Dada Saheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra (1913) was the first silent
movie in India, with no synchronised sounds or dialogues. Some of
the well-known actors of the time were Patience Cooper, Ruby Myers
(Sulochna), and Renee Smith (Sita Devi), Zubeida, Fatima Begum,
Master Vithal, Master Nisar, and Prithviraj Kapoor. Improvements in
technology and the synchronisation of the sound with the pictures,
heralded the end of the silent-movie era. Alam Ara, the first “talkie”
film in India, was released in Mumbai’s Majestic Cinema in 1931. Its
producer, Ardeshir M. Irani is therefore considered to be the father of
the “talkie” film. Zubeida was the leading lady. It had the first song
of the Indian cinema, DE DE KHUDA KE NAAM PAR, by W.M. Khan
who acted as a faqir. It was recorded live, accompanied with a Tabla
and a Harmonium. The arrival of sound had serious implications for
the entire generation of film-makers, technicians and artists who
could not adapt themselves to the new system. Many studios closed
down. Now only those actors or actresses could be employed in films
who, besides their acting talent, could also deliver dialogues and sing
many songs. The Anglo-Indians were the worst hit as they could not
speak fluent Urdu or Hindi. Many actors of the silent era lost their job
since they could not sing.
During the silvern age of the Nineteen Thirties, the Bombay Talkies,
Prabhat, Wadia Movietone, and New Theatres ruled supreme. These
Houses employed the artistes mainly on a monthly salary. Some of
the reputed names of the talkie-films were Devika Rani, Shobhana
Samarth, Leela Chitnis, Durga Khote, Shanta Apte, Sadhna Bose,
Padma Devi and Kananbala, as well as Ashok Kumar, P.C. Barua,
Prithviraj Kapoor and others. It was also the era of the “Fearless”
Nadia who performed daring stunts in Homi Wadia’s movie. Her
name became synonymous with her role in Hunterwali which is
remembered to this day.
By 1940, many gramophone stars who could not make it to the film
music as playback singers soon lost their standing in the music
world. In the Forties, some memorable films were made such as
Shantaram’s Dr. Kotnis ki Amar Kahani, K.A. Abbas’s Dharti Ke Lal,
Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar, Uday Shankar’s Kalpana, Mehboob
Khan’s Roti, Wadia’s Court Dancer, Sohrab Modi’s Sikandar and
Prithvi Vallabh, Raj Kapoor’s Aag and Barsaat, and Vijay Bhatt’s Ram
Rajya and Bharat Milap.
Mumbai had the lineup of highly professional music directors such as
Shyam Sunder, Khemchand Prakash, Timir Baran, R.C. Boral, Datta
Kogaonkar, Husnlal-Bhagatram, Sajjad, Naushad, Ghulam Haider,
Hansraj Behl, Khursheed Anwar, Vinod and Anil Biswas. It was usual
for the orchestras to be on the exclusive payroll of the individual
music director. Mumbai had replaced Calcutta as the leading film city
of India and had become the base of composite culture where a new
amalgam of music was born.
Naushad Ali of Lucknow, who had made his debut in Prem Nagar in
1940, brought the fusion of Hindustani music and the classical ragas
and introduced many innovations in his musical compositions and
system of recording. If Ghulam Haider had the opportunity of
introducing Baby Noor Jahan in Gul-e-Bakavli a Punjabi movie of
1939, as Baby Noor Jahan, and later in 1941 as a playback singer in
Pancholi Art Pictures’ super-hit, Khanzanchi, Naushad too, made the
13-year old Suraiya playback in his second movie, Sharda, for the
heroine Mehtab. Pandit Amarnath had discovered Zeenat Begum of
the Gul Baloch fame (S.Mohinder). Around this time, Mukesh and
Habib Tabani (Habib Wali Mohammed) won the audition test meant
for aspiring singers. It was for Meena Kumari to appreciate the
Ghazals of Habib and play them on Radio Ceylon, thus making Habib
a celebrity in the mid-forties. Around 1941, Ghulam Haider “changed
the complexion of the Indian film music” especially with the
stretching and breaking of the lyrics to enhance the beauty and the
weight of the rhythm and giving peculiar charm to his musical
compositions. He introduced the Dholak and other instruments in
films. Ghulam Haider employed ‘Taals’ (beats) very prominently in
his films, including Khazanchi (1941), Khandan (1942), Zameendar
(1942) and Poonji (1943).
The playback singing in the movies gained ground and by the mid-
forties it became predominant. According to Naushad, initially, in the
early forties, a single mike was meant to be used by singers as well
as the musicians who used to take turn coming to the mike and doing
their bits. Besides, the mike called “Fedler Tone” needed the heat of
the fire before it could function. No sound-proof recording studios
existed. Recordings were done in the parks at the dead of night so
that there was no disturbance or echo.
At least till 1942 the singing actors held on to their own since there
was a dearth of the playback singers. Ashok Kumar used to sing his
own songs with heroines such as Devika Rani, Leela Chitnis, etc., in
early career. Some of his famous songs are: MAI.N BAN KI CHI.DIYA
sung along with Devika Rani(Achut Kanya -1936), CHAL CHAL RE
NAUJAWAAN (Bandhan – 1940), NAA JAANE KIDHAR AAJ MEREE
NAAV CHALI RE (Jhoola – 1941), and his songs with Leela Chitnis in
the same movie; BOLO HAR HAR MAHADEV ALLAHO AKBAR (Chal
Chal Re Naujawan – 1941) to name just a few. Many times there
used to be different versions of the same song: one in the film by the
actor, and on the record it used to be the playback singer as
happened in the case of Ashok Kumar in Kismet when Anil Biswas
made Arun Kumar playback for him.
Some other singers who were mainly in the Forties and whose songs
were commonly heard in the Fifties were G.M.Durrani, Surendra,
Shyam Kumar, Jagmohan, Khan Mastana, Zohrabai Ambalewali,
Amirbai Karnatki, Noor Jahan, Suraiya, Raj Kumari, Shamshad
Begum, Shanta Apte, Meena Kapoor, S.D. Batish, Lalita Dewulkar,
and Surinder Kaur.
NASIR
To be continued...
Haji Mohammed Ali was the native of Kotla Sultanpur (or Kotla
Sultan Singh) near Amritsar, India. Pheeko, the youngest of his six
sons, was born on 24 December, 1924. As a seven-year child, Pheeko
used to listen to the songs and hymns of a faqir who frequented his
locality and neighbourhood. Destiny was at work here. So much
enchanted was he by those hymns, that he began to sing them and
thus showing his great musical inclination.
These music lessons and the classical music training stood him good
stead when he was asked to give his first public performance in
Lahore. The legendary K.L. Saigal had come to Lahore to sing in a
concert that was held to felicitate King George VI’s coronation in
Britain in May 1937. As is well known, there was a power outage and
K.L.Saigal refused to sing on the failed microphone. At this time,
since the audience was getting impatient, the organisers, at the
request of Rafi’s elder brother Hamid, put Rafi on the stage to
entertain the crowd till electricity was restored. Rafi had by then
stepped into his thirteenth year barely five months before. But he
was in his elements and such was his confidence that with his sweet
but powerful voice he was able to reach the far corners of the open
auditorium , regaling his listeners who were clamouring for more.
The legendary Saigal Saab was impressed by the potentials of this
young lad. According to Rafi Sahaab, it was here at the concert that
the great Saigal Saab blessed him saying,
Thus Saigal Saab has been seen by some critics as “Ruhaani Ustaad”,
or Spiritual Mentor of Mohammed Rafi. Indeed, he had passed on the
keys of the kingdom to him. Saigal Saab had his style of singing; Rafi
would evolve his own, and by November 1977alone, he would sing
some 25,000-26,000 songs.
On 28th February, 1941, Rafi was to record a Punjabi song for his
first movie, Gul Baloch, under the musical direction of Shyam Sunder
who had heard the young prodigy sing in that K.L. Saigal concert. The
Gul Baloch song, GORIYE NEE, HEERIYE NEE, TERI YAAD NE AAN
SATAYAA...was a duet which Rafi sang with Zeenat Begum who had
herself made her singing debut in a Punjabi movie, MANGTI, which
was released in 1942. So much impressed was Shyam Sunder that he
gave an invitation to young Rafi to come down to see him at Mumbai.
Most sources say that the release of Gul Baloch was delayed and it
finally came to be released on in 1944. Some unconfirmed reports
even attribute Rafi’s debut under the musical direction of Pandit
Govindram for the blockbuster Platinum-Jubilee hit, MANGTI. This
has not been corroborated by Rafi Sahaab when he was asked about
his debut song. According to him, his Mumbai debut was in 1942, in
the Nazir-Swarnlata starrer, Laila Majnu, where he did a bit role and
also sang a qawaali as part of the chorus under Pandit Govindram.
Whatever that may be, both Shyam Sunder and Pandit Govindram
utilised Rafi Sahaab around the same time. Laila Majnu was released
much later in 1945.
Otherwise, too, 1942 was an important year not only for the Indian
political Quit India Movement, but for the world at large. The sneak
attack on the Pearl Harbour in December 1941 had now drawn the
U.S. into the arena of World War II. Japan was growing stronger so
much so that it came right upto Burma which bordered India. During
the years 1930-1941 the number of Burmese films was 600 and this
number dwindled considerably. After the Japanese invasion of 1942,
half a million Indian fled on foot. Thousands died on their way to
India via Assam.
Film production was hit owing to the shortage of raw materials and
conservation. Gone were the hay-days of Bombay Talkies, Prabhat,
and New Theatres as many artistes sought their own independence.
There was a formation of independent studios such as the Filmistan,
Kardar Studios, Rajkamal Kalamandir, and Basant Pictures. Mehboob
Productions came out with the banner of a sickle and a hammer, and
the ominous lines: MUDDAI LAAKH BURAA CHAAHE TOH KYAA HOTAA
HAI, WOHEE HOTAA HAI JO MANZOOR-E-KHUDAA HOTAA HAI.
After the Japanese occupation of Burma in 1942, the year 1943 saw
a horrendous, but largely man-made, famine in Bengal where more
than 3.5 million people died. The dying destitutes, scouring for rotten
remains in trash-cans, were removed to the rural Bengal so that the
cities such as Calcutta and Dacca might look clean. Not to speak of
the massive sexual abuse of starving women and young girls by the
civilians and the military that could put even the Japanese
exploitation of the “comfort women” to shame.
Sohrab Modi of the Pukar (1939) and Sikandar (1941) fame was not
as successful in Prithvi Vallabh. A 14-year old Fatimah Rashid
(Nargis) was groomed as the heroine of Mehboob Khan’s Taqdir,
opposite hero Motilal by Sardar Akhtar. Shakuntala was another
blockbuster film of the year and the heroine Jayshree sang her own
song. Incidentally, this was the first movie of V. Shantaram’s own
studio. There are also more firsts: Ghulam Mohammed made his
debut in Mera Khwaab. Similarly, Najma was the first film of
Mehboob Khan under Mehboob Productions. Mahasati Anusuya was
the first musical venture of Avinash Vyas. Some other popular songs
of the time were by Ram Apte and Madhusudhan (Ram Rajya),
Khursheed and Saigal (Tansen), G.M. Durrani (Nai Kahani), Parul
Ghosh (Namaste), Raj Kumari (Nurse), Kanan Devi (Hospital),
Shamshad Begum (Poonji) and Suraiya (Qanoon). Manna Dey’s song
in Ram Rajya made him famous.
There in Lahore, not knowing what the future will have in store for
him, a lad had by this time transformed into a handsome but humble
youth of charming manners, and was much more mellifluous and
knowledgeable in the field of music and singing. He was Mohammed
Rafi! While still in his teens, Rafi got married to the thirteen-year old
Bashira, the sister of his brother’s wife. She vouches that Rafi used
to sing even when he was ten. By March 1943, thanks to Feroze
Nizami who was himself a competent vocalist of the Kirana Gharana,
the young Rafi began singing on the Lahore’s All India Radio which
was the fifth in the country and a home for Shamshad Begum, Zeenat
Begum, “Fateh Din” (Actor Om Prakash) and other worthies since
1937. Kaur sisters were to follow a little later. This radio station had
become a local even as far as Amritsar. According to Bashira, even at
that time Rafi was well into singing ghazals which were a craze at
that time, though she herself being a conservative Muslim it didn’t
matter to her since music was not her forte. In retrospect she
remembered that those were such happy moments for her that she
could never forget them. When Rafi was around there were no
troubles. They would just vanish! Even decades later she would say
that Rafi Sahaab never lost his temper even once with her. As for
Hamid, a good brother that he was, he knocked on every door to
ensure that work kept coming to his little brother Mohammed Rafi.
NASIR
To continue...
But the year 1944 clearly belonged to Naushad for his trend-setting
musical compositions in Rattan, starring Swarnlata and Karan
Dewan, which was directed by M. Sadiq. The songs penned by D.N.
Madhok and sung by Zohrabai Ambalewali, Amirbai Karnatki, Manju,
Karan Dewan, and Shyam Kumar, were highly popular. Just hear the
beats in MILKE BICHHAD GAYEE ANKHIYAN (Amirbai)!
The superhit duet, O JAANEWAALE BAALAMWAA
(Amirbai and Karan Dewan) is parodied in the 1965 flick Padosan
where the hero who is a non-singer finally settles down to sing this
number to win the heart of his beloved, Saira Banu. Old timers surely
remember that ANKHIYAA.N MILAA KE, JIYAA BHARMAA KE of
Zohrabai, where the beloved tries to prevent her lover from leaving.
The movie as a whole, had such an impact on young girls of
impressionable age that many of them were emboldened to elope
with their young lovers. The signs of Life imitating Art had begun for
the better or worse. No more the puritan standards of the Thirties,
not withstanding the smouldering smooch of Devika Rani and
Himansu Rai in Karma (1933)! Rattan was a box-office hit across the
nation, with everyone humming or singing its song. S.D. Burman was
to find his formula for success when he heard his servant singing a
Rattan’s number, JAB TUM HI CHALE PARDES LAGAAKAR THESS...
Though annoyed at first, he soon realised that it’s the simplicity of
the song that makes it popular. Thereafter, he would hum his tunes
to his servants and obtain their feedback. This struggler was thus
able to obtain a firm foothold in Mumbai thereafter with a thundering
success for decades to come.
In April that year, two heavy explosions occurred, one after the
other, when a ship carrying inflammable material, such as cotton,
TNT and gold bullions caught fire. The explosions rocked the Victoria
Harbour of the Bombay Docks, killing 800 people and scattering the
debris around. Since World War II was ongoing, people thought it
was the work of sabotage or that Japan had bombarded Mumbai. But
the explosions were accidental around which many tales have been
woven. Many firemen who rushed to the scene after the first
explosion had pay with their lives when the second explosion took
place after some time. Eye-witnesses tell us that the impact was
such that those who were on the scene of incident had their heads
severed by the impact. Eye witnesses who came later even chanced
to see the bodies of headless firemen running around in the line of
duty. Owing to the explosions, many other ships were destroyed.
Gold bullions from the ship flew all around, either sinking in the
waters or falling in the homes of the nearby residents. A 28-lb gold
bullion was found a mile away from the accident site.
The above incident fanned the fear that the Japanese would be
coming to the Mumbai shore. The Japanese did not come but the fear
resulted in a mass exodus of people from Mumbai. Ghulam Haider’s
musicians too made their exits to Lahore and no amount of coaxing,
salary advance or double-salary, and secured shelter could hold them
back. This incident also had an impact on Naushad Saab, so two
decades later he explored it as the theme for his 1967 movie, Palki,
where the hero is given up for dead in the explosions. In passing, it
may be mentioned here that the incident was predicted three days in
advance by a naked faqir known as Nange Shah Baba. This faqir who
had never spoken before, suddenly began shouting, “Bhaago
Bhaago” as a warning to the residents around. The faqir lies buried
in the Chhota Sonapur Qabrastan of Mumbai.
Gul Baloch the Punjabi movie, which had featured the first filmy song
of Rafi with Zeenat Begum was released in 1944. Now with the bulk
of musical talent having shifted to Mumbai, it was time for
Mohammed Rafi too to follow suit. When Mohammed Rafi migrated to
Mumbai sometime in July 1944, little did he himself realize that his
immigration from Lahore to Mumbai was to catapult him in future as
not only the best playback singer of the sub-continent but also the
most revered one.
NASIR
To continue...
One of the prestigious train services in India was the Frontier Mail
that even had air-conditioned coaches. This train used to run
between Peshwar and Colaba Terminus. Lahore was one of the halts
in between. In 1944, while Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was using it
for escaping to Peshwar and then Afghanistan, Mohammed Rafi and
Hameed boarded the III Class compartment of the train, to a tearful
send-off by relatives, friends and well-wishers.
The era still belonged to actor-singers. For a person who wanted just
the job of playback singing, the time was still not ripe. Rafi had to
face a bitter struggle to make ends meet in the beginning of his
career. It is said that Rafi would walk from Bhendi Bazaar up to
Dadar, the centre of filmy activities then. Since non-Mumbaikars
would have no idea of this distance I would like to take the initiative
of providing an idea of this pretty long stretch. Dadar was then the
hub of the film personalities. Mahim was considered a suburb. In
order to reach Dadar on foot from Bhendi Bazaar one has to first
reach the junction of the J.J. Hospital, (15 minutes), from there
walking straight ahead, passing the Richardson and Cruddas, the
Jewish synagogue, Hume High School, and The Traffic Institute, one
would reach Khada Parsi which falls in Byculla (20 minutes). Again,
going straight from the Khada Parsi one would reach the Byculla
Market, Anthony D’Souza High School, Palace Cinema, Byculla
Railway Station, Rani Baagh or the zoo that was known as the
Victoria Gardens (another 20 minutes or so). Then further, we need
to reach Lal Baugh area by passing the Jaihind Talkies, (say 15
minutes); going from Lal Baugh to Parel would take another 20
minutes. Then from Parel we need to pass the Surya Talkies (wonder
if it’s still there), then further towards the Hind Mata Talkies, then
Chitra Cinema and the Kohinoor Mills and finally Dadar in maybe 25
minutes. So that’s about two hours walking distance at a fast pace. A
bagful of ‘Chana’ (grams) kept him and his brother Hamid, company.
Such were the days of struggle for Rafi Sahaab. The other probable
alternative must have been the electric-tram which was the cheapest
form of conveyance. From the Sassoon Dock which was to the
extreme south even further down than Colaba, the tram fare upto
Dadar was just One and a Half Anna (9 paise). From Bhendi Bazaar to
Dadar, it must have been One Anna (6 paise) at the most. In fact,
even as late as 1964 when last of the trams were removed from
Mumbai, the fare between Museum (the Regal Cinema) and King
Circle which is still further than Dadar, was just 6 paise.
In order to make the ends meet, Rafi also used to sing in the ‘Mehfils’
usually of the Punjabi fraternity. According to an account by Syed
Abid Ali, after Rafi’s arrival in Mumbai, he performed in his sprawling
bungalow on the occasion of the sister of Syed Abid Ali. Roshan Ara
Begum had shifted from Calcutta to Mumbai in the late ‘Thirties. She
came to be known as “Bombaywaali” Roshan Ara Begum (1917-
1982). She used to live with her police-inspector husband in one part
of the Bungalow. Hearing the young Rafi sing, she was duly
captivated. She predicted:
“The man with the golden voice was destined to go far in life.”
Tanvir Naqvi, the poet and lyrics writer, (who after migration to
Pakistan married the elder sister of NoorJahan) also introduced the
young Rafi to Producer-Director Mehboob Khan, Actor-Director
Nazeer, and Producer-Director Abdul Rasheed Kardar who had made
the first silent movie in Lahore and was to produce and direct many
more movies in India. For his film, Pehle Aap, A.R. Kardar had signed
Naushad Ali as the music director. Naushad used the young Rafi for
what has been sometimes termed as the first Hindi/Urdu song of Rafi
Sahaab in this 1944 flick. The song was HINDUSTAA.N KE HAMM
HAIN/HINDUSTAA.N HAMAARA/ HINDU-MUSLIM DONO.N KI
AANKHO.N KA TAARA, accompanied by Alluaddin, Shaam Kumar and
chorus. Since this was a marching song, Naushad had a pair of shoes
bought from Mumbai’s infamous Chor Bazaar for Rafi who was to
sing the song while marching with the boots on at the microphone
itself. Two more songs followed: EK BAAR UNSE MILAA DE, and TUM
DILLI MAI.N AAGRE MERE DIL SE NIKLE HAAY. All the three songs
were penned by multi-facet personality, Dinanath Madhok. Shaam
Kumar was the co-singer in these songs.
Music Director Shyam Sunder who had given Rafi his first break in
Punjabi film, Gul Baloch, and promised to record more songs once
Rafi came down to Mumbai, made good his promise. Shyam Sunder
recorded Rafi’s songs for the Noor Jahan starrer, Gaon Ki Gori
(Village Belle). These were the duets with G.M. Durrani: AJI DIL HO
QAABOO ME.N, and MAI.N KHETO.N KA PANCHHEE. Noor Jahan had
four songs, including BAITHEE HOON TERE YAAD KA, in this movie.
According to Rafi Sahaab, his songs in Gaon Ki Gori were his first
Hindi songs. However, since the serial number on the records of his
Pehle Aap songs precedes the serial number on the records of his
Gaon Ki Gori songs, Naushad technically steals a march over Shyam
Sunder for the credit of introducing Mohammed Rafi to Hindi films.
World War II was over in 1945, leaving over 60-million dead. There
was an emergence of a new world order as U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R
rose as the world powers, with U.K. relegated to the background,
with heavy losses and wartime debts. United Nations Organisation
was established and the League of Nations was history. These events
accelerated the freedom struggle in India that eventually led to the
Independence in 1947. The Indian film industry was still suffering
from wartime restrictions and shortages.
Here in the film circle, in the meantime, word was out that there was
a young Punjabi singer who had immense singing potential and
whose enormous talent did not betray his youth. Under Pandit
Govindram, Rafi Sahaab sang in Vijay Bhatt’s Hamara Sansar AY DIL-
E-NAKAAM TAMANNA, said to be his first solo, and along with
Zohrabai and Shamshad Begum, CHHOTI SI EK BANAAYENGE
NAIYAA. Again for the Pandit, Rafi Sahaab sang a Qawwali, TERA
JALWA JISNE DEKHA WOH DEEWAANA HO GAYA along with S.D.
Batish and chorus; and another one with S.D. Batish: SAKHEE KEE
KHAIR, MAI-BAAP KI KHAIR in Laila Majnu (1945) where he also had
an acting stint. Of course, his name was not mentioned in the credit.
The same year, Rafi rendered a duet with Zohrabai in Kulkalank:
TOPIWAALE BABU NE DIL CHHEENA RE for A.R. Qureshi; and a duet
with Mohantara Talpade in Begum: DIL DIYE CHALE DIL LIYE CHALE
under the musical direction of Hari Prasanna Das.
Some of the other music directors who utilised Rafi Sahaab in 1945
were Hafiz Khan for whom he soulfully rendered HAAY RE DUNIYA in
Zeenat. Speaking of Zeenat, this movie created a coup of sorts, with
Noor Jahan, Zohrabai, Kalyani singing AAHEN NAA BHAREEN SHIKWE
NAA KIYE with chorus. This was said to be the first kind of zenana
Qawwali in a movie. This Qawwali was always the hot favourite of
Radio Ceylon which I distinctly remember hearing it often on the
radio a decade later.
Mukesh who had earlier did not make it as a hero in his maiden
venture, Nirdosh '41, made himself known by his Pehli Nazar song,
DIL JALTA HAI TOH JALNE DE which he sang in a K.L. Saigal style for
the screen hero, Motilal. Talat Mehmood, who was known as Tapan
Kumar in Bengal and was already an established ghazal singer,
recorded his first Hindi film song in Raj Lakshmi in which he also had
the acting assignment. Madhubala, too, sang two songs in Dhanna
Bhagat with Brijlal under Khemchand Prakash. Noor Jahan, besides
acting in films, continued her spree of being a top playback singer.
Her DIYA JALAAKAR AAP BUJHAAYE in Badi Maa was a hit; while the
Khursheed-Mukesh duet, BADARIYA BARAS GAYEE USS PAAR from
Moorti was a super-hit number. Jagmohan’s Meghdoot number, O
VARSHA KE PEHLE BAADAL proved to be popular. Ghulam Haider and
Mehboob Khan came together for the first time in Humayun '45 but
the former charm of Ghulam Haider was missing here.
NASIR
To continue....
On the positive note, the Hindi film production which had dropped to
74 in 1945, shot up to 156 in 1946.
It was in 1946 that Geeta Roy made her debut in Bhakta Prahlad
under Hanuman Prasad and later became famous with Do Bhai
(1947) under S.D. Burman who had made his Hindi musical debut
with Shikari in 1946. Geeta Roy had the looks more of a film heroine
than that of a playback singer. Chetan Anand's Neecha Nagar is
exhibited at the Cannes Film Festival. Meena Kumar bagged her first
role as an adult person after a score of baby roles. Kishore Kumar
made his first appearance as an actor in Shikari. Meena Kapoor made
her debut in Eight Days which had music by S.D. Burman. Music
Director Sudhir Phadke, too, made his appearance in his first Hindi
movie, Gokul. Chitragupt came out as an independent music director
in Lady Robinhood. Ram Ganguli, an assistant of R.C. Boral, made his
musical debut with Maharana Pratap. Hansraj Behl too came into his
own after assisting Khemchand Prakash, Rashid Atre, and Pandit
Gobindram. He made his musical debut in Pujari in which Baby
Madhubala had a song to sing. Lata Mangeshkar appeared in Jeevan
Yatra and also sang a solo under the baton of Vasant Desai. As far as
actors were concerned, Dev Anand, Rehman, and Rehana made their
debut appearances in Hum Ek Hain which was directed by the
debutant P.L. Santoshi. Abhi Bhattacharya acted in a Hindi film for
the first time. This movie was Milan which starred Dilip Kumar.
Neecha Nagar lauched the careers of Chetan Anand, Kamini Kaushal
and others. Dharti Ke Lal, directed by Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, won
critical acclaim at home and abroad. K.L. Saigal’s Umar Khayam was
released. This was his second film with Suraiya. His third film with
Suraiya, Parwana(1947) would be his last.
This great singer has always been a frank admirer of Rafi Sahaab as
many of his interviews show.
First it was K.L. Saigal, and now here was another great singer, K.C.
Dey of MANN KEE ANKHEN KHOL BABA (Dhoop Chhaon) fame who,
on the strength of his inner eye, put a stamp of approval on the
tremendous potentials of Rafi Sahaab! Many years later, the
illustrious S.D. Burman, who was a chela of K.C. Dey, would use the
same ploy with Manna Dey and pass on the song to Rafi Sahaab.
NASIR
To continue...
While we are still in 1946, Noor Jahan was singing a beautiful song
penned by Anjum Pilibhiti and composed by Hafiz Khan in Hamjoli
starring herself, Jairaj and Agha among others. The song was: YEH
DESH, YEH DESH HAMAARA PYAARA HINDUSTAN JAHAA.N SE
NYAARAA/HINDUSTAAN KE HAMM HAIN PYAARE, HINDUSTAAN
HAMAARA PYAARA. This song draws our attention to the anticipated
independence from the British Raj.
It was in 1946 that Rafi’s Sahaab’s name appeared for the first time
in the credits of Arab Ka Sitaara which was Cuckoo’s debut film.
ROSHAN SA IK SITAARA was a duet he sang with Amirbai Karnataki.
Some of the other movies of 1946 for which Rafi Sahaab sang are:
Amar Raj:
Mera Geet:
Rasili:
Rafi Sahaab sang two duets with Shamshad Begum: YEH NAYAN
KYOO.N SHARMA GAYE, and DIL MUJHKO JALAATAA HAI. Hanuman
Prasad was the music director.
Rang Bhoomi:
The music was rendered by Premnath. The songs of Rafi Sahaab are:
SOOYE MANZIL BADHAAYE CHALAA CHAL KOEE along with chorus;
then three duets with Shamshad Begum: AAG LAGEE TANN MANN
DHANN; JO AAGE BA.DHE USSE; and KHUD SAMAJH LO KE ILTIJAA
KYAA.
Sona Chandi:
Tufail Farooqi was the music director. Rafi Sahaab had two solos and
two duets as follows: ABKE BHAGWAAN DAYAA KARENGE and
DAATAA JI TERE BHED NAA PAAYAA; one duet with Shamshad
Begum: BAITHE HAI.N TERE DAR PE; the other duet with Ameerbai:
MANN KI SOONEE NAGARIYAA.
Rupa:
Music was by Gobind Ram. Rafi Sahaab sang two duets with
Shamshad Begum: WATAN KEE AMAANAT MEREE ZINDAGEE HAI with
chorus; and BALA JAWANVAA SAMBHAALAA NAA JAAYE.
Safar:
Some of the following 1946 movies have a song each of Rafi Sahaab:
Sassi Punnu:
AASHIQ KA KAAFLAA along with G.M. Durrani and chorus. Music was
by Gobind Ram.
Room No.9:
Insaaf:
Hari Prasanna Das was the music director. Rafi Sahaab sang a duet
with Hameeda Bano: ROOKHEE SOOKHEE MAI.N KHAA LOONGEE.
Mansarovar:
S.N. Tripathi composed the music for this movie. Rafi sang Yeh Hind
Ki Kahaaniyan with Geeta Roy and Binapani.
Noor Jahan and Mehboob Khan had come together for the first time –
and the last time in Anmol Ghadi which was Noor Jahan’s greatest
hit. As for the songs of Anmol Ghadi, Noor Jahan’s JAWAA.N HAI
MOHABBAT, AAJAA AAJAA MEREE, MERE BACHPAN KE SAATHI and
KYA MIL GAYA BHAGWAAN, and the duet AAWAAZ DE were super-
hits overshadowing the good songs of Shamshad Begum and Suraiya.
Noor Jahan at just 20 was at her career-best. Suraiya played the
second lead to her.
Two years had elapsed since Pehle Aap (1944) when Naushad had
given the young Rafi an opportunity to sing a couple of duets. For the
first time, Naushad Ali gave a solo number to Rafi in Anmol Ghadi
(1946): TERA KHILONA TOOTA BAALAK, which was playbacked for an
unknown character of a toy-seller, since the movie had Mehboob’s
favourite singer-hero, Surendra. After this, the team of Mehboob
Khan and Naushad worked in a number of blockbuster movies.
Shah Jahan had the best of K.L. Saigal numbers. Naushad was the
first to record songs and the music on different tracks and then
mixing them together and he also did this in Shah Jahan. Shah Jahan
had excellent songs of K.L. Saigal such as GHAM DIYE MUSTAQIL
KITNAA NAAZUK HAI DIL, CHAAH BARBAAD KAREGEE HAMEN
MAALOOM NAA THAAH, and JAB DIL HEE TOOT GAYAA. The lyrics of
all the ten songs were credited to the debutant Majrooh Sultanpuri,
the young chela of Jigar Moradabadi. However, according to the
article in “Gaata Rahe Mera Dil,” the songs BEDARD NA KAR; CHAAH
BARBAAD KAREGEE HAMEN; AY DIL BEQARAAR JHOOM were written
by Khumar Barabankavi.
Thus Rafi Sahaab also has the distinction of not only being blessed
by K.L. Saigal but also singing a song with him – the distinction
denied to self-proclaimed fans such as Mukesh, Manna Dey, Kishore
Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Talat Mehmood, and
Shamshad Begum who were already a sensation by mid-Forties. All
of them and also Geeta Dutt, would be dominating the Indian
playback scene along with Rafi Sahaab in the decades to come.
NASIR
To continue...
PART 7: MOHAMMED RAFI & THE NINETEEN FORTIES.
A Humble Tribute to the Greatest Playback Singer of all times – by
Nasir.
The year 1947 was a very eventful year. Politically, India got
independence from the British Raj and a new country of East and
West Pakistan also came into existence.
The why’s and wherefore’s of the Partition have never been openly
discussed, or if discussed they, just as some other historical facts,
have been glossed over or distorted in various books. The latest
exposure comes from Jaswant Singh’s book, Jinnah: India- Partition,
Independence which was initially banned in the Indian state of
Gujarat, and for which Jaswant Singh has been thrown out by his
own party, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) like a fly in the ointment
for glorification of Jinnah and holding Pandit Nehru and Sardar
Vallabh Patel responsible for the Partition of India. According to
journalist Khushwant Singh, the leaders were not to blame, but the
circumstances that had evolved over the centuries. Let’s leave this
matter to the political analysts, intellectuals and historians, and
come back to our subject and see what the film industry lost and
gained as the result of the partition.
With most of the actors having given up singing too about the mid-
Forties, playback singing was a new industry and those who came in
at that stage. Most of them were heavily influenced by the Saigal
style of singing. Mukesh and Kishore Kumar too were smitten by K.L.
Saigal for that matter, and in fact earlier in 1945 Mukesh sang DIL
JALTA TOH JALNE DE in a typical K.L. Saigal style in Pehli Nazar.
Kishore Kumar, initially sang in the traditional style of Saigal Saab.
C.H. Atma too carried this tradition all his life. Surendra in Bombay
remained a poor man’s Saigal. Even Bulo C. Rani who later stuck to
musical direction had initially commenced singing in the style of K.L.
Saigal. Naushad, who had teamed up with Saigal in Kedar’s
masterpiece Shahjehan gave the last of great musical hits that kept
the memory K.L. Saigal alive.The contemporaries and the gen-next
were crazy after K.L. Saigal. A classic example is that of Lata
Mangeshkar who in her early years had a crush on him and wanted
to marry him but was advised to the contrary by her father, Dinanath
Mangeshkar. Shamshad Begum watched Saigal’s Devdas over and
over again. Suraiya, too, was thrilled by K.L. Saigal when he directed
the director of movie, where Suraiya was singing, to cast her
opposite him in Tadbir (1945) after which they did two more movies.
Talat Mehmood was an ardent fan of Saigal, and used to croon his
songs in family gatherings in early stages of his life.
Mohammed Rafi, too, in his early years wanted to sing along with
K.L. Saigal even if it meant singing in a chorus and he did sing in the
chorus of the famous Ruhee song as we have already noted. After
more than a decade later, Rafi Sahaab would be singing: MARR KE
AMAR HAI SAIGAL JISKA HAR KOEE DEEWAANA HAI in the TEEN-
KANASTAR song from a 1958 film, Love Marriage. It is no wonder,
therefore, that for many years after Saigal’s demise, Radio Ceylon
used to play a 78 rpm record of his songs every day at 7:57 a.m. It is
against this background that emergence of Mohammad Rafi has to be
seen to be fully appreciated.
The others who migrated were Actress Swaran Lata and her actor-
director husband Nazir, producer-director W.Z. Ahmad, and Khwaja
Khursheed Anwar who had last composed the music for K.L. Saigal-
Suraiya starrer, Parwana. Khursheed Bano of Tansen fame migrated
later. Composer Master Ghulam Haider went to Pakistan in 1950
after doing some more films, including Kaneez (1949), in India. Film
star Rehana who had the best phase of her career in India from
1948-51, migrated later in 1956 after completing her last films here.
Meena Shorey, the Lara Lappa girl, migrated to Pakistan in 1956 for
good and died in penury. Tanvir Naqvi also went back to his original
place, Lahore, after a few years of partition. Shaikh Mukhtar
migrated to Pakistan in the Sixties saddened by the fact that his
magnum opus, Noor Jahan, flopped miserably after its premier at the
Naaz Cinema, Bombay. This movie, however, did roaring business in
Pakistan. There is a very mellifluous number of Rafi Sahaab in Noor
Jahan: VOH MUHABBAT VOH WAFAAYEN... Composer Nisar Bazmi
(Khoj fame) too migrated in June 1962, since his talent was not duly
recognised despite his struggle for 15 long years in Bombay. Khoj
has been rendered immortal by Rafi Sahaab’s moving song:
CHANDAA KA DIL TOOT GAYAA HAI. Some other names are Nashad
and Faiyaz Hashimi (Bara Dari fame) Iqbal Bano, and Fateh Ali Khan.
There were a host of classical singers and musicians who went to
Pakistan.
If Bombay lost lots of filmy talents to Lahore, it gained many in
return. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan also went to his native place
Kasur in Pakistan, but he came back to India and acquired the Indian
citizenship in 1957. He had said: “If in every home one child was
taught the Hindustani Classical Music, this country would never have
been parititioned.“
NASIR
To continue...
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2009
Jugnu:
Aage Badho:
Sudhir Phadke had given the music for this Dev Anand-Khursheed
starrer. The only song that Rafi Sahaab sang with Khursheed before
her departure to Pakistan was SAAWAN KI GHATAAO DHEERE
DHEERE AANA where Khursheed has late entry in this song.
Do Bhai:
Rafi Sahaab had the outstanding song: DUNIYA ME.N MEREE AAJ
ANDHERAA HI ANDHERAA. This song of lament was also a pointer in
the direction that despite his youth, the young Rafi had ample
maturity to empathise very well with the afflicted character of the
film. It was S.D. Burman who provided music for Do Bhai. Two songs
written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan: MERA SUNDER SAPNA BEET GAYAA,
and IK DIN HAMKO YAAD KAROGE among her other songs, made
Geeta Roy very famous.
Rafi had one solo number, MEREE ANKHON KE TAARE, plus a duet
with Mohantara, MAIN TEREE TUU MERAA. Rafi had another duet
also, DESH ME.N SANKAT AAYA HAI. This was with G.M. Sajan.
Datta Devjekar was the music director who had begun his career
with Marathi films. In this movie, he introduced Lata Mangeshkar to
Hindi films who sang her first three songs in Hindi. Her debut song
was SHAM MOSE NAA KHELO HOREE which was written by Mahipal –
yes Mahipal who was later to become the hero of many
swashbuckling and mythological movies.
Shadi Se Pehle:
Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar sang their first duet together:
CHALO HO GAYEE TAYYAAR, ZARAA TEHRO JEE... This number is
really one of its kind and a hilarious one. There was also a Rafi’s solo,
probably his first ‘Bidaai’ song: CHALI SAJAN GHAR JAAYE AAJ
DULHANIYA KES SA.NWAARE KESAR BINDIYAA KAAJAR DAARE... An
interesting song this is, with ‘taan’ ‘alaaps’ and even a different type
of high pitch lines. Music is said to be by C. Ramchandra. The
composition type, however, seems to me to be a mixture of Pankaj
Mullick and S.D. Burman styles. Lyrics were by Pandit Mukhram
Sharma.
Sajan:
Some of the other 1947 movies in which Rafi Sahaab sang were:
Besides Jugnu, Samaj Ko Badal Dalo was another film in 1947 where
Rafi had done some acting stint. Some of the other movies that did
brisk business were Mirza Sahiban, Shehnai, Elan, Saajan, Neel
Kamal and Dard. Shehnai is especially remembered for that western
number composed by C. Ramchandra: AANA MEREE JAAN SUNDAY KE
SUNDAY sung by Meena Kapoor and C.Ramchandra as Chitalkar, and
the same song again with Shamshad Begum. Amirbai’s MAARI
KATAARI MAR JAANA is simply unforgettable. The year also saw
Rajinder Krishan writing his first song, GOREE GHUNGHAT KE PATT
KHOL for the movie, Janta, which had music by Harishchandra Bali.
Raj Kapoor sang his own song in Jail Yatra, PIYA MILNE NAVELEE
JAAYE RE. Even in Dil Ki Raani he sings a song, O DUNYAA KE REHNE
WAALON. Then, In Piya Ghar Aajaa, Meena Kumari sang 2 duets with
Karan Dewan and six 6 solos under the musical direction of Bulo C.
Rani. Actor Manhar Desai made his Hindi film debut in Toofaani
Sawaar. Next, Mirabai had all the 13 songs sung by Sitara of Kanpur
(not the Kathak dancer Sitara Devi) where the music was provided
by S.K. Pal. In Mira, M.S. Subbulakshmi played the role and sang 15
of the 18 songs in the movie. Manna Dey sang the devotional
numbers in Geet Govind.
The year also saw the emergence of a music director and excellent
trumpeteer who would have been easily forgotten if it were not for
his four sons who became music directors in the Bombay film
industry in the next generation. Pyarelal of the Laxmikant-Pyarelal
was one such son. His father, Pandit Ram Prasad Sharma, gave music
for 7 movies, beginning with Nayee Baat and including Shakti (1948)
and Magic Carpet (1964) – the same year that Dosti made the nation
crazy with Rafi Sahaab’s immortal songs CHAAHUNGAA MAIN TUJHE
SAANJH SAVERE and other songs under the musical direction of his
son Pyarelal along with Laxmikant.
In 1947 A.R. Kardar released his Dard which is notable for the
singing debut of Uma Devi under Naushad’s baton. The song was
AFSAANA LIKH RAHEE HOON DIL-E-BEQARAAR KAA, and this song
alone made her very famous. Another of her songs was AAJ MACHEE
HAI DHOOM. It’s a pity that such a fine singer was reduced to
playing comic roles, such as the one in Babul (1950) where she was
christened as Tun Tun by Naushad. But even in this new avatar she
excelled herself. I remember her children attending the same school
as me in Cadell Road, Mahim, Bombay. Old timers inform me that
Shamshad Begum’s song HAMM DARD KA AFSAANA almost got Dard
banned, as the British Government thought that it incited a section of
the Indian citizens against the British governance which was still in
place – though there were no such thing in that song, unless they
considered the line ROTE HUWE NAGHMON SE TOOFAN UTHAA
DENGE.... or the lines:
Haay! Those were the fiery lines of Shakeel Badayuni who had just
made his debut with this film and who would go on to write lyrics for
some 89 movies, mostly with Naushad and Ravi and to some extent,
Hemant Kumar.
NASIR
To continue...
The year 1948 was a shocker. India and Pakistan were at war, their
first one, over Kashmir. In 1948, the State of Israel was carved out
of the Palestine State, thus driving out the Palestinians Arabs and
rendering lakhs of them homeless. On 30th January 1948 Mahatma
Gandhi was assassinated in a well pre-planned murder by Nathuram
Godse. No one was ready for such a rot that had set in right at the
dawn of India’s freedom. While the fascists organisations in India
celebrated this tragic event, the entire world was weeping. The
Indian film industry’s reaction was no exception to the Gandhian
tragedy.
Mohammed Rafi in the Nineteen Forties was not actually the voice of
Dilip Kumar. Mukesh and Talat Mehmood were preferably used to
playback for the tragedy king. Anil Biswas used Mukesh in Anokha
Pyaar. Naushad used Mukesh in Mela and later in Andaz (1949) to
playback for Dilip Kumar. Mela had Rafi’s YEH ZINDAGI KE MELA but
it was filmed on an unknown character, while Ghar ki Izzat had a
background song WAH RE ZAMAANE composed by Pandit Govindram.
Only C. Ramchandra had a Rafi-Lalita Dewulkar duet, MORRE RAAJA
HO LE CHAL NADIYA KE PAAR, which was filmed on the leading pair
Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal. Ghulam Haider’s WATAN KI RAAH
MEIN WATAN KE NAUJAWAA.N SHAHEED HO had the Rafi and Khan
Mastana duet number along with the chorus in the fast-paced song
filmed on Dilip Kumar and another artiste. The same version has only
Rafi but again it is played in the background when the dead body of
the martyr Ram (Dilip Kumar) is borne to the cremation ground by a
crowd of thousands. When Rafi says: HAI KAUN KHUSHNASEEB
MAA...in that song, we can feel the lump in our throat.
No singer had such an emotional impact before. Happily, there was a
promise in this song that Rafi Sahaab would be excelling in the genre
of patriotic songs too – the promise that would be more than fulfilled
the same year as we have seen and in the years to come, as we all
know.
On the aside, it is a cruel irony of fate that Khan Mastana who has
also provided music for some films under a different name and was
also a singer of repute, would die decades later on the streets of
Mumbai, begging near the Mahim Dargah. I learn that the same fate
awaits his son too near the said Dargah. Some of his beautiful songs
are PANGAT PE EK CHHABEELEE in Main Hari (1940), ZINDAGI HAI
PYAAR SE with chorus and two others in Sikandar (1941), a duet
with Parul Ghosh, KANTE LAAGE RE SAJANWA MOSE RAAH CHALI NA
JAAYE in Basant (1942), HAMM APNE DARD KA QISSAA SUNAAYE
JAATE HAIN in Muqabla (1942) and even as late as 1959 in Nek
Parveen: MAULA KI REHMAT SE HOGI HAR MUSHKIL AASAAN.
My deceased father, may Allah grant him the Jannatul Firdaus,
Actress:
lyrics.
Adalat:
HO GAYEE RAAT.
Shehnaz:
MOHABBAT MEIN KHUDAAYA AYSE GUZRE ZINDAGI APNI, and
duets with Amirbai Karnataki who was also the music director
KHELOON. These two songs and the 2nd solo were written by
CHAL and the first solo penned by Devbandi. Fiza Kausari wrote
Lal Dupatta:
JAMNA KE TEER and ARREE O ALBELI NAAR. The first one was
Begum. The last song was written by Dhumi Khan and the
Amar Prem:
Rafi had two duets here. One was with Raj Kumari: AAO CHALE
MANVAA MORE DUUR and the other was with Rekha Rani:
YAMUNAA KE TAT. Music was by Datta Thakar and the lyrics
Khidki:
was also a singer. Rafi sang with him and Shamshad Begum in
MANAAYEN KYOON had Rafi sing along with him again and with
Santoshi.
Chunariya:
TERI GALI MEIN, placed the music director Hansraj Behl among
the top class music directors of the day. This movie saw Asha
Satyanarayan:
Rafi had three duets with Beena Pani: KYAA YAAD HAI TUMKO;
Kajal:
Rang Mahal:
composed by K. Dutta.
Vyas.
and Nigar Sultan. There was only one song here for Rafi and
Not just Feroze Nizami and Shyam Sunder were smitten by the
Rafi was their favourite singer along with Lata and Suraiya.
with four songs in a row. Pyar ki Jeet (1948) put them in fore-
wrote so many other songs for the duo. It was initially written
did their best to make this composition a hit, and the pathos in
Bhagatram would utilize Rafi more and more and churn out hit
songs in 1949.
NASIR
To continue...
Of course, that slap was not out of spite but was a token from a
teacher who wanted the best for his student. Those were different
times. JO APNAA HOTAA HAI USEE PAR HAMM HAQ JATAATE HAIN.
Wasn’t he the one who had discovered her in a running train while
she was singing something in a shrill but sweet voice? Did he not call
her to the recording studio for an audition? It was Ghulam Haider
who told her to pay attention to the lyrics and enunciation of the
words. He also told her to keep in mind the film characters who were
to mime her song. So she followed those instructions to the T,
besides using the nuances and variations while singing. The song,
DIL MERA TODAA was recorded in 1947 for Majboor which was
released in 1948. This song in fact launched her career. She also
sang for Ghulam Haider in Aabshaar in 1948. Ghulam Haider even
introduced her to other musicians such as Anil Biswas, Khemchand
Prakash, and Sajjad Hussain. As Lata Mangeshkar stated in an
interview in Mumbai Mirror of the Times of India of 28th September
2009:
Surinder Kaur had replaced her in Shaheed, and her song BADNAAM
NAA HO JAAYE proved very popular. It seems that a duet of Lata-
Madan Mohan Kohli was recorded but ultimately dropped from the
movie. It was at this time that she met Madan Mohan – "Madan
Bhaiyya".
Geeta Roy (or Geeta Dutt after marriage with Guru Dutt) was
another female singer who stood against the Lata Wave. We have
seen that she began her singing career in 1946. In the Forties-Fifties
she worked with almost all the worthy music directors including
Hanumant Prasad, Pankaj Mullick, Shyam Sunder, Anil Biswas, S.D.
Burman, Ghulam Haider, Bulo C.Rani, Gyan Dutt, Vasant Desai, S.N.
Tripathi, Arun Mukherjee, C. Ramchandra, Avinash Vyas, Sajjad
Hussain, Naushad, Husnlal-Bhagatram, O.P. Nayyar and others. Asha
Bhonsle was inspired by her style in her early career. Her voice was
so soothing that it could induce sleep and was best suited for
Bhajans (e.g. Ghungat Ke Patt Khol Re in Jogan 1950, and Torah
Manwa Kyoon Ghabraaye in Sadhna, 1958) , lullabies and the tragic
songs. But she could easily swing to Rock 'N' Roll songs, the
romantic songs and the pub-songs with ease if the music director
demanded. The most astonishing fact about Geeta Dutt and Guru
Dutt is that their songs would sum up the tragedy of their life. She
sang MERA SUNDER SAPNA BEET GAYA (1947) and WAQT NE KIYA
KYA HASEEN SITAM (1959 Kaaghaz ke Phool). While the very next
year Guru Dutt was to lip-synch Rafi Sahaab’s song: MILI KHAAK
MEIN MOHABBAT JALAA DIL KA AASHIYAANA (1960 – Chaudhvin ka
Chand). It was for Meena Kapoor to pay her a tribute at the Mortal
Men, Immortal Melodies concert at Bombay in 1982. In addition to
her own songs and the ones she sang with other playback singers,
Geeta Dutt has a total of no less than 162 hit songs with Mohammed
Rafi, being the highest number of her duets with any singer.
As for Suraiya, both acting and singing were just accidental for she
never aspired to be either an actor or a singer. When she was 13, she
was discovered by Naushad who got her to sing for Mehtab (future
Mrs. Sohrab Modi) in Sharda as we’ve noted before. She became a
very popular film-star who also sang her songs, thus having an edge
over Nargis and Kamini Kaushal. The flip side was that popularity of
her songs was bracketed with her being the heroine of her movies
and that could not go on forever. Her peak period was 1948-1949. By
1963, she appeared for the last time in Rustom Sohrab playing the
role of Premnath’s mother and often collapsing during the shoot. YEH
KAISEE AJAB DAASTAA.N HO GAYEE HAI under the baton of Sajjad
Hussain was her swan song. But Suraiya always acknowledged that
Lata had achieved greatness whereas the greatness had been thrust
on her. As for Noor Jahan, Suraiya stated that she was born great.
But more about her later.
Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar had met during their days of
struggle in the Bombay’s film industry. To use her own words,
“HAMNE BHEE KAAFI PAAPA.D BELE HAI.N.” She would walk from
her home in Nana Chowk to the Grant Railway Station to go to Malad
and from there instead of using a Victoria, she would walk upto the
recording studios to save some money which would enable her to
buy vegetables at home.
There are stories of how Rafi and Lata used to be given intensive
musical training by Husnlal. It appears that Husnlal used to call Rafi
at his residence at 4 a.m.. Rafi was supposed to carry his ‘Tanpura’
as well. There Husnlal would give him the ‘Alaap’ of the Raga that
was to be used for the song. Rafi would practice this ‘Alaap’ for
several hours after which he would be given the composed tune to
sing. Even Lata was given such a regimen, only, in her case she used
to be called to the recording studio. However, Husnlal’s late-night
arrivals at home was not liked by his wife, and this generated a
continual domestic tension between him and his wife. As years
passed by, Pandit Husnlal began to maintain his distance from Lata
Mangeshkar. After ten years they came to the point when they could
no longer work together.
The ‘Forties were the days of their camaraderie, and Rafi and Hamid
would often visit her home at Nana Chowk from their nearby Bhendi
Bazaar home, have meals and chat all day long. Even during the late
Forties, Rafi would visit Lata during the Ganpati Festival. She
remembers that once he even sang at her house, and during one
such visit of Mohammed Rafi, she had gifted a gold button to Rafi.
Later in life when they could hardly meet each other, Rafi remained
very close to her younger brother, Hridyanath Mangeshkar.
While singing the duets with Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar
took extra care, for in him she found a formidable singer who
songs. So she too would try to add some nuances to the songs
that she sang with him. Sometimes she would face difficulties.
Such instances, though rare as they were, did happen not only
in the Forties but also in the Fifties which she has herself
range of the song made her ears turn red and whether they
were testing her. That was the Arzoo song: AJEE ROOTHKAR
NASIR
To continue...
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2009
It was also the time when the likes of Dilip Kumar, Anil Biswas, Lata
Mangshkar and others, before they became legends in their own
right, used to travel by trains to Malad for their work in the film
studios such as the Bombay Talkies or at the Filmistan which is
actually located at Goregaon in Mumbai. Some used to go round
plying second-hand motor-bikes. Some preferred to just walk in
order to save money for the meals. Some, such as Naushad, used to
sleep on the foot-path so that they need not walk many miles to the
place of their work. Mohammed Rafi, too, used to walk from Bhendi
Bazaar to Dadar as we have noted before.
Now before we go to 1949, let’s see what else occurred in the film
industry in Mumbai in 1948 or thereabout. At this time, there were
some beautiful actresses around such as Kamini Kaushal, Nargis,
Suraiya, Nalini Jaywant, Geeta Bali and Madhubala who would leave
their lasting impressions on the cine-goers well up to the next
century. Leela Chitnis was the first Indian actress who endorsed the
Lux Beauty ad in 1941, but by 1948 was reduced to playing mother’s
role.
Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal were the leading pair that worked
together in Shaheed, Nadiya Ke Paar, (both 1948), Shabnam (1949)
and Arzoo (1950). Kamini Kaushal was senior to Dilip Kumar, having
begun her filmy career in 1941 in Sangam. She was a popular actress
that can be gauged from her earlier release of Neecha Nagar (1946)
and the five releases during 1948: Shaheed and Nadiya Ke Paar with
Dilip Kumar, Pagree with Amar (Remember the Sang-Taraash in
Mughal-e-Azam?), Ziddi with Dev Anand, and Aag with Producer-
Director-Actor Raj Kapoor. Naturally, the shooting for these films
must have been going around at about the same time. Dilip Kumar
and Kamini Kaushal came closer to each other while doing Shaheed.
Both were very young and deeply involved. When Kamini was not
with him, it appears that Dilip Kumar would feel the pangs of
separation. So he would visit her on the sets where Kamini used to
shoot for other pictures during that period. As such, he would often
drop on the sets of Pagree which was being produced and directed by
P.N. Arora.
However, there was a terrible problem facing this pair, for the real-
life story of Uma (for that was Kamini’s real name) appears to be the
story of the heroine of Gumrah that was made in 1963 by B.R.
Chopra. (Dilip Kumar had refused to do Gumrah when B.R. Chopra
offered him the role) Her sister had died leaving her husband and
children behind and she was made to marry her sister’s widower, Mr.
Sood who was a senior officer in the Bombay Port Trust and had
been allotted a beautiful bungalow by the Port Trust. Is it not said in
the sub-continent of India and Pakistan that who else but a “Mausi”
or “Khaala” (maternal aunt) would make the best of the step-
mothers?
So there you are! Otherwise, too, how could the family tolerate
Kamini Kaushal’s love affair, when she was a married woman? It was
not easy to obtain a divorce. The comprehensive Hindu Marriage Act
came into effect only in 1955 and even that was very stringent on
the question of divorce. P.N. Arora had never interfered with Dilip’s
visit to his studio since the love-affair was their personal affair. But
one day, according to him, a military guy who happened to be the
brother of Kamini Kaushal stomped on the sets of Pagree and
pointing his pistol at Kamini he threatened to shoot her if the
clandestine love affair did not end there and then. Later it was
settled that she would be allowed to complete her pending
assignments. Kamini suspected P.N. Arora’s hand in leaking out the
information to her family but completed his movie which required
just a few days’ shoot.
However, it appears that the affair had gone on as far as the Arzoo
(1950) days. In the meantime, Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal did
Filmistan’s Shabnam (1949) which was based on the English movie,
Caravan. Ismat Chugtai who was the story-writer as well as the
playwright and dialogue writer for Arzoo reveals that while shooting
for Arzoo, Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal would hold each other’s
hand under the cover of the film script that they used to read. By
then the scandal had broken out when Kamini Kaushal’s brother
threatened to shoot Dilip Kumar if the affair was not wound up. As a
kid I did hear some such rumour but it was a little more serious
namely that Kamini’s brother had actual taken a shot at Dilip Kumar
but missed him! After Arzoo the pair never acted together again.
According to Sitara Devi the noted Kathak dancer and who also
played Dilip Kumar’s boss’s role in K. Asif’s Hulchal (1951), Dilip
Kumar was a broken man thereafter since he really loved Kamini
Kaushal. Dilip Kumar has admitted in the biography written by Bunny
Reuben that as a young man he was attracted to Kamini Kaushal.
Kamini Kaushal never offered any statement in this regard. As the
decades would roll, in Dilip Kumar’s life there would be new women
that would include, Madhubala, Vyjayantimala, Waheeda Rehman,
Saira Banu, and the forgettable Asma.
Dharmendra who was still in his native place, not knowing that one
day he would himself become a great film star, used to walk miles in
his native place to see Dillagi nearly 40 times. Not just the
commoners, but the film-stars too were enamoured of her. Even the
super-star of Hollywood Gregory Peck came to see her at her
residence in 1954. It was Al-Nasir who told him that Suraiya was his
fan and so Gregory Peck, who was on his way to Ceylon for the
shooting of Purple Plain and was lodged at the Ambassador Hotel at
Bombay during his transit, gave a midnight knock at her doors and
spent an hour with her.
Such was the epic romance of Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal on
one hand, and Dev Anand and Suraiya, on the other. The romance of
Raj Kapoor and Nargis belongs to the Fifties and is therefore not
broached here.
To continue...
Having discussed about Suraiya in the last article, I still find myself
in a swoon at the mention of her name. However, sometimes I
wonder how could Rafi Sahaab have escaped the charms of Suraiya
while singing such romantic songs with her. As we have observed in
the last article, that was the time when her presence used to cause
traffic jams, people used to stalk her, rob her records to hear her
voice in solitude, and even Dev Anand the lady killer wanted to marry
her. Not to mention the mischievous shooting retakes of Dilip Kumar
with her in K.Asif’s Janwar - when she finally withdrew herself out of
suspicion after returning the signing amount, never to act opposite
Dilip Kumar.
It's time for some musings now: Though the songs of Fifties are out
of the scope of this article, I cannot help but mention DIL KO HAAY
DIL KO, DIL KO TEREE TASVEER SE, BEHLAAYE HUWE.N HAI....
(Dastaan 1950) Just listening to this song races my blood, makes my
heart beat faster, while the body shakes to the rhythm of the song.
Just mere thoughts whip up the hidden desires to be with the
“Chocolate Charmer” in the sylvan setting of the Omar Khayyam
Rubaiyat:
I wonder how the young pair of Rafi and Suraiya must have recorded
that song. Ordinarily, sparks should have flown.
Hyder Ali and Asghar Ali with their mother Pramila and family.
Just to point out a few more songs with some music directors:
In Hamara Manzil, there were two duets with Geeta Roy: ANDHERE
SE NAA DARR...KAANTE BANENGI KALIYAAN, written by Rajinder
Krishan, and WOH AUR ZAMAANA THAH which has S.D. Batish along
with them. He also had a solo: TOOTE HUWE DIL KO.
Bansuria had a beautiful solo: TERI YAAD SATAAYE GHADI GHADI
written by Mulkraj Bhakri.
In Saawan Bhadon Rafi sang a duet with Lata: SADAA RAHE YEH DIN
HAMAARE. Mulkraj Bhakri was the lyricist.
With Vinod:
Rafi’ song in Raat ki Rani, JIN RAATON MEIN NEEND UD JAATI HAI,
written by Arzoo Lucknawi for Hansraj Behl, was a nation wide hit.
Another solo was TAN PHOONKTA HAI, which was penned by
Shikarpuri who also wrote the Rafi-Lata duet: SUN LO MERA
AFSAANA. The other lovable duet of Rafi-Lata was written by
Shameen: USS CHAAND SE PYAARE CHAAND HO. It appears that the
same duet was recorded in the voice of Mukesh and Geeta Roy but
was not retained.
A solo: DIL TOOTAA AUR ARMAAN LOOTE, and four duets out of
which three were with Bina Pani and one with Asha Bhonsle: HAM
MAATI SE SONA BANAAYENGE; O LACHHI LACHHI TUU MANN KI; and
TUMSE MILAAKAR NAINA were the duets with Bina Paani.
A lone duet with Asha Bhonsle was: LO DOOM DUBAA KAR BHAAGE
written by Nazim Panipati. The other songs were written by Mulkraj
Bhakri.
Raaz had the solo SAMAY KA CHAKKAR SAU BAL KHAAYE which was
composed by Sardar Malik and written by one Meeraji.
With Naushad:
We have seen above that the young singer of 19 years of age had
sung his own first Hindi song in Pehle Aap, HINDUSTAA.N KE HAMM
HAI.N, plus two more songs which were anything but solos. What
strikes me regarding Naushad is that he gave a solo number to Rafi
Sahaab only in 1946, while Rafi Sahaab also recorded so many
excellent songs for other music directors even prior to 1946; and
then he gave just another solo number after two years in Mela
(1948). It was as late as in 1949 that Naushad gave a real break to
Rafi by recording his lead solos for the heroes in Dillagi, Dulari and
Chandni Raat which had lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni.
Rafi got to sing the choicest of songs in Dillagi for the main lead in
Dillagi - the Suraiya and Shyam starrer: TERE KOOCHE ME.N
ARMAANON KEE DUNYA LEKE AAYA HOON, and ISS DUNYAA ME.N AY
DILWAALO.N.
Mehboob’s Andaz had the Rafi-Lata duet: YOON TOH AAPAS MEIN
BIGADTE HAIN which was filmed on Nargis and Raj Kapoor. Another
lively Rafi-Lata duet, SUN LO DIL KA AFSAANA DUNYAA DIL KE
BASAAKE NAA BHOOL JAANA was, however, not used in the movie.
This was also the fate of a Mukesh song: KYOON PHERI NAZAR
DEKHO TOH IDHAR.
With C. Ramchandra:
C. Ramchandra was himself a singer who sang as "Chitalkar" and so
we don’t find him using Mohammed Rafi much. As we noted before,
he did use Rafi in Safar, Sajan and Nadiya Ke Paar in previous years.
C. Ramchandra gave some beautiful duets and solos to Rafi in 1949.
The Duniya duets with Suraiya were HAAY RE TUUNE KYAA KIYAA,
and QISMAT KE LIKHE KO. The solos were RONA HAI TOH RO
CHUPKE and ISS WAADE KA MATLAB KYAA.
In Patanga, BOLOJI DIL LOGE TOH KYAA KYAA DOGE was Rafi’s duet
with Shamshad Begum.
In Namoona, TADPAA KE MUJHE was the duet song which Rafi sang
with Lata.
With S. Mohinder:
Bulo C. Rani utilized Rafi in Gareebi. The two solos that Rafi sang
were: KISI SE HAMNE POOCHAA and EK DIN EK ARMAAN BHARA DIL.
A duet with Shamshad Begum was AY SAMNE AANE WAALE BATAA.
Sawan Aaya Re: A duet with Shamshad Begum: AY DIL NAA MUJHE
YAAD AA, written by Bharat Vyas.
In Roop Lekha there was a solo of Rafi: TEER PE TEER KHAAYE JAA.
A duet with Surinder Kaur was: TUM HO JAAO HAMAARE KABHI.
In Gharana, there were two duets of Rafi: One with Paro: TUU
KAHAAN HAI BAALAM.
The other was with Shyama Bai: FARIYAAD NAA KARNAA HAAY
KAHEEN.
In Parda, there were two solos of Rafi: SITAMGAR SE LETA HAI TUU
INTEQAM, penned by Tanvir Naqvi; and the other one penned by
Swami Ramanand: IK DIL NE KAHAA, a beautiful sad song indeed.
In Jannat, Bashir Khan was the music director. One of the solos of
Rafi was: JAHAAN QISMAT TERI MEHFIL SE and, penned by M.K.
Chibbar.
In Chilman, H.P. Das was the composer while P.L. Santoshi was the
lyricist. One of the Rafi solos was: ZAHE QISMAT TERI MEHFIL SE JO.
He sang a duet with Mukesh: JALEN JALNE WAALE HAMKO JAISE.
Krishna Dayal was the music director of Lekh which had a Qamar
Jalalabadi lyrics sung by Rafi and Asha: KAR LE KISEE SE PYAAR.
Kaneez had three music directors: O.P. Nayyar made a debut with the
background music. Ghulam Haider provided the usual music. There
was a duet of Rafi and S.D. Batish: HAR AYSH HAI DUNYAA MEIN
AMIRON KO. On the other hand, Hansraj Behl provided the music for
the very famous Rafi song: ISS DIL SE TERI YAAD BHULAAYI
NAHEEN JAATI. O.P. Nayyar would not taste success with his movies,
Aasmaan, Chham Chhama Chham, and Jaal, till as late as 1953. His
success story belongs to the Fifties and thereafter, and amazingly he
never ever used Lata Mangeshkar.
The year 1949 is noteworthy for the new entrants Shankar and
Jaikishan who would since gradually leave all the other musicians
behind for at least two decades. They had worked as assistants to
Ram Ganguly who provided music for Raj Kapoor’s first directorial
venture, Aag in 1948. Raj Kapoor knew that for his home-production
Barsaat the Aag type of music would just not do. He wanted
something new. He therefore gave a break to the musical duo of
Shankar-Jaikishan who also "discovered" Lata Mangeshkar and
recorded their first song in her voice: JIYA BEQARAR HAI. All the
songs of Barsaat were hit and they created a history of sorts.
However, their style initially resembled that of Husnlal-Bhagatram
whom they had assisted before. How could they leave out
Mohammed Rafi? His song went thus: MAIN ZINDAGEE MEIN
HARDAM ROTAA HI RAHAA HOON. The high notes, KHAMOSH..
KHAMOSH MOHABBAT LIYE PHIRTAA HI RAHAA HOON sung by Rafi
effortlessly put life into the lyrics. The combination of Mohammed
Rafi and the Shankar-Jaikishan musical duo would rise to its greatest
height in the Sixties.
NASIR
To continue...
Some of the lyricists who worked with Rafi Sahaab in the Forties:
Some of the Music Directors who worked with Mohammed Rafi in the
‘Forties:
Even when the family shifted to Bombay, his craze increased all the
more so that even at school he would scribble “Rafi, Rafi, Rafi” in his
class note-book. Seeing the litany, we are told, that his class-teacher
scolded him. One of his more knowledgeable class-mates then gave
him the address of Mohammed Rafi who was still at Bhendi Bazaar –
indicating that it was the earliest phase of the singer then. Mahendra
then went there all alone to meet his icon with the sole wish “Bin
Guru Gyan Kahaan Se Paaoon.” Seeing his love and devotion,
Mohammed Rafi accepted him as his disciple, teaching him how to
play the Harmonium and even taking him along with him to his
shows and recordings. The teacher would then treat him to a glass of
Lassi. Such details were known before but they were repeated by
Mahendra Kapoor’s son, Rohan Kapoor while accepting the award on
behalf of his father at the Tribute to a Legend show at the Indian
Museum Auditorium, Kolkata, on 30th November 2008. Rohan
Kapoor, the actor-singer son narrated the earliest phase of his
father’s brush with the Legendary Mohammed Rafi. The audience
was naturally spellbound and moved to tears. The student also took
the advice of his teacher seriously and began learning the Hindustani
classical music under Pandit Husnlal (of the musical duo Husnlal-
Bhagatram) and Tulsiram Sharma.
Rest of the story of Mahendra Kapoor belongs to the late ‘Fifties, and
I would have left it at that if it were not for certain comments of Raju
Bharatan: “Kapoor may not have matched Rafi but he was so
committed to his craft that he always kept Rafi on his toes.”
Let’s hark back to the Forties! In his early career in the Forties, Rafi
Sahaab never faced the kind of rejections, say, as Lata Mangeshkar
did. The young Rafi was lapped up wherever he went. It’s true that in
the Forties we have no Rafi songs for Anil Biswas according to whom
Rafi was not quite fit for his compositions. He was no O.P. Nayyar
who never used Lata Mangeshkar all his life. Anil Biswas did use Rafi
only in the Fifities but that was not out of condescension. That was
the time when Mohammed Rafi was rising and rising, and Anil Biswas
was sliding and sliding, especially after 1958 whereafter he could do
just about ten films – the last being Chhoti Chhoti Baaten (1965) –
the time when Rafi Sahaab was at the zenith of his singing career.
But the gentleman that he was Rafi Sahaab did not mind singing for
him. He sang for him in Beqasoor (1950): KHABAR KISEE KO NAHEEN
VOH KIDHAR DEKHTE HAIN sung by Rafi, Durrani and Mukesh; in
Paisa Hi Paise (1956): PYAAR KIYA JHAK MAARI which was a solo
comedy song; a duet with Asha: UFF NAA KARNA KE MERI
MOHABBAT BADNAAM HO; and ULFAT MEIN HAR EK which was sung
by Rafi-Kishore and Asha (Kishore Kumar was the hero) and a duet
with Kishore Kumar: LELO SONE KA LADDU; in Heer (1956): two
solos: ALLAH TERI KHAIR KARE and LE JAA USKI DUWAAYEN; and a
duet with Asha: O KHAAMOSH ZAMAANA HAI; in Abhimaan (1957):
CHALI JAWAANI THOKAR KHAANE which is a didactic duet with Asha
Bhonsle; and a solo in Sanskar: WAAH RE TIKDAMBAAZI.
With all respects for him, I’m constrained to quote one Anonymous in
his review of “How the Golden Age of Bollywood should have
sounded:”
Even decades later, Anil Biswas targeted Mohammed Rafi, and then
Kishore Kumar himself did not take it kindly and put a poser to him:
“How could Rafi then remain on the top for two decades?” Anil
Biswas, of course, had no answers. Kishore Kumar certainly
remembered that in Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) the song NAFRAT KI
DUNYAA was not his cup of tea and so Rafi Sahaab was called to sing
it. And he did sing it without any trace of complaint or hurt as to why
he was not called to render it in the first place. It was not for nothing
that Kishore Kumar had a huge portrait of Mohammed Rafi fixed on
the wall of the drawing-room of his home at Juhu, Mumbai. He had
frankly told one of his loyal fans that he himself was the fan of Rafi
Sahaab. “If you insult him, you insult me!”
Similarly Anil Biswas praised Manna Dey no ends saying that he was
the only singer who took down notations of every song and did the
song in one take. He told him that he could sing whatever Rafi, or
Kishore or Mukesh or Talat Mehmood could sing but that they
couldn’t what he sang. Manna Dey had this to say:
“That’s very generous of him. He was very fond of me, but I don’t
think there is anyone to touch Mohammed Rafi.”
But whatever his predilections might have been, Anil Biswas could
not escape the touching impact of Rafi Sahaab’s good nature and
humility, as he himself confessed, for the latter had no grudges
despite being ignored by him. We can only say that it was not the
loss of Rafi Sahaab who has by his songs immortalised even the
lesser-known musicians whose names might have sunk into oblivion
if it were not for the songs that he sang for them. But as Rafi Sahaab
used to say: “Yeh Sab Khuda ki Dain Hai.”
NASIR
To be concluded....
By the mid-Fifties and towards the end of that decade he would not
only fill in the void left by the previous legend, K.L. Saigal, but with
passage of time he would also acquire the irrefutable position of
being the Greatest playback singer of all times in the annals of the
Indian film industry. By adapting himself to the changing face of
music, he left an undelible impression on the music itself, setting up
excellent standards for the aspiring singers. His voice never sounded
monotonous despite the thousands of songs that he left to posterity.
Despite the very stiff competition for Rafi Sahaab, history was to
repeat itself by the next decade too. When the Fifties ended, Rafi
Sahaab again, had recorded more songs than the combined figures of
Talat Mehmood, Manna Dey, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, C.Ramchandra
and Kishore Kumar. So when the time permits we’ll have a dekho of
the Nineteen Fifties!
In conclusion, it will be interesting for us to know how the film
industry people found Mohammed Rafi when they saw him for the
first time. Who else could be the most qualified in this respect than
the Thespian Dilip Kumar himself, the most revered acting legend in
the sub-continent of India and Pakistan!
However, Dilip Kumar feels that since Mohammed Rafi was a simple
person who could not say no, this “Emperor of Voice and Melody”
was exploited by some music directors who made him sing some
third-class songs. He remembers that in 1969 and the early
Seventies when people were talking of how Kishore Kumar had
“dismantled the position” of Mohammed Rafi, the latter was not even
slightly affected by it. Nor did he reply those critics with words. “It
was always his voice and songs that used to do the talking.”
Surmises the Tragedy King: “Rafi is not among us today but his voice
and his songs are still there with us.”
NASIR.
Concluded.