar mein (Mohammad Rafi, Suraiya)
https://youtu.be/dXE2sgDcgVg
Hans Ji
Thanks for so many wonderful, rare songs you have posted in the latest comments . I have not heard most of them till now. Music is an ocean and I think I might not even seen one tiny drop from that till now!!
Recently I came across this quote by Beethoven -how nicely he had summed it up!
Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
Hansji @ 57,
I agree with you that there are instances of a person (s) singing/ acting in a single film. It may be the case also with the singer Chand Burke.
And thanks for adding some fabulous vintage duets.
Mumbaikarji @59,
I have already agreed with Hansji. And now I am agreeing with you too. I am just Raja, not Ravan Raja, who could afford to lose a head and still be left with nine more!
That was a pathetic joke, I know, yet still a joke.
Thanks for posting the Rafi-Amirbai duet from Jeevansaathi. Got your point. Yes, Ameerbai sounds “somewhat” like Shamshad.
Were Chand Wirk and Chand Burke different persons altogether? Virk/Wirk I believe is a Punjabi Khatri title and Burke is a Christian surname. Again, just a random thought.
Posting a few songs,
I guess must be picturised on Agha and Usha Kiron. This is the first songs of Sudha Malhotra as well as Vinod in this post.
Ooee…. ladh gayi ladh gayi ladh gayi, bichhu booti, o meri maa, jalan badthi jaye…by Mohd Rafi & Sudha Malhotra, film Oot Patang (1955), lyrics D N Madhok, music Vinod
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJayn7xITjo
I believe, Lala – Assar – Sattar were the first music director trio to work in Hindi films. The group consisted of Lala Gangavane and Sattar Khan, musicians played Indian percussions like dholak and tabla, and Assar Mohammed Khan had worked as an assistant to the likes of Nisar Bazmi and A.R. Qureshi. The trio split after composing the music for just two films – “Jahan Sati Wahan Bhagwan” (1965) and “Sangram (1965). The MD trio and Kamal Barot are appearing for the first time in this post.
Picturised on comedian Maruti and Aruna Irani
O tera chhup chhup ke chale aana by Md.Rafi & Kamal Barot, Sangram (1965),lyrics Madhukar Rajasthani, music Lala- Asar- Sattar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ITOUYm-Sg
Mumbaikar @59,
I am impressed by your search of Chand Wirk by AI. I tried the best-known AI ChatGPT, and I got this garbled answer.
Please tell me all about Hindi playback singer Chand Wirk
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
It seems there might be some confusion regarding the name “Chand Wirk.” As of my knowledge cutoff in 2023, there is no well-known Hindi playback singer by the name “Chand Wirk.” It’s possible that the name is misspelled or refers to an emerging artist who gained prominence after my last update.
If you meant a different artist or a similar-sounding name, please provide more details or clarify, and I’d be happy to help! Alternatively, if this is a local or less-known singer, I could try to give information based on any other sources or provide guidance on how to search for more up-to-date information.
You said:
Chand Wirke
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Ah, I see! Chand Wirke is a lesser-known Indian playback singer, primarily associated with the Punjabi and Hindi music industries. His name might not be as widely recognized as some of the mainstream playback singers, but he has been involved in contributing to several songs in various regional and Bollywood projects, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s.
Overview of Chand Wirke:
Chand Wirke is known for his work in both Punjabi and Hindi music, particularly as a playback singer. While he did not achieve the same level of mainstream fame as some of the iconic singers in the Indian music industry, he gained recognition for his soulful voice and his contribution to the music scene.
Notable Contributions:
Punjabi Music: Chand Wirke is perhaps most known for his contributions to Punjabi music, where he has sung for various albums and films. He is known for his folk-influenced style, and his voice has a traditional, rustic feel that resonates with the Punjabi cultural landscape.
Bollywood Playback: He has also sung in Hindi films, though his appearances in Bollywood soundtracks were less frequent. Like many playback singers who are not mainstream stars, his work was often more niche or specialized, yet still appreciated by fans of Indian film music.
Style: His vocal style has been described as powerful yet melodious, and he often brought a certain emotional depth to the songs he sang. His work in both Punjabi and Hindi cinema reflects a versatile approach to music.
Challenges and Recognition:
Despite his considerable talent, Chand Wirke never quite reached the level of fame enjoyed by some of the major playback singers of his era, such as Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, or even singers like Hariharan, Kumar Sanu, and Udit Narayan. However, his voice remains distinctive, and he is respected by those who appreciate regional music and the more soulful, folk-based elements of Indian playback singing.
Availability of Works:
Given his somewhat limited exposure in mainstream Bollywood, many of his works are still somewhat niche, mainly circulating within the Punjabi music industry or through specific soundtracks where his voice might have appeared. If you’re looking to explore his music, a search on platforms like YouTube or music streaming services could reveal some of his tracks from his active years.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of widely available, detailed biographical information about him in major music history sources, but he remains a part of the larger tapestry of lesser-known, yet talented, Indian playback singers.
If you’re a fan of Indian music, especially of the Punjabi or more traditional playback style, Chand Wirke’s work might be worth exploring! Let me know if you need help tracking down specific songs or albums.
You said:
Chand Burke
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
It seems like you’re referring to Chand Burke, but there is no widely known figure by that exact name in the Hindi or Punjabi music industries as of my last knowledge update in 2023. It’s possible that “Chand Burke” is a misspelling or a less widely recognized name, or it could refer to a relatively new or regional artist who hasn’t gained widespread fame yet.
If you meant Chand Virk or a similar name, or if the person you’re referring to has become notable after my last update, I would recommend checking more current sources like music streaming platforms (Spotify, YouTube) or social media for the latest on emerging artists.
Could you provide more context or clarify any details about Chand Burke’s work, background, or music? I’d be happy to help further based on any additional information you provide!
That is why I am sceptical about using AI tools. You might be using another better one.
AKji @ 63,
I am impressed by your use of AI tools.
And co-incidentally I was asking my son to get me acquainted with some AI tools/apps. Though he was game, but warned me that it would not be of any significant help to me and warned me to use it prudently. And I suspect, your experience confirms his views.
AKji, Mumbaikarji,
BTW I gathered some more information on Chand Burke, the actress, by my primitive methods.
It appears Chand Burke was born in village Martinpur, Punjab, not far from Nankana Sahib, in 1932. Her father Janab Khairuddin was the first graduate of the predominantly Christian village, and his Punjabi grandfather Chaudhry Allah Ditta had been the first to convert to Christianity from his family. Oddly, the surname Burke came from the fact that Janab Khairuddin, who was a headmaster in a school, wrote Urdu poetry under the pseudonym Burq, which later got anglicised to Burke.
Interestingly, Samuel Martin Burke, the elder brother of Chand Burke, died on 9th October 2010 at the age of 104. When SoY began its journey in June 2010, Prof.S M Burke was the oldest living person to have served the Indian Civil Service. And it appears that S M Burke was the eldest and Chand Burke was the youngest of the twelve siblings. Samuel Burke, in his last years settled down in London. Most of her other siblings and their families migrated to Canada, but Chand Burke opted to stay back in India after the partition.
Interesting AK ji…to note the AI ” intelligence”..!!!
Till few years back , if i search for Roshan top songs in YouTube it used to throw out Rajesh Roshan songs. We are using 2024 technology for ” what -this -generation- considers- as -dinosaurs”
Venkataramanji @64,
And you can see where I have landed with my AI search engine. When it was launched ChatGPT was supposed to be the best. Now there must be some superior one, as Mumbaikar8 and you have got accurate information. i think these tools require some skill to use, and finally you have to use human intelligence.
AK, @ 58
Did you listen to the song or have relied on the thorough research of Sadanand Kamath. When I posted the song I did not notice the name of the uploader, because I post the first link available if the audio quality is good. I know he writes good articles and have read some of them. Research and Science are always subject to change. There are other uploaders who have named Rafi and there is one reputed uploader who uploaded the song 14 years ago, while Kamath uploaded it 8 years ago. I long ago changed the ‘sha’ as ‘ra’ in my copy of HFGK. I am very sure the singer is Rafi.
I visited ASAD and there I found an article by Sadanand Kamath on this song which was posted in 1916 which was about the time he uploaded the song on Youtube. There someone asked in the comments “Are you positive the singer is not Rafi?” To that he replied as follows:
“As I mentioned in the write-up, the first part of the male voice sounds like that of Rafi to me. But in the second part, I have some doubt. Since I have no way to compare the male voice in the song with the voice of any other song sung by Mohammed Shafi, I have accredited the male voice as of Mohammed Shafi as per HFGK.”
Do you find any research in the above reply. He says because he could not compare with Shafi’s voice due to non-availability of his other song, he concluded it was Shafi. And it was when he had just some doubt. I am not a ‘thorough researcher’ 😉 but some questions would have come to my mind. The first would be whether there is a chance of mistake or misprint in HFGK, particularly when the names Mohammad Shafi and Mohammad Rafi are very similar. The latest proof is the song posted by Mumbaikar8 @ 60 which is credited to Suraiyya and Suresh in the HFGK. I have found a few songs credited to Rafi which were sung by others. The song which comes to mind is ‘kaale kaale baadal chhaye piya’ from Apni Chhaya (1950) which Mukesh sang with Shamshad but it is given as Shamshad-Rafi duet in HFGK.
The second thought which would have crossed my mind would be why there is no other song of Shafi on HFGK when he himself composed more than 140 songs and also assisted Naushad in many films who gave songs who were absolute non-singers and failed to give Shafi any song whose voice was so similar to Rafi that even Kamath could not differentiate.
Kamath said that in the first part voice sounds like Rafi but in the second it is different. If that was the case, he as a thorough researcher should have known that there could be two possible reasons for this. Either Rafi himself could have modulated his voice in the second part or there could be problem in sound because of this being an old record. The fact is that there is no difference in the voice in the second part. The question arises why he is saying so. I give here the last sentence of his article.
“With this song, the film ‘Shikarpuri’ (1947), Razia Begum and Mohammed Shafi as playback singers make their debut on this blog.”
Earlier to that he had said in his article that this was the only song of Shafi and the only song of Razia Begum from a released film. I think he wanted to bask in the glory of making a unique discovery of two unique singers singing a duet together. He said there that this was the first song from that film out of ten, but he never posted another song from that film in the next 8 years.
There have been many clones of Rafi, but there is no one whose voice comes even near him. Do you think if Shafi had so similar voice to Rafi then the anti-Rafi camp would have lost the opportunity of presenting him as a rival to him.
Mumbaikar8, @ 60
You know, like you, Raj Kumari is my favourite.
Regarding the Suraiyya-Rafi duet you posted, I like this pair because they to me are the best male/female singers diction-wise. They had 22 duets in films as per my knowledge and all are enjoyable. There are so many famous songs like 3 from Dastaan, two from Sanam, ‘shame bahar aayi’ from Shama Parwana, ‘taron bhari raat hai par tu nahin’ from Kaajal, two from Naach, three from Shaan of which I posted one. I here give one from Baalam – aata hai zindagi mein bhala pyar kis tarah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDSEDZodHs8
Sivanandam,
Thanks for the appreciation and the nice quote from Beethoven which is absolutely true. The songs in the 40s with different settings and lyrics are a different experience. This was the reason I posted so many songs with different singers. I think credit should go to AK who thought of this article on duets, because most of articles of centenary celebrations used solos. In the 40s duets were filmed on minor actors too and thus had a lot of variety and even provided lighter moments in tragedy films.
S Joseph, AK, Mumbaikar8, Venkataramanji, Sivanandam
On AI I endorse AK’s original views given in reply to S Joseph that it is not our cup of tea. The figures given by S Joseph about Rafi are a proof of the inadequacy of AI. Any common Rafi fan would know that Rafi had more duets than solos and AI shows his duets as one-third of the solos. In fact almost all the golden era male singers had more duets than solos. Hemant Kumar was the exception by a very small margin. Even Mukesh who is believed by many to have more solos, has more duets.
Sahir Ludhianvi wrote a song ‘aaj is darja pila do ke na kuchh yaad rahe’ in 1968 film Vaasna. The last antara ended with the following lines:
‘saltanat zulm, khuda waham musibat hai samaaj,
jehan ko aise sula do ke na kuchh yaad rahe’
I think tools like AI are popularised so that our minds are lost in futile ventures. Sahir’s last line fits perfectly. Educated people are busy in trending topics of Social Media.
Meena Mangeshkar had 3 duets with Rafi of which two were in Farmaish, MD was Husnlal Bhagatram. I give here ‘aapne chheen liya dil ise kya kehte hain’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNzL7MzPzXU
The other Meena, Meena Kapoor had two duets. I give here ‘hum tumse poochhte hain sach sach humen batana’ from Circus Queen – 1959. Composer was Shafi Naagri.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zd7t897emE
Aarti Mukherjee’s mot famous duet with Rafi was ‘sara mora kajra chhudaya tune’ the Hemant-Kaifi Azmi creation for Do Dil. She had earlier sung the explosive ‘aiga aiga ye kya ho gaya’ in Boy Friend under SJ. I give here both. She had in all 7 duets with Rafi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHZaeWt_ot0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE71uAMUY4U
Chandbala, a small time singer had 4 duets with Rafi. I give here Madan Mohan composed ‘samne hai rani’ from 1952 film Anjaam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiW26tJ09dA
Hans Ji-# 67
After seeing your detailed comment , I listened to the song : Shikarpri (1947), Balam harjai jaaoji main to preet kiye pachhtai, I would like to reaffirm that it is 101% Rafi. Since the audio is of poor quality and also maybe it was on a slightly lower scale than the usual one for which Rafi was known for might have lead to the confusion. I have not heard any song sung by Mohd. Shafi and I tried to search in Youtube , but unfortunately could not get it. I am not at all strong in the history or statistics of music but one thing I can vouch for-I have been listening to Rafi right from the age of 10 or 12 almost on daily basis -that makes it almost 50 years ….and that voice is embedded in my soul!! Cannot miss it. The comments in the link provided by you also has many saying it is Rafi and as you have rightly pointed out, Mr Kamath has not confirmed it with conviction that it was Shafi.
Hans @67,
Audios in some YTs is quite ambiguous. I went by HFGK and Sadanand Kamath. Since you are sure about Rafi, that is perfectly fine.
@70,
We had a lot of discussion on AI. I got a long, but garbled reply. Mumbaikar8 on the other hand got a crisp but correct reply. One AI search engine earned some notoriety for giving absurd replies, and I think Sundar Pichai had to apologise, and that engine is withdrawn. These are after all machines, I am quite old school to stick to the primitive method. The concern is that students are churning out essay type answers also by AI. I cannot think of that. Let me add here, some are impressed by these miracles.
@71,
You have added some excellent duets. Aapne chheen liya dil ise kya kahte hain was always my great favourite. Other duets are all new to me. I liked the duet with the other Meena, Hum tumse poochhate hain.
AK,
I knew your liking for ‘aapne chheen liya dil’ and I remember you have once posted it. Actually I posted it for you and Mumbaikar8 – who also likes it-, otherwise her other song from the same film is also good.
Now I am exclusively posting Rafi’s duets with some singers who did not make it big. I have already posted some duets like with Laxmi Shankar, Chandbala etc. These will confirm what AK said when he mentioned the interview of Mubarak Begum that he took along minor singers and helped them produce memorable songs.
First one is Madhubala Zhaveri, who was introduced by Hans Raj Behl and supported quite well by him. The song is ‘jayega jab yahan se kuchh bhi na paas hoga’ from Moti Mahal – 1952. It appears Zhaveri was singing for a child like Laxmi Shankar in Mastana.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEH4RhhCDoM
Now I post the song ‘lagan mohe laagi guru charanan ki’ from Bhakt Puran composed by Chitragupta. This is as good as any other devotional song. The co-singer is named as Laxmi Rai. I dont know whether she is different than Laxmi Shankar or not. Arunji or Venkataramanji may confirm. Laxmi Rai starts the song quite admirably and Rafi joins later and takes it to another level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH67YNAYZlQ
And here is ‘hamari muhabbat hamara zamana’ (Bahadur- 1953) with Ashima Banerjee composed by S Mohinder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQbfNl9N4D4
Now another Banerjee, Sabita. Vinod is known for composing many comic songs. In Garma Garam 1957 he composed this one in which Sabita appears in just the first half a minute and then it is Rafi all the way. The song starts with words ‘rakhna dil mein dil ki baat’ which Sabita sings in Geeta Dutt style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS2-IPy8EjI
Music of 1953 film Rail Ka Dibba was given by Ghulam Mohammad and the film is famous for Shamshad-Rafi duet ‘laade mohe balma aasmani chudiyan’. But there was another great duet ‘duniya jawan hai dil meherban hai’ Rafi had with Gandhari. In the song Gandhari starts, singing for Cuckoo as street singer with the positive notes which goes upto about 45 seconds. Then Sajjan Kumar who is doing boot polish as an educated unemployed joins in Rafi’s voice with negative philosophy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXhn0nf0Mag
Hans,
All the songs you have posted are new to me. The first song Jayega jab yahan se kuchh bhi na paas hoga is an exceedingly nice song. The philosophical meaning comes out perfectly in Rafi’s voice.
My attention was drawn to Lagan mohe laagi guru chraranan ki. This must be a traditional bandish. My thoughts went to the Bengali light classical singer Reba Muhuri’s rendering of Mohe laagi lagan guru charanan ki from Satyajit Ray’s Jai Baba Felunath. That is Venkataramanji’s department. I will leave it to him fill in details about Reba Muhuri. Suffice it to say that this song and another one in the film, and a couple of others in Shatranj Ke Khiladi placed her in my reckoning with Beguam Akhtar and all the top singers of yore of thumri and light classical songs.
@70 , 73
How could we get at the correct position ?
I had posted the unaltered ChatGPT reply to my following querry …
‘Based on information available in HFGK please give the number of Hindi film songs to the credit of Great Rafi ‘
So when the Chat GPT reply is based on certain specific records , then this dispute can be resolved only with some equally sound records . And surely SOY family must be keen to know the truth . One difficult solution is a physical count of the HFGK records . Mr HAMRAZ could also help. True facts would be a tribute to the Great Rafi.
I know that ChatGPT is still developing and could make mistakes but already it is used in a big way . For instance , any aspiring author cannot survive without this.
AK ji,
It is not easy to choose 25 songs. I would never be able to do it!
The duet from Do Gunde (1959) – Bheegi palkein utha is my favourite too. There is a couplet before the mukhda that Majrooh has written which is ‘inspired’.
o preetam ye mat jaaniyo
tohe bichhdat mohe chain
geele ban ki laakdi
sulgat hoon din-rain
This is Amir Khusrao ‘s doha which seems to be the source:
साजन ये मति जानियो, तोहे बिछड़त मोको चैन।
दिया जलत है रात में, और जिया जलत दिन रैन।।
Wish you and all the readers a very Happy New Year!
Anita
Sivanandam, @ 72
There is no problem in the audio quality. I check the audio before posting. The audio is as good as were the audios of 90 percent of songs of that era. The voices of both the singers are clear. As regards the scale of Rafi, a person dealing with Rafi should know he can sing in any scale he likes. There is no excuse here a responsible person should have checked with somebody else if he was not clear before posting the article on a reputed channel like ASAD. Youtube is different. There anybody can post with as many mistakes as he likes. 😉
AK,
I dont know much about bandishes. But this Pooran Bhagat is a legendary character in Panjabi folklore and there are a lot of Haryanvi raginis too about him. About the bhajans or dohas which are attributed to such persons there is always a doubt. I will give an example. My father after coming back from courts would do gardening almost daily after having lunch a short rest. Once an acquaintance asked him why he did gardening, he told him the following doha:
‘hille se hi rizak hai jyon pankhe mein paun,
uth kabira kirat kar thali nai dega kaun’
(Hilne dulne se hi jiwika chalti hai jaise hilne se pankha hawa deta hai. Chal kabir uth ke kaam kar khali baithne se koi kuchh nahin dega.)
As there were some Haryanvi words in that doha, I asked him did Kabir also wrote in Haryanvi. He said when somebody becomes famous many people use his name.
That is the truth about such sayings and dohas or anything else.
Rajaji,@ 62
Your pathetic joke is too good for me, it went over my head.
Jokes apart, I ought to have added “too” to my
“I agree with Hans the singer is not Shamshad Begum.”
to make things clear.
As usual my lack of communicating skills.
“Got your point. Yes, Ameerbai sounds “somewhat” like Shamshad.”
To get to this “point” I needed to convey.
Hope I have communicated better this time.
Enjoyed Oot Patang song it is true to the movie name
Joseph@54, Ak, @ 63 @73 Rajaji@64, Sivanandam@ 65, Hans
AI’s responses to each one of us in a different way shows answer depends not only what is asked but it also has imprint of who is asking. “The big brother knows it better.”
Giving you my perspective about it, I get my information on song from,“Hindi Geet Mala” site.
The source of the of Chat GPT (I use Chat GPT as well) of the information for me is same. Response was short because in my question I had given a time frame of 40s and 50s, that, I think, made it short and crisp.
I do not know how much the big brother knows about Joseph but the source I saw was HFGK I can guess that that is where he is getting his information from.
Now AK’s response, AI is totally off in the gender of the “Subject” that is a blunder.
I can see some signs of AK’s preference in its response, singer name in female singers, only one name mentioned, we know, AK’s bias for her.
What surprised me is Ak’s search is, it should reflect his preference of male singers of golden era but all of them are missing except for the “Kishore Kumar.”
Other thing that is conspicuous is its choice of the word “niche” more than once that I believe is AK’s word too.
Sharing an earlier search on Rafi in which it blundered too, me being myself reacted the way I do, AI was so humane, like good “old school” secretary, I almost felt sorry for HER
I asked Information on Mohd.Rafi
Chat GPT
Mohammed Rafi (commonly spelled as Mohd. Rafi) was one of India’s most legendary playback singers, known for his versatile voice, immense vocal range, and ability to convey deep emotion through his songs. Below is a comprehensive overview of his life, achievements, and contributions to Indian music:
Early Life
Birth: December 24, 1924, in Kotla Sultan Singh, a village near Amritsar in Punjab, British India.
Family: Rafi was the fifth of six sons in a family of modest means. His father, Haji Ali Mohammad, initially discouraged his interest in music.
Inspiration: Rafi’s musical journey began with his elder brother’s encouragement and guidance from a fakir (a wandering mystic) who sang in his village.
Training: He trained under notable classical musicians, including Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, and Firoze Nizami.
Career Highlights
Debut: Rafi’s first song was a duet, “Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee”, with Zeenat Begum for the Punjabi film Gul Baloch (1944). His first Hindi song was “Aji Dil Ho Kaaboo Mein” from the movie Gaon Ki Gori (1945).
Rise to Fame: His breakthrough came with Naushad’s compositions in films like Baiju Bawra (1952), where songs like “O Duniya Ke Rakhwale” showcased his exceptional range and emotional depth.
Golden Era: Rafi became the voice behind many iconic actors, including Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, and Rajesh Khanna. His collaborations with composers like S.D. Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan, Naushad, O.P. Nayyar, and R.D. Burman remain legendary.
Notable Songs
Rafi’s repertoire spanned genres, from romantic melodies to patriotic anthems, devotional hymns, and qawwalis. Some of his evergreen hits include:
“Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho” (Chaudhvin Ka Chand, 1960)
“Aaja Re Pardesi” (Madhumati, 1958) “Blunder Here”
“Baharon Phool Barsao” (Suraj, 1966)
“Kya Hua Tera Wada” (Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, 1977)
“O Haseena Zulfon Wali” (Teesri Manzil, 1966)
“Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re” (Kohinoor, 1960)
“Teri Aankhon Ke Siva” (Chirag, 1969)
Awards and Recognition
National Film Award: Best Male Playback Singer for “Kya Hua Tera Wada” (Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, 1977).
Filmfare Awards: Won six Filmfare Awards during his career.
Padma Shri: Awarded in 1967 by the Government of India for his contribution to music.
Legacy: His voice earned him the title “The Voice of God,” and he is considered one of the most influential singers in Bollywood history.
Personal Life
Marriage: Rafi married Bilquis Bano in 1945.
Philanthropy: Known for his humility, Rafi often sang for struggling producers for free and donated his earnings to charity.
Interests: Despite his fame, he led a simple life and was deeply spiritual.
Death
Date: July 31, 1980, at the age of 55.
Cause: A massive heart attack.
Legacy: His funeral was attended by thousands of fans and admirers, a testament to his lasting impact on Indian music.
Impact and Legacy
Cultural Influence: Rafi’s songs continue to inspire generations of singers and remain a staple in Indian households and music playlists.
Tributes: Numerous biographies, documentaries, and tribute concerts have been dedicated to his memory.
Posthumous Recognition: Rafi was voted the “Greatest Voice of Hindi Cinema” by CNN-IBN in a 2013 poll.
If you’d like information about a specific aspect of his life or career, feel free to ask!
My response
“Aaja Re Pardesi” (Madhumati, 1958) Mohd Rafi is not the singer of this song. This song is sung by female singer Lata Mangeshkar.
This time came up with all correct answer.
CHAT GPT
You are absolutely correct—”Aaja Re Pardesi” from the film Madhumati (1958) was sung by the legendary Lata Mangeshkar, not Mohammed Rafi. Thank you for pointing that out!
If you’re looking for notable songs by Mohammed Rafi, here are some examples to replace the error:
“Yeh Zindagi Ke Mele” (Mela, 1948)
“Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj” (Baiju Bawra, 1952)
“Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho” (Chaudhvin Ka Chand, 1960)
“Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar Tera” (Teesri Manzil, 1966)
Feel free to ask about any other details or songs!
Me talking about the consequences
“Had I not known this I would be wrong in my article”
CHAT GPT
I’m glad you caught it! Accuracy is critical when writing an article, especially about someone as iconic as Mohammed Rafi. Misattributing songs can lead to confusion for readers and inadvertently diminish the recognition deserved by other artists like Lata Mangeshkar in this case.
If you’d like, I can double-check or provide verified details about any songs, collaborations, or facts related to Rafi or other artists to ensure your article is spot-on. Let me know how I can assist!
Now me being myself
Are you here to give me correct answer, or no?
CHAT GPT
You’re absolutely right to expect accurate information from me, and I deeply regret the earlier mistake. My purpose here is to provide you with correct, reliable, and well-researched answers. If I make an error, it’s important for me to acknowledge it and correct it immediately. You deserve the best support for your work, and I aim to deliver that every time.
In the future, I’ll be even more diligent in verifying the information I provide. If you ever notice something amiss, I appreciate being called out—it helps improve the conversation and ensures you get the accurate details you need.
Thank you for your patience and trust. If you have more questions or need further clarification, I’m here to help!
Me going ahead
If I give this answer at my work place would it be appreciated?
CHAT GPT
You’re right to hold me accountable because any information I provide should be reliable enough to use in a professional setting. If you had used the incorrect detail I gave earlier about “Aaja Re Pardesi,” it could have undermined your credibility at work, and that’s unacceptable on my part.
Accuracy and trust are foundational. Let me reassure you that my goal is to provide correct, dependable answers you can confidently use anywhere, including at work. I deeply value your feedback and will take extra care moving forward. If you have more questions or need to cross-check details for your article or workplace, please let me know—I’ll ensure everything is double-checked and accurate.
That is how it ended.
..
Anita @78,
Thanks a lot for this information. The inspiration prelude enhances the beauty of the song manifold. Thanks a lot for your greetings which I heartily reciprocate.
Mumbaikar8,
I am again highly impressed by your felicity with ChatGPT. It is so human in your hands.
AK@ 84
Point to ponder! Does AI understands me better than human?
AK, Mumbaikar8,
In my first comment about AI, I had mentioned the lines of ‘aaj is darja pila do’ to suggest that such tools are meant for ‘jehan ko aise sula do ke na kuchh yaad rahe’.
After reading Mumbaikar8’s practical exercises with AI, I would like to modify the situation. As you know in Vaasna in the song Raj Kumar was addressing Saeeda Khan for ‘bekhudi itni badha do ke na kuchh yaad rahe’. In the changed situation Saeeda would have told Raj Kumar to start asking questions from CHAT GPT and he would be able to completely forget even himself.
AK, in govt service you must have got opportunities to draft replies to Parliament questions. I got a lot of them. Seeing the replies of AI gives me a feel of that situation. We used to draft a reply which would give the reply and yet convey nothing to the MP. Another situation is a Jyotishi telling you about the future after reading your kundli or hand, which would also convey nothing but you will feel that he told everything. 😉
@ 77
I dont know if you have HFGK or not but I would like to tell you that these books can not answer all questions nor even Hamraaz ji can, because data keeps changing. There are a number of gaps left in HFGK, which can not easily be filled. I can satisfy your query for the present. As per HFGK, Rafi had a total of 4223 songs till 1985 out of which 1953 were solos and 2270 duets. Out of these 2270 duets 1803 were MF, 208 MM and 259 multiple singer songs. This data is only for released films and unreleased films and regional films I have not counted in them. When the HFGK was initially printed the total of Rafi songs was not even 4000. I am adding details as and when I get them.
If you need any further information, you may mail me at the following address
(jakhar.hans@gmail.com)
I would be ready to help. If you ask me I would certainly send you the information I have, though sometimes it may be delayed if I am busy.
One more thing your last line “For instance , any aspiring author cannot survive without this.” suggests you believe too much in AI. Shakespeare, Dickens, Kalidas, Premchand or Sarat Chandra never got AI to help them. There is no short cut for becoming a good author, though AI may help in creating a number of average authors and write-ups.
It is my friendly advice that this mindset of too much belief in AI, is not good for anyone of us. I hope you will not take it in good spirit.
Anita,
In the Saranga Lata-Rafi duet ‘piya kaise milun tujhe’, Lata starts with
‘saajan ye mat janiyo to bichhdat mohe chain,
jaise jal bin maachhri, tadpat hoon din rain’
Kindly see my reply to AK @ 80. Such type of couplets are attributed to different writers by different people. There is no unanimity even on the words used. You can see that the second line is different in all 3 versions.
Hans @ 67Hans December 30, 2024 at 10:36 pm
AK, @ 5
You wrote,
“There someone asked in the comments “Are you positive the singer is not Rafi?” To that he replied as follows:
“As I mentioned in the write-up, the first part of the male voice sounds like that of Rafi to me. But in the second part, I have some doubt. Since I have no way to compare the male voice in the song with the voice of any other song sung by Mohammed Shafi, I have accredited the male voice as of Mohammed Shafi as per HFGK.”
We have not met; you know me only by my ID.
I am that someone.
Yes, I was 100% positive that the singer is Rafi still I was satisfied by Sadanand’s answer. He did not say he was sure about it. He said he had his doubts but as he did not have anything to prove that the singer is not MD. Shafi, he went by the data available probably as per by the rule of ASAD. (he did not mention that)
Let’s be candid everyone cannot dig into the infinity like Arunji, Hans and Rajaji.
8
Hans @68
Thanks for reminding Shama Parwana’s Rafi Suraiya duets.
I think Shama Parwana is one the finest albums of Husnlal Bhagtram.
I would like to add one more Rafi Suraiya duet specially for its perfect pronunciations (as mentioned by you) and beautiful, but very challenging Aalap.
Beqaraar Hai Koi Aa Mere Diladaar Aa Song | Shammi Kapoor, Suraiya | Shama Parwana | Hindi Gaane
https://youtu.be/FkNubWiQCyQ
Hans @75
Incidentally yesterday searching on YouTube I think I hit the source of your songs.
You have posted some of the best ones here.
I am adding one from there with MD that could be the singer
Tu Kahan Hai Balam Mere Aaja · Mohammed Rafi, Paro Devi Gharana 1949 MD Mohd Shafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ci5KL9Vxw
Hans @ 70 @86 @87
I can tell you one thing love it, hate it, but you cannot ignore it.
AI is here, not only to stay but to change the world.
We absolutely have no clue in what way.
I have been listening to Yuval Noah Harari for the past, I do not remember how many, years.
I wish I had the concentration power or the patience to read his books, I only try to watch him when he is promoting his books.
Mind boggling.
What a couplet!
‘saltanat zulm, khuda waham musibat hai samaaj. (whole truth nothing but the truth)
jehan ko aise sula do ke na kuchh yaad rahe’ (koochh baki raha hai?)
Mumbaikar8# 92
Good to know you have listened/read Yuval Noah Harari.
I have read all his three books: Sapeins, Homo Deus and 21 lessons for the 21st Century. All very interesting and trace the evolution of Humans and how they have been changing the world; more worrying is how they are now attempting to become God ( Deus) and the impact it may have on entire civilization.
Who knows…Very soon we may even see ( rather hear) Rafi/Mukesh/Talat/Kishore/Manna Da ‘s voices artificially recreated to modern tunes…time will tell if they are better or worse than the so-called remixes that happened in last few years.
Anyhow , in this new year, let us not worry about these and keep ourselves immersed in the olden, golden classics.
Wishing all SOY members a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!!
Continuing from my earlier post, recently a Rajinikanth starrer Tamil film, Vettaiyan ,already had the first AI generated song …a playback singer called Malaysia Vasudevan had passed away in 2011 but in this 2024 film , they recreated his voice and used it in a song !!!!
So this is already started..
Hansji,
I was reading and listening from the side lines, silently appreciating, overawed by the unending stream of songs from your repository.
@75,
‘Lagan mohe laagi guru charanan ki’ from Bhakt Puran is a fabulous duet.
Laxmi Shankar and Lakshmi Roy are different persons. I think Laxmi Shankar requires no introduction. Lakshmi Roy (called Lokkhi) was the younger sister of Geet Dutt, 6th among the eight siblings and 2nd among the three sisters, Geeta being the eldest of the three sisters. She was married to Pramod Chakravarty, produce & director. Besides Bhakt Puran 1952 (MD:Chitragupt), she also lent her voice in films, Bhed 1950 (MD: Mukul Roy, her elder brother), Nava Durga 1953 (MD: S N Tripathi), Naya Raasta:1953 (MD: Chitragupt)
Aag Ki Dariya 1953(MD: Vinod) & Shailab 1956 (Mukul Roy).
The last mentioned film Sailab was produced by her brother and music director Mukul Roy. Geeta Dutt sang most of its songs and Guru Dutt directed it. While the film was certified in 1956, the records for most of its songs were issued in 1954.
I loved listening to the songs (@71) ‘Sara mora kajra chhudaya tune’, Aiga aiga ye kya ho gaya’ & ‘Rut Mastani samne hai rani’.
And parallelly, overwhelmed by the discussions on AI. (@77,82,84,85,86,93)
And in this context you have aptly quoted Sahir Ludhyanvi (@70, 86)
‘Saltanat zulm, khuda waham musibat hai samaaj,
jehan ko aise sula do ke na kuchh yaad rahe’’
Reverberates in the sympathetic strings of our mind.
AKJi@76,
Yes, who ever has heard the Meera Bhajan, ‘Mohe laagi lagan guru charanan ki ‘, will at once link this duet ‘Lagan mohe laagi guru chraranan ki’ to it.
“That is Venkataramanji’s department. I will leave it to him fill in details about Reba Muhuri.”
You have given her a wide coverage in SoY’s 11th anniversary post in 2021. What more can I add about her? And yet to get a copy of her book ‘Thumri-o-Baiji` in Bengali. Last time when I enquired, it was out of stock. I may one day go to Deys Publication and check again. And as far as I know, no Hindi or English translation has been published till today.
Hansji,
“First one is Madhubala Zhaveri, who was introduced by Hans Raj Behl and supported quite well by him. The song is ‘jayega jab yahan se kuchh bhi na paas hoga’ from Moti Mahal – 1952. It appears Zhaveri was singing for a child like Laxmi Shankar in Mastana.”
Liked both songs.
Posting few similar duets,
No songs of MD Mukul Roy had been posted yet.
‘Aankhon pe bharosa mat kar’, where Sudha Malhotra sings for Daisy Irani and Rafi for Pradeep Kumar, film Detective (1958), lyrics Shailendra, music Mukul Roy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0LyW7yDcY4
The next duet; seems lyrics were based on Urdu alphabets; MD Iqbal Qureshi’s first song in this post
Picturised on Joy Mukherjee and Master Ramesh
Alif Zabar Aa Alif Zer Ae by Md.Rafi & Sudha Malhotra, film Love in Tolyo (1960), lyrics Rajinder Krishan, music Iqbal Qureshi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MikrQqx_PwA
The next one actually is a triad sung by Sudha Malhotra and Asha Bhosle with Md.Rafi, picturized on Daisy Irani, Honey Irani and Amwar Hussein
There is a duet, on Honey Irani and a mendicant in the background, sung by Asha Bhosle and Md.Rafi. I preferred to post this triad instead.
O mere pyaron zameen ke taron, film Zameen Ke Taare (1960), lyrics Pt.Indra, music S Mohinder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avs4c5-_oPk
AKji,
Wishing you and the SoY family a blissful, healthy and successful 2025!!
It was informative and interesting to read the comments about AI.
There is no doubt that AI is becoming an integral part of our lives. The crucial factor is when, where and how to use it.
AI and ChatGPT are being increasingly used in medical fields now. In my own speciality of blood transfusion and Pathology, AI is being adopted for diagnostic and analytical aspects, reducing errors and to improve efficiency. Of course, one cannot rely totally on AI for diagnosis. AI ChatGPT is now being used in some countries to increase blood donations by creating donor motivation materials, marketing tools, awareness campaigns, addressing shortages etc.
I have used ChatGPT to gather information on some new medical protocols and disorders and the information is fairly accurate and updated.
Sometime back, I checked ChatGPT for information on Rajesh Khanna.
The overall information on the actor was accurate but when it came to the names of the films that he acted, some incorrect names cropped up such as Amar Akbar Anthony, Rakhwala and Namak Halal.
And when I was checking on the number of Hindi movies titled Sanjog at different times, it did come up with 3 or 3 films but with incorrect years and totally different cast and credits.
So, in terms of yesteryear films, people, events etc, it all depends on the database accuracy and updation.
AKji,
In the beginning, I had mentioned about adding post-70 songs related to this post. Thank you for the go-ahead @4
So, I am posting Rafi duets from 1971 onwards.
I am following your filter of one song per year and with MD who is not mentioned before.
This was not too easy as majority of his known and popular songs in the 70s are with MDs who have been covered already in your list and many of his hit songs of this decade are solos.
Still, I could recall a good number and so posting them here. Some of them may not be popular but personally, I am fond of them.
Here’s 1971-1975
Jis din se maine tumko dekha hai – Parwana (1971) – (Rafi-Asha) (Madan Mohan) – A nice song, but not in the film, not sure if it was picturized
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux1IUWX5-38
Kal raat sapne mein aaye the tum – Shararat (1972) (Rafi-Asha) (Ganesh)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52LXxRNBhw0
Ae jee jee sarkar do aur do – Alam Ara (1973) (Rafi-Chandrani Mukherjee) (Iqbal Qureshi)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_0S6afYVwQ
Ek daal par tota bole – Chor Machaye Shor (1974) (Rafi-Lata) (Ravindra Jain)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7-Mysg2StI
Gulon ka rang jo nikhra – Dayaar-e-Madina (1975) (Rafi-Asha) (Mohd. Shafi)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycyLZwxdWDE
Dr Deshpande @98,
I couldn’t help to come in again on AI. In pathology all reports add a caveat: To be correlated with clinical observation. With these guardrails it is absolutely fine to use AI. If it is for research it is a very useful tool. But if it is used for Deep Fake it is very sinister. An amusing, but politically amoral case is of a prominent politician carrying initials AK using deepfake to create a video in which Babasaheb Ambedkar blesses him to go out there to protect the Constitution, you are the only one capable of taking on the demons – we know who.
@99,
Two songs were new to me: Ae jee sarkar do aur do; Gulon ka rang jo nikhara. Rest are all excellent songs. Rafi continued his journey with some top songs throughout, but MD not to be repeated means you have to compromise in quality.
@ 100
Over-reaction to change is the way of life . Let us not forget that AI has come after years of dedicated research and that giants like GOOGLE have put their money into these tools. We forget that we have always lived with things having both good as well as adverse applications. Can we imagine life without kitchen knives , fire, nuclear energy , TNT , WhatsApp, YouTube , media etc. and even spoken words , …. and see what happens to those who do not use such devices.
AI tools have entered our lives now. After so much discussions here , am sure things will be different at SOY , which depends on data , writing etc.
@ 98 it has been rightly mentioned that the correctness of various data bases would matter.
The writing on the wall today … use AI or perish .
With best wishes for 2025 to the noble souls @SOY.
Great article and great selection AK. And it has been enhanced beyond measure by learned comments of people like Mr Hans and your responses to them.
I would have selected ‘Tum jo huye mere hamsafar’ from 1958. Interestingly, I think Hemant would sound better in this song. I mentioned this in a comment to Anuradha Warrier on her blog and she reacted with disbelief. In the age of AI I have come across a version of ‘Kisi ki muskarahaton pe ho nisar’ in the voice of Narendra Modi! I wonder if someone can come up with a version of ‘Tum jo huye’ in Hemant’s voice.
Subodh,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. You know my view on hypothetical transmutation. If a song has registered in the voice of a singer, it is difficult for me to imagine in another voice. Having said that, 1950s and 60s were years of plenty for Rafi. And choices would differ.
AKji @100
Agree. Not repeating the MD does restrict the choices and quality. But overall, Rafi songs are generally good and it is a stimulating exercise to select as per the criteria.
Now posting songs from 1976 -1982
Laila Majnu, released in Dec 1976 heralded the return of Rafi back to the top. MM composed the two popular duets – Is reshmi paazab and Ab agar humse. I am adding the one by Jaidev, who completed the score after the demise of MM)
Kehna ek deewana teri yaad mein (Rafi-Lata) (Jaidev)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maTEpdQmuJw
1977 was a great year for Rafi with LP and RDB hit numbers. Posting a C. Arjun song.
Bahut khubsoorat hai ankhen tumhari – Subah Zaroor Aayegi (Rafi-Mubarak Begum) (C Arjun)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usVVKsRoCyE
1978 doesn’t have much to choose from
Zindagi ke safar mein na jaane – Damaad (1978) (Rafi-Asha) (Hemant Bhosle)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_8ShQG6_fE
1979 again had many hit songs by Rafi. Posting two songs here, covering two MDs
Bahon mein teri masti ke – Kala Patthar (1979) (Rafi-Lata) (Rajesh Roshan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVQwCOpK6Pg
Maathe ki bindiya bole – Lahu Ke Do Rang (Rafi-Anuradha) (Bappi Lahiri)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Dp_jWuDcM
Jiske liye sabko chhoda – Saajan Ki Saheli (1980) (Rafi-Sulakshana Pandit) (Usha Khanna)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy7uWhKAcRc
Mohabbat rang layegi janaab – Poonam (1981) (Rafi-Chandrani) (Anu Malik)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4uyL0WRSCo
Janam janam ka saath hai – Bheegi Palkein (1982) (Rafi-Lata) (Jugal Kishore= Tilak Raj)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdOGwxfSMmU
Mumbaikar8,
@ 89
I thought whoever asked the question must be a Rafi fan and I was right. Thanks for putting me in the same bracket with Arunji and Venkataramanji. But I firmly believe that I am not their equal and I am not saying this out of modesty. My knowledge is limited to songs and statistics. Someone called them the two Maharishis of SOY and that is true. They have the Trigun in the right proportions.
Regarding Sadanand Kamath, I have made my comment after due thinking. Due to his standing even a person like AK totally believed him, so it is his duty to be prudent. There is no difference in the first and second part of the song and the fact that Shafi was an MD with more than 140 songs composed in more than 20 films there should have been a song for him. He mostly gave music for small time producers who would have been happy to get a Rafi like voice for free or for nominal rates.
@ 90
For 4-5 years whatever HB and Suraiyya touched became gold. She sang some of the top class songs for them and promoted them no end. Whole of the industry turned against them. Particularly Suraiyya who charged one lakh for a film when the top star Dilip Kumar was not being given even 20000.
@ 91
Thanks again for giving me so much credit. But I am not going to accept it as I know you as the original master discoverer which AK would confirm for the benefit of our present friends. You are not active these days. In fact all those who would have done the service for vintage songs are absent. Arvinder Sharma has resigned his post. In the matter of listening vintage songs none of us here can match him. And we daily remember Bhatiaji who would have flooded. Venkataramanji is also not that active these days. So I am left alone as ‘andho mein kaana raaja’. 🙂
Regarding this song I had listened this one but found the audio to be of poor quality. So I did not post it. This film Gharana also has a MF duet in which Rafi sings with a female singer who is named as Shyama in HFGK, but on youtube this song is attributed to Paro Devi. Audio quality of this song is much better. What I have heard of Paro Devi, in my view the voice in this song is not her’s. Paro was an actress with lead roles in a few films and was quite a good singer. Later she adopted character roles and became famous mostly in the character of Baiji who managed kothas. Notable films in this regard are Dharmendra starrer Mera Gaon Mera Desh and Sharafat. Shyama was also a singer in the vintage era who sang a few songs. I give here this other song from Gharana titled ‘fariyad na karna’ and which is a good song. With this 21 singers of this era are covered. Only one of them named Rekharani remains who sang 2 duets with Rafi in 2 films. They also I did not post due to audio quality. There are two other unnamed female singers with whom Rafi sang duets in this era upto 1950.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsqmSCTSf78
@ 92
About AI, I am the one who will always ignore it and I neither love it nor hate it. About changing the world, you must have heard the Shailendra written Yahudi Rafi song ‘ye duniya ye duniya hai hamari ye duniya’. In that there are the lines:
‘badal rahi hai roj badalti jayegi,
duniya karwat legi chakkar khayegi,
lekin hum majloom gareebon ki kismat,
kabhi na hansne degi sada rulayegi’
So the world is always changing.
You liked Sahir’s lines I quoted. Sahir also says in the song ‘sansar se bhage phirte ho’:
‘har yug mein badalte dharmon ko
kaise adarsh banaoge’
This also underlines the same concept that the world is always changing and sheeps have never made headlines. It is not wise to get fooled by these Pied Pipers. To me either Israeli Yuval Harari or Indian Bapu Murari are all the same. In India quite a number of people are mad after these gurus. My friend and relative was earlier bhakt of Asaram Bapu and when he was jailed he became bhakt of Osho. Now he visits his ashrams and locks himself in a room for 2 hours daily for meditation and listens to Osho pravachans. If we happen to visit him during those 2 hours, we have to wait in his drawing room till he comes out. He never changes that routine for anyone. For that he would also claim that he is a man of principles.
Dr Deshpande @104,
Impressive list. You have managed to extend the list for 1976-82 maintaining the restrictive criteria. I was struck by my favourite song from yore, Bahut khoobsoorat hai aankhein tumhari. And lo and behold, your link opens this song from the film Susheela (1966). This film had three superb songs, and two found place in my post on C Arjun in the series Forgotten Composers, Unforgettable Melodies.
This was quite puzzling. Then some non-AI search revealed that this film was again released in 1977 with a different name Subah Zaroor Ayegi, and ‘similar’ songs. I think same songs were retained in the later film. I remember there was at least one more case of this type.
Later, I couldn’t resist checking up with ChatGPT. It continues to be angry with me. It gave a smart but wrong reply:
I asked: Film Susheela (1966) and Subah Zaroor Ayegi (1977) seem to have identical songs. Why?
ChatGPT said:
It’s interesting that you’ve noticed the similarity between the songs from Susheela (1966) and Subah Zaroor Ayegi (1977). While these two films are from different eras, their soundtracks are connected because they share music composed by the same music director, Kalyanji-Anandji, a popular duo in the Indian film music industry.
In fact, both films feature the same song “Meri Kismet Mein Tu Hai” (in Susheela) and “Subah Zaroor Ayegi” (in Subah Zaroor Ayegi). The song from Susheela was composed earlier and had a significant impact. When the makers of Subah Zaroor Ayegi were looking for a melody that would resonate with audiences, they decided to re-use or adapt that particular tune. They made minor changes to the arrangements, instrumentation, or even the lyrics, but the core melody remained the same.
This practice of reusing successful melodies in later films was not uncommon in the golden era of Hindi cinema, especially when certain compositions were considered particularly hit or iconic. While it may seem unusual now, back then it was a way for music directors to build on the success of earlier works while offering something familiar to audiences. It also allowed the music to reach a new audience with a slightly different context.
So, the apparent “identical songs” you mentioned are essentially the same composition, reused in two different contexts over a span of years.
This post deserves kudos, AK. Such a fabulous collection of duets, and so well-researched.
Madhu.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
AK ji
Much has been said about AI but still I would like to add my own not.
I have been working with an edu-tech corporation for the last 4 years. It’s a WFH job but engages me for more than 8 hours a day. The company is listed on NYSE and in just one year its market cap has eroded by more than 90%. There is an unanimous view that this is due to the advent of AI. And almost all the edu-tech companies have been affected in the same manner.
However, using AI casually is fraught with risks. Even in the field of accounting, it throws up outright wrong answers. I am reasonably certain that Rafi has sung no duet in Marathi but Chatgpt and Gemini provided the following answers:
ChatGPT
You said:
Has Rafi rendered any duet in Marathi
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Yes, Mohammed Rafi, one of India’s greatest playback singers, has rendered duets in Marathi. While Rafi primarily sang in Hindi, his versatility extended to many regional languages, including Marathi. He collaborated with various Marathi playback singers and composers. Some notable Marathi duets by Mohammed Rafi include:
“Kuni Hi Sangitlya Chalva Chalva” with Usha Mangeshkar (Music: Yashwant Deo)
“Jivalaga Kadhi Re Yeshil Tu” with Suman Kalyanpur (Music: Sudhir Phadke)
Rafi’s flawless adaptation to the Marathi musical style and his ability to emote beautifully in any language made his contributions to Marathi music highly cherished.
I do not know the first song and the second is an Asha solo.
Gemini
Yes, Mohammed Rafi has sung several duets in Marathi. Here are a few examples:
* Ha Chhand Jivala Lavi Pise: This song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and Pushpa Pagdhare.
* Are He Dukhi Jeeva: This song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle.
* Majhya Viran Hridayin: This song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.
* Shodhisi Manava: This song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur.
These are just a few examples, and there are many other duets that Mohammed Rafi has sung in Marathi. You can find a more comprehensive list of his Marathi songs on various music streaming platforms and websites.
All the songs mentioned are Rafi solos ( and that is the only solace!!)
Rajeshji has perfected post seventies list of Rafi duets. I also have one but the comment will become too lengthy hence I refrain.
Mr Muli,
The more I know of AI from its admirers on SOY, the more confused I get. Every time I have tried to get some factual information, it gave me a wrong answer. That is your experience too. What everyone is saying is, it is a very good tool, you can’t do without it. How does one use it sensibly so that it gives correct answers? The only thing I can say in its favour, its sentence construction is good, it can give essay-type answers, but it is no use if it gives wrong information.
Venkataramanji,
@ 95
Thanks for the appreciation and the information about Lakshmi Roy. You have not only given the information I sought, but also her filmography.
‘Aaj is darja pila do’ is a landmark song where all three lyricist, composer and singer have combined with the top of their capacity and the whole song is worth listening again and again. Sahir was known as a rebel lyricist. He could say ‘jinhen naaz hai’, he could write what he wrote about Taj Mahal and he could also write ‘ghoda pishori mera’.
@ 97
Thanks for posting all these great songs. Rafi’s box of great songs is full to the brim. Even the duet of Zameen Ke Taare with Asha you mentioned is such an emotional song. I give here a couple of duets Rafi had with other female singers who sang for child artists.
First comes Usha Mangeshkar. You must be remembering the Kinare Kinare song ‘o pagle der na hogi pal chhin ki’ which Rafi sang with Usha. I give it here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FaIkrZQNrs
In this song Usha had quite a small contribution but after Santoshi Maa fame she got another duet in film Kartavya in which she started the song and had equal share. The song was ‘chanda mam se pyare mera maama’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOQlQXQfjsg
There was another similar song with a singer by the name Vijaya in the film Deep Jalta Rahe – 1959. ‘Na ro bhai na ro’ is quite a nice and fun filled song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prVFy8Yhs0w
AK, @ 106
After observing the comic possibilities in the CHAT GPT reply posted by you I am seriously considering review of my publicly declared vow of not using AI (@ 105). I am not Bheeshma of Mahabharat after all.
Regarding the matter of special anger this AI shows to you also I have a guess to make. In Haryana when you say ‘kyun’ and people have no answer they respond with the reply ‘kyun ki to ladai ho sai’ which in Hindi means ‘kyon ki to ladai hoti hai’. I think there was some Haryanvi in the team of developers of this software who had made this provision that whenever someone writes ‘Why’ you have to give angry replies. So next time dont use ‘Why’. 😉
Hans,
AI was not meant for comic effect. I see that is your intent; if you use it for wrong reasons it gets more furious. You must have seen the recent movie, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya in which AI was successful beyond imagination. But that was not what it was meant for, it wreaks mayhem. I was not misusing it, but it still gets angry with me. I see that it is getting angry with its admirers too. It is a funny world.
AK,
“Furious”. Thanks for the warning, I will be careful.
You know AI is like God. There may be two reasons he is angry with you. One, he may be testing you as a devotee same as God tests. The other reason is that he has seen the comment that you dont believe in him and are asking questions just for testing him. In both cases the anger is justified.
In Haryana there is story which may be told in your area too in some other form. There was a Sethji and also a Jat who used to visit a deserted Shivalaya daily. Sethji used to do pooja and water the shivling and the Jat did his pooja by urinating on the shivling. One day, it was a huge thunderstorm with heavy rain. Sethji thought that there is a message from Shiv in the rain that I should not visit the Shivalaya and he did not go. The Jat on the other hand took the rain as a challenge and considered it as a trick which Shiv is playing with him to deter him from his daily duty and went to the Shivalaya and did his job. Now Shiv was impressed and gave him Darshan and Vardaan. The next day Sethji complained to Shiv that he has wrongly given the Vardaan to the Jat and his devotee was left high and dry. Shiv told him he sent the rain and thunderstorm to test the devotion in which the Jat passed and you failed.
Note: I have stopped watching Hindi movies long back and these days I watch South and Bhojpuri movies mainly for the comic content and frankness they display.
Disclaimer: I have used the word he/him/his – for AI as well as God – just for convenience and it may not be construed as my promoting gender discrimination.
Thank you AKji for this wonderful post celebrating the centenary of Rafi sahab.
Salil da used Rafi sahab sparingly and often at behest of the film producers rather than his own volition as is the case with the songs of Maya. I don’t really know the reason for his antipathy towards Rafi sahab maybe the more knowledgeable members of this forum will shed light on this.
One lesser heard song borne out of the collaboration of these two is from the film Chand aur Suraj (1965). It is picturised on a very young Tanuja and Dharmendra.
Tumhe dil se chaha tumhe dil diya hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7GeAA5hJs0
Aman Vats,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. ‘Antipathy’ is a strong word. I would say Salil Chaowdhury felt more comfortable with the voice of Manna Dey, Mukesh, and Talat Mahmood. Having said that Let me say Tumhein dil se chaha is a wonderful song. I looked up my list. In that year I have taken Thahariye hosh mein aa lun to chale jaiyega.. Tough choice.
Now to serious business of covering Rafi duets with other female singers not yet covered.
Pramodini Desai – Nazron se nazar ka takrana – Fariyadi – 1953 – BN Bali
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBWBl8nT8Xw
Usha Khanna – Kaun ye aaya mehfil mein – Dil Deke Dekho – 1959 – UK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XRibZvrIN8
Krishna Kalle – Ajab teri karigari re kartar – Dus Lakh – 1967 – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfLxH-h6-UA
Usha Timothi – Tu raat khadi thi chhat pe – Himalay Ki God Mein – 1965 – KA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyGJYoz5Ons
Hemlata – Raj Kapoor si neeli ankhen – Maa aur Mamta – 1970 – LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOzyNVZLvfQ
A total of 48 female singers have been covered till now. I give here songs of two more to make it 50.
Jagjit Kaur – Pehle to ankh milana – Shola aur Shabnam – 1961 – Khayyam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkYlRbN4Z8M
Minoo Purushottam – Dekho ji ek bala jogi – China Town – 1962 – Ravi. This is her famous song in which she just sings along Rafi in the end, but later she had 3 other duets with Rafi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsP9xyptoBE
Hans @114,
I have said enough on AI. Any further comment, I would be repeating myself.
@117, 118,
Thanks a lot for adding these songs. Some observations:
There was something in the period. Heard the duet with Pramodini Desai, Nazron se nazar ka takrana, for the first time. Nice one. That shows the importance of duets. Major Music Directors did not feel safe in giving solos to some female singers. Pramodini Desai had some solos too, but her one duet from film Saza (1951), O Roopnagar ke saudagar became famous. In 1951 another film Shokhiyan came with outstanding music by Jamal Sen. In this film, I have become a great admirer of Pramodini Desai’s duet with Lata Mangeshkar, Aayi barkha bahar, pade bundan phuhar. Thanks to your addition, I also learnt that Pramodini Desai, after marriage became a Katkar.
Kaun ye aya mehfil mein: My be a less popular song in the film, but it has a novel experiment: It starts with an English song.I knew three other songs: Ajab teri karigari re sarkar; Kal raat khadi thi chhat pe; Raj Kapoor si neeli aankhen; Dekhoji ek bala jogi
AK,
It was not my intention to seek a comment on AI. As you had written your comment in a lighter vein, I did the same and related a funny story. Either you did not like the fun in that story or you chose to ignore it. Both ways it is OK with me.
“Major Music Directors did not feel safe in giving solos to some female singers.”
Our veteran commenter Shalan Lal once commented that the Music Directors in our films first themselves type a singer by giving him/her special kind of songs and then they would not give him/her other songs saying he/she is typed for one type of songs. I dont know why these composers felt safe with singers of a family so far as females were concerned, but were very generous in their safety standards when it was the case of male singers. This argument may have some value for new female singers, but why the established singers like Shamshad, Geeta, Amirbai, Raj Kumari, Zohrabai etc. were sidelined though they had enough experience of singing solos.
The swift exit of vintage female singers is one of the mysteries of our filmdom. The top music directors wholesale switched to the Lata Mangeshkar who defined the standards of heroine songs. One has to admit she was special, otherwise we are going to tie ourselves in knots at the supposed unfairness.
A great collection but it could have been more judicious . Where are great female singers Surriya , Shamshad , Mubarak Begum ,Sudha Malhotra .?
Music directors MM is missing though he has for some strange reasons had not used Lata and Rafi for many duets . In fact Duets were not forte of MM .
Avinash Kumar,
You have added some interesting perspective. Rafi’s oeuvre is so huge that for any criteria you can get a number of alternatives. Balancing the singers was not my main criteria. That would have meant compromising the quality of the songs. My criteria was one song an MD, and one song a year, and while doing that choose the best song which can be classified as everlasting.