September 11th, 2011

Mohammad Rafi – Naushad Collaboration

Naushad on Mohammad Rafi

Speaking about Rafi Saab’s singing qualities, I have always been of the opinion that he was very sentimental and worked extra hard at songs which were raga based and melodious. Though people call him versatile, which he was in many senses of the term, I feel he was not happy singing cacophonic songs. This was because there are two distinct types of singing: one from the throat and another from the heart. Rafi used to sing melodious songs from the heart but this heart was never there in the other types of songs.

Rafi use to falter slightly in lower tones. If he was asked to sing in low tones, his voice used to become loose but in the high tones his voice was just like an arrow.

He loved to rehearse his songs. At times he would rehearse as long as five days before turning up for recording. He used to let the song sink completely in his psyche. But if the music director or lyricist wanted to change a word here and there then Rafi would need an hour to adjust as he had already taped the songs in his mind.

Rafi started to sing for me immediately when he came to Mumbai. Since he hailed from Punjab, his Urdu accents were not clean and clear. As such, I had to explain to him first to make his Urdu diction suitable for songs. He was so studious, intelligent and painstaking person that he grasped the required tonal accents in a short time. While grooming him I realised that he had tremendous range but he was singing initially in the low tone since K. L. Saigal was his ideal. I recorded some of his songs in low tone itself in films like “Anmol Ghadi”, “Mela”, “Dillagi”, “Jadoo”, etc. but slowly I started using his voice in higher pitch in films like “Deedar” and “Aan”. However till “Baiju Bawra” even I never had the opportunity to make full use of it. It was from “Baiju Bawra” that people realized the tremendous potential of his range.

Rafi Saab’s greatest asset was that even after scaling highest notes he would stay at the peak without shaking his voice and used to remain firm at it. But again, if he didn’t like the tune he would falter and take a longer time to record it. But if the tune was to his liking, one could get a perfect take in the first round.

As a person he was one of the finest persons I have known. I had a very long association with him. He was very modest. He had a perfect sense of time. He never came late for any song recording and used to meet people around always with a smiling face.

The last song he recorded for me was a gazal in a film called “Habba Khatoon”. He was so enamored with the lines and the tune that immediately after recording it he came to me and enveloped me in his arms and said, “After a very long time, I got the opportunity to sing such a beautiful song. Otherwise I had to make sounds of cats and dogs in my recent songs”. He was so happy with my song that he even did not accept payment for the song. Such a great person he was!

Mohammad Rafi – Naushad Song List

Song	Film	Year	Co-Singers
Hindustan Ke Ham Hai Hindustan Hamaara	Pehele Aap	1944
Tera Khilona Toota Balak	Anmol Ghadi	1946
Mera Sapnon Ki Rani	Shahjehan	1946	K.L. Saigal
Yeh Zindagi Ke Mele	Mela	1948
Yun Tho Aapas Mein Bigad Teh Hein	Andaz	1949	Lata Mangeshkar
Chheen Ke Dil Kyon Fer Lee	Chandni Raat	1949
Dil Ho Unhe Mubaarak Jo	Chandni Raat	1949
Khabar Kyaa Thee Kee Gham	Chandni Raat	1949	Shamshad Begum
Nigahen Ruk Gayeen..Kaise Baaje	Chandni Raat	1949	Shamshad Begum
Is Duniya Mein Ay Dil Walon	Dillagi	1949
Tere Kooche Mein Armaano Ki	Dillagi	1949
Mil Mil Ke Gaayenge O Do Dil	Dulari	1949	Lata Mangeshkar
Raat Rangili Mast Nazaare Geet	Dulari	1949	Lata Mangeshkar
Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki	Dulari	1949
Dil Dhadak Dhadak Dil Fadak Fadak	Daastan	1950	Suraiya
Dil Ko Tere Tasveer Se	Daastan	1950	Suraiya
Tara Ri Tara Ri Yaara Ri Yeh Sawan	Daastan	1950	Suraiya
Asir Re..Huve Ham Jinke Liye Barabaad	Deedar	1951
Dekh Liya Maine	Deedar	1951
Ho Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena	Deedar	1951	Solo (Film Soundtrack Version)
Meri Kahani Bhoolane Wale	Deedar	1951
Ho Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena	Deedar	1951	Shamshad Begum (rare version)
Nasib Dar Pe Tere Aazamaane	Deedar	1951
Ab Raat Milan Ki	Jaadu	1951
Lelo Lelo Do Phool	Jaadu	1951	Zohra Bai, Shamshad Begum
Pyaar Ke Saagar Se Nikali.. Ik Jhoot Hai Jiska	Jaadu	1951
Takra Gaya Tum Se Dil	Aan	1952
Dil Mein Chupake	Aan	1952
Ek Tho Sundar Mukhda…Mohobbat Chumme Jinke Haath	Aan	1952	Shamshad Begum
Gao Tarane Man Ke	Aan	1952
Maan Mera Ahesan	Aan	1952
Door Koi Gaaye Dhun	Baiju Bawara	1952	Lata Mangeshkar, Shamshad Begum
Insaan Bano Karlo	Baiju Bawara	1952
Jhoole Mein Pawan Ke Aayi	Baiju Bawara	1952	Lata Mangeshkar
Mana Tarapata Hari Darashana	Baiju Bawara	1952
O Duniya Ke Rakhwale	Baiju Bawara	1952
O Ji Ho	Baiju Bawara	1952
Om	Baiju Bawara	1952
Raagon Ka Raag	Baiju Bawara	1952
Tu Ganga Ki Mouj Mein	Baiju Bawara	1952
Tasveer Banata Hoon	Deewana	1952
Insaaf Kaa Mandir Hai Yeh	Amar	1954
Aaye Na Balam Vaada Kar Ke	Shabab	1954
Man Ki Been Matawari	Shabab	1954
Marna Teri Gali Mein	Shabab	1954
Mehelon Mein Rehne Wale	Shabab	1954	Mubarak Begum
Yehi Armaan Lekar	Shabab	1954
Chale Aaj Tum Jahan Se- O Door Ke Musaphir	Uran Khatola	1955
Mohobbat Ki Raahon Mein	Uran Khatola	1955
Sambhal Kar- Na Toofan Se Khelo	Uran Khatola	1955
Dukh Bhar Din Bite	Mother India	1957
Matwala Jiya Dole Piya	Mother India	1957
Na Mein Bhagwaan Hoon	Mother India	1957
O Ghadi Wale Ghadi Dheere Haank Re	Mother India	1957	Shamshad Begum
Aane Wale Ko Aana Hoga	Sohni Mahiwal	1958
Ay Meri Zindagi-Aaj Galiyon Mein Tere	Sohni Mahiwal	1958
Duniya Hai Isi Kaa Naam	Sohni Mahiwal	1958
Eid Ke Din Sab – Eid Ka Din Tere	Sohni Mahiwal	1958
Teri Mehefil Tera Jalwa	Sohni Mahiwal	1958
Dhal Chuki Shaam-e-gam	Kohinoor	1960
Dil Ka Afsana Sunate Hein	Kohinoor	1960
Do Sitaron Ka Zamin	Kohinoor	1960	Lata Mangeshkar
Koyi Pyaar Ki Dekhe Jaadugari	Kohinoor	1960
Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re	Kohinoor	1960
Tan Rangaloji Aaj Man Rangalo	Kohinoor	1960
Zara Man Ki Kivadiya	Kohinoor	1960
Aye Mohobbat Zindabaad	Mughal-E-Azam	1960
Bailan Ki Jodiya	Ganga Jamuna	1961
Nainlad Jaihen	Ganga Jamuna	1961
Oh Chhalia Re Chhalia	Ganga Jamuna	1961
Lut Gaya Mere Sapnon Ka Dera	Pyar Ki Daastaan	1961
Dil Thodne Wale	Son Of India	1962
Zindagi Aaj Mere Naam Se	Son Of India	1962
Aaj Purkat…Tumse Izhaar-e-haal Kar	Mere Mehboob	1963
Aye Husn Zara Jaag	Mere Mehboob	1963
Mere Meheboob Tujeh	Mere Mehboob	1963
Yaad Mein Teri	Mere Mehboob	1963
Aaj Hai Pyar Ka Faisala	Leader	1964
Aaj Kal Shauq-e-deedar Hai	Leader	1964
Apni Azaadi Ko Ham Hargiz	Leader	1964
Ek Shehenshah Ne	Leader	1964
Hamin Se Mohobbat	Leader	1964
Mujeh Duniyawalon	Leader	1964
Tere Husn Ki Kya	Leader	1964
Guzaren Hein Aaj Ishq	Dil Diya Dard Liya	1966
Koyi Sagar Dil Ko	Dil Diya Dard Liya	1966
Dil-e-Betaab Ko Sine Se	Palki	1966
Kal Raat Zindagi Se	Palki	1966
Aaa… Pyar Ki Raah Bahaar	Saaz Aur Awaaz	1966
Aaa Ji.. Kisne Mujeh Sadaa	Saaz Aur Awaaz	1966
Dil Ki Mehefil Saji Hai	Saaz Aur Awaaz	1966
Saaz Ho Tum Aawaaz Hun Mein	Saaz Aur Awaaz	1966
Tum Ishq Ki Mehefil Ho	Saaz Aur Awaaz	1966
Mein Hoon Saakhi Tu	Ram Aur Sham	1967
Yeh Raat…Aaj Ki Raat Mere	Ram Aur Sham	1967
Kaise Haseen Aaz	Aadmi	1968
Aaj Purani Raahon Se	Aadmi	1968
Main Toote Huyi Ek Naiya	Aadmi	1968
Teri Mohabbat Pe Shaque	Aadmi	1968
Ishq Deewana Husn Bhi	Sangharsh	1968
Mere Pairon Mein Ghungroo	Sangharsh	1968
Duniya Hase Hasti Rahe..Mein Hoon	Ganwaar	1970
Hamse Tho Aachi Teri Payal	Ganwaar	1970
Idhar Sharaab Kaa…Pee Kar Sharaab	Ganwaar	1970
Meheka Meheka -Tumhara Naam Kya Hai	Ganwaar	1970
Tera Chikna Roop Hai	Ganwaar	1970
Aisa Phanda Maare	Tangewala	1972
Do Diwane Aaye Dekh Tamasha	Tangewala	1972
Thap Tup Tip	Tangewala	1972
Jane Kya Hojaaye	Aaina	1974
Naiya Meri Chalti Jaaye Saharey Tere Badhthi Jaaye	My Friend	1974
Dil Ke Bazaar Mein	Dharam Kanta	1982
Duniya Choote Yaar Na Choote	Dharam Kanta	1982
Tera Naam Liya Dil	Dharam Kanta	1982
Yeh Ghotedaar Lehenga	Dharam Kanta	1982
Aasalaam Jaanetamana Alvida	Love and God	1986
Allah Allah Phoolon Mein Tho	Love and God	1986
Mein Baita Hun Raahon Mein	Love and God	1986
Rahega Jahan Mein Tera Naam	Love and God	1986
Yeh Naadanon Ki Duniya Hein	Love and God	1986
Jis Raat Ke Khwaab Aaye	Habba Khaatoon	Unreleased
Aae Mere Laadlo	Non-Filmi
Beete Dinon Ki Yaad	Non-Filmi
Mohobbat Khuda Hai	Non-Filmi

Pairs