Rafi’s best duets by Madan Mohan

The best songs of Rafi for any music director would include a number of duets. So it is for Madan Mohan, despite the fact that his solos for Rafi are significantly more than the duets. That is an exception to the general trend of duets being far more in number than male solos. Since we are doing a tandem series on Roshan and Madan Mohan, we have seen in the case of Roshan that his duets for Rafi are far more than his solos. In the case of Madan Mohan-Rafi, out of a total of 168 songs, solos are more than 90, and duets are about 75. But the sheer number of duets makes a post on this necessary to enjoy the full charm of their association.

I mentioned in the earlier post why duets are also important for musical reasons, such as the scope of greater creativity for the music director, more variety of songs, and opportunity for the ‘other’ female singers to get a chance to sing with the main male singer. All these are present in plenty in Madan Mohan too.

Madan Mohan used Rafi’s voice in his very first film, Aankhen (1950), for the solo Hum ishq mein barbaad hain barbaad raheinge. Thereafter, he used him fairly regularly, creating memorable songs, both solos and duets along the way. There is some contrast with Roshan here, whose major output with Rafi, both in numbers and the superlative quality, took a big leap in the second half of his career, i.e. in the 60s.

Madan Mohan’s association with Lata Mangeshkar is the stuff of legend. But for duets with Rafi, he was quite open about ‘other’ singers, and that was not only because of the spat between Rafi-Lata for some years. With so much to go for their duets, I am presenting some of my favourite Rafi duets composed by Madan Mohan.

1. Jhoom jhoom ke do deewane (with Laxmi Shankar) from Mastana (1954), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

We have seen some great Rafi solos in this film: the philosophical solo Mat bhool are insaan, and the carefree Duniya ke saare ghamon se begana, main hun mastna. We see the same carefree attitude in the street entertainers, Moti Lal and Master Romi (?), the renowned classical singer Laxmi Shankar singing for the boy. Itinerant singers on Bombay streets is one of the most abiding images of the city in our films.

2. Do ghadi wo jo paas aa baithe (with Lata Mangeshkar) from Gateway of India (1957), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

This film had a couple of Lata Mangeshkar’s superb songs – Na hanso humse zamaane ke hai thukaraye huye and Sapne mein sajan se do baatein ek yaad rahi ek bhool gaye. This romantic duet you would visualise in the moonlit night amidst nature, but the romance between a poet and his admirer is a common theme in our films. The superb poetry of Rajendra Krishna becomes the vehicle for the flowering of the yet undeclared love between Bharat Bhushan and Madhubala.

3. Dil haseenon se lagana koi humse seekh le (with Shamshad) Begum from Khota Paisa (1958), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

If there was Johnny Walker in a film, there had to be a song picturised on him. Such songs became quite popular and, often, the high point of the film. Madan Mohan follows the prescription to create this excellent qawwali muqabala, the main qawwal (Johnny Walker, who else?) is in his elements surrounded by a bevy of females. The man on the harmonium, dholak, other instruments, rhythmic clapping – all classic elements of a qawwali are present in this song, with the female part ably provided by Shamshad Begum. I had missed this song while doing a post on Roshan-Madan Mohan’s qawwalis. I am happy to present it here.

4.Ye hawa ye mastana mausam dil ko phir qarar aya (with Lata Mangeshkar) from Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

I remember this film for the quintessential Madan Mohan-Lata Mangeshkar song, Wo jo milte the kabhi humse deewanon ki tarah, aaj milte hain jaise kabhi pahchaan na thi. And then you have this lovely duet which creates an entirely different mood – one of joy, and jhoomana – to borrow an expression from Subodh. Madan Mohan embeds different elements in this duet. The lovers are by themselves in natural surroundings, there is a monkey playing on the branches of a tree, there is a pair of birds (two for love), and there is a tonga, but because of Lata Mangeshkar (and not Asha Bhosle) the song reminds me more of Shankar-Jaikishan style (rather than OP Nayyar).

5. Ye to kaho kaun ho tum meri bahar tumhi to nahi (with Lata Mangeshkar) from Akeli Mat Jaiyo

Another duet from the same film, a duet that is more a solo, because Rafi confirms only ‘Yes, my darling’, to her questions.

I spoke of Madan Mohan and Shankar-Jaikishan in the same breadth. The mukhada of the above duet will instantly remind the SoY veterans of this Mukesh song.

Ye to kaho, kaun ho tum, mujhse poochhe bina dil mein aane lage by Mukesh from Aashiq (1962), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan

6. Mujhe ye phool na de tujhe dilbari ki kasam (with Suman Kalyanpur) from Ghazal (1964), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi

This duet is closer to recitation which demands greater ability and confidence from the singers as well as the music director.

7. Ab do dilon ki mushkil aasan ho gayi hai (with Asha Bhosle) from Pooja Ke Phool (1964), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

In Lata Mangeshkar solo in this film, Meri aankhon se koi neend liye jata hai, Madan Mohan was in familiar territory with his signature style. This joyous romantic duet by Rafi and Asha Bhosle allows Madan Mohan to add variety and display his ‘other’ side.

8. Tum ho haseen kahan ke, hum chaand aasman ke (with Asha Bhosle) from Sharabi (1964), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

This fun duet picturised on Dev Anand and Madhubala I heard for the first time, and I guess it may be new for many readers, reminding you of several other duets picturised on the pair. I especially thought of Achchhaji ji main haari piya, composed by SD Burman. The nok-jhonk has been replaced by more playful point-counterpoint of sarcasm replied by a confident repartee. Does it have anything to with the fact that Madan Mohan assisted SD Burman?

(D)  तुम हो हसीं कहां के
(M) हम चांद आसमां के
(D) उफ ये अदा हाय ये नशा
(M) हां हां हां
(D) ओये होये ये चाल का जादू डर है ज़मीं न फट जाये
(M) सीने को थाम कर रखो दिल ना जगह से हट जाये
(D) उफ ये अदा हाय ये नशा…..

9. Baad muddat ke ye ghadi ayi (with Suman Kalyanpur) from Jahan Ara (1964), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

Madan Mohan showed he was the King of Ghazal in Jahan Ara. Even if the film bombed, his ghazals for Talat Mahmood’s are immortal. He shows his class and elegance in this leisurely-paced ghazal composed as a duet.

बाद मुद्दत के यह घड़ी आई
आप आए तो ज़िंदगी आई
इश्क़ मर मर के कामयाब हुआ
आज एक ज़र्रा आफ़्ताब हुआ

शुक्रिया ऐ हुज़ूर आने का
वक़्त जागा गरीब-खाने का
एक ज़माने के बाद ईद हुई
ईद से पहले मेरी दीद हुई

ईद का चाँद आज देखा है
ईद का क्यों न ऐतबार आए
हाथ उठाकर दुआ यह करता हूँ
ईद फिर ऐसी बार-बार आए

दिन ज़माने का रात अपनी है
इस घड़ी क़ायनात अपनी है
इश्क़ पर हुस्न की इनायत है
मेरे पहलू में मेरी जन्नत है

फ़ासले वक़्त ने मिटा ही दिये
दिल तड़पते हुए मिला ही दिये
काश इस वक़्त मौत आ जाए
ज़िंदगानी पे आके छा जाए

बाद मुद्दत के …

(Translation of the first two stanzas)
This moment has come after a long time
You came, and my life came back
The love finally succeeded after several sacrifices
A speck of dust has achieved glory

Thanks a lot for coming My Lord
My poor abode has been blessed
The Eid has come after ages
But I sighted my moon even before Eid

10. Main teri nazar ka suroor hun….Jab jab tumhein bhulaya tum aur yaad aye by Lata Mangeshkar & Asha Bhosle from Jahan Ara (1964), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

Now in an exception to the theme of the post, here is a Lata-Asha duets – one of their best. The long recital preceding the song creates mood for pathos. The duet picturised on Minoo Mumtaz and Aruna Irani depicts the emotions of the leading lady Mala Sinha. The fellow blogger and SoY regular, Anu has written a nice post on the theme ‘You feel, I sing’.

मैं तेरी नज़र का सुरूर हूं तुझे याद हो कि न याद हो
तेरे पास रह के भी दूर हूं तुझे याद हो कि न याद हो
तेरी ज़ुल्फ है मेरा हाथ है कि तू आज भी मेरे पास है
तेरे दिल मं मैं भी ज़रूर हूं तुझे याद हो कि न याद हो
जब जब तुम्हें भुलाया तुम्हे और याद आये

11. Lijiye dil ka thukrana, lijiye aankh ka shukrana (with Asha Bhosle) from Naya Kanoon (1965), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri

This song in a recording studio is fast-paced and quite delightful. I would not like to attribute it to OP Nayyar-influence.

12. Tere paas aa ke mera waqt guzar jata hai (with Asha Bhosle) from Neela Aakash (1965), lyrics Raja Menhdi Ali Khan

Before he became a He-man, Dharmendra had established his presence as a romantic hero. He had another nice duet with Mala Sinha in the film, Aapko pyar chhupane ki buri aadat hai. I chose this one as it appears farther from OP Nayyar style.

13. Husn jab jab ishq se takra gaya (with Asha Bhosle) from Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966), lyrics Rajendra Krishna

Madan Mohan continues to compose two Rafi-Asha Bhosle duets in a film. If it was because of Lata Mageshkar’s ‘boycott’, she seems to be the only loser, because Rafi’s voice modulation, gliding from low to high notes is more unrestrained, Asha Bhosle is in her elements, and Madan Mohan creates a gorgeous song for the music lovers. The other duet Kabhi tera daaman na chhodenge hum is also quite well-known. This film had some more superlative songs – Rafi’s Yun rootho na haseena and Asha Bhosle’s Koi shikawa bhi nahin koi shikayat bhi nahi have been earlier included in the post on Madan Mohan’s solos for these singers.

Disclaimer: The songs in this post have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. The copyright over these songs rests with the respective owners.

Tagged as: Best duets