Remembering Mohammad Rafi: The Legendary Singer With The Golden Voice

December 24 marks the 93rd birth anniversary of Mohamnmed Rafi, one of the greatest singers in Indian film music industry ever, who gave Indian cinema 40 golden years of haunting melodies.

One of the greatest playback singers born in India, Mohammed Rafi is considered no less than a genius when it comes to varied styles of music. This great singer had the perfect blend of melody, emotions and energy, which resulted into thousands of soulful songs.

Born in 1924 at Kotla Sultan Singh, a village near Amritsar, Mohammed Rafi, nicknamed ‘Pheeko’, the second youngest of Hajji Ali Mohammed and Allah Rakhi’s six sons, started singing early, deeply inspired by the songs of a wandering fakir in the village. In the 1920s, circumstances compelled Rafi’s father to move to Lahore where he opened a small dhaba. Rafi’s elder brother, Mohammed Deen started a barber shop in Noor Mohalla, Bhatti Gate in the same city, with Rafi lending him a helping hand. Meanwhile, Mohammed Deen’s friend, Abdul Hameed recognized Rafi’s talent and encouraged him to sing. Later, he convinced the reluctant family to allow him to take Rafi to Bombay. In 1944, the two arrived in an alien city from where Mohammed Rafi slowly won over the heart of an entire nation.

Without him, Guru Dutt wouldn't have been the same serenading Waheeda Rehman in 'Chaudhvin Ka Chand'. Without him, Dev Anand wouldn't have looked so heart-broken crooning "Din dhal jaye haye" in 'Guide'. And without him, Shammi Kapoor's rebellious yell, "Chahe koi mujhe junglee kahe", would have lost much of its manic energy.

Without Mohammed Rafi some of the most unforgettable moments in Hindi films wouldn't have been the same.

Mohammed Rafi’s wife Bilquis Rafi interviewed by Patrick Biswas – September 1988.

"I did not have a father — only my mother and an elder brother. But from as far back as I can remember, Rafi saab was a household name. My sister had married his elder brother, and it was she who brought the proposal home. I was doing my sixth standard examinations and had just returned from school, when my sister told me, ‘Tomorrow you are getting married’. I was 13 years old and Rafi saab was 19. I didn’t know the meaning of the word shaadi, but did exactly as I was advised. I don’t want to elaborate on the marriage, because I was probably too young to understand what was happening to me.

Mohammed Rafi with his wife Bilquis

Rafi saab had been singing from the age of 10 So when we got married, he was well into singing ghazals (which were a rage at that time), and film songs. But since I came from a very conservative upbringing, I didn’t switch on the radio to hear the music. l was told about his singing, but since I didn’t quite like music, it didn’t matter so much to me. Even when we were married, Rafi saab didn’t encourage me to listen to his songs. He’d always smilingly look at me and joke, ‘If you only paid attention to my singing, who will do the house work?’ We would share a good laugh about it.

Mohammed Rafi with his wife Bilquis, and children Yasmin, Shahid and Nasreen

We lived in a chawl at Dongri in the beginning of our marriage. I never felt anything, because I knew my young husband would be great one day. A little later, we shifted to a chawl in Bhendi Bazar, but Rafi saab didn’t quite like the area. So by the grace of Allah and fate, we soon took up an ownership flat at Colaba. I never interfered in my husband’s work, but I realized that things were looking up for us. Even though Rafi saab never showed it— he remained a simple man throughout his fame. In ’54, we shifted to our home in Bandra and have remained here ever since. It was here that we had six of our seven children — four sons and three daughters.

Rafi saab was a very simple human being. His life revolved around his children. In fact, I’d say unki zindagi bachche the. I can’t recall a single moment when he never asked about them. His was a routine: a home-to-recording­-and-back-home-schedule. After which, he’d promptly ask me if the children wanted anything. There was nothing he wouldn’t give them. Only the Almighty above knows how they didn’t grow up spoilt. They adored their father and were very proud of him.

The only thing the children disliked about their abba was that he didn’t encourage taking them to recordings, functions or movies. In fact, they hated going to the movies with their father, because it was always the case of, ‘Let’s enter after the film begins and we’ll leave before it ends’. The kids always complained that they didn’t know what the start and end was!

AII this stemmed from the fact that Rafi saab disliked publicity of any kind. It was funny, because even if we were attending a marriage, he’d promptly tell the driver to wait near the gate. He’d enter, go straight to the bridal couple and after wishing them warmly, he’d walk back to the car and we’d drive home. It was quite a joke really.

with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

Even the interviews he had to give, weren’t done by him. The previous night, he would sit idle with his elder brother Abdul Amin and he’d explain to him how to answer. All Rafi saab’s interviews were done by his elder brother. In fact, he treated Abdul saab like a father — the man literally caught my husband’s finger and taught him to walk. Abdul saab figures very prominently in making my husband the celebrity he finally became.

Actor Chandrashekhar, Lyricist Asad Bhopali, N Dutta and Mohammed Rafi during the recording session of the movie Awara Abdulla (1963).

Habits? Rafi saab as far back as I remember, would wake up every day at 3 a.m. and do his ‘riyaaz’. After about two-and-a ­half-hours of that, he’d go and play a game of badminton. Yes, the only funny habit he did have, was to fly kites. Even if he had a half-hour break between one recording and another, he would rush home, run up to the terrace and start flying his kites. He was like a child when it came to his kite flying. And he’d sulk like a baby if his kites were cut. This habit was his only love till the end.

I think his greatness lay in his humble attitude towards people. He was very religious and never forgot to thank Allah for what he had become and achieved. The whole world around him had progressed, people had changed, but Rafi saab knew nothing of it— his ways never changed according to the times.

Mohammad rafi singing a song composed by Kalyanji Anandji. 

For him, it was the togetherness of his family which mattered. I think he was at his best when he would call all of our relatives over, ask me to cook a lovely meal and sit and chat. The unity of our whole family, is what Rafi saab was very sentimental about.

My husband didn’t have any favorite singers. For any song that was sung well, he’d praise the singer. And even if he did like someone more than another, it was never mentioned — even to us. He always felt that if he took sides, he’d be hurting so many others in the bargain. If anyone came and said, ‘Rafi saab, you sang so well that, that movie is a hit and the hero has become big’, he’d answer, ‘If it wasn’t for the music director or that hero, I wouldn’t be singing that song. Inki vajay se mujhe kaam mila’.

Every music director that he worked with was treated with equal respect. For example: when Rafi saab was already an established singer, Laxmikant-Pyarelal were violinists in Shankar-Jaikishen’s group. Yet, when Laxmi­Pyare became big, never once did Rafi saab consider them as mere violinists. He’d always say, ‘Mere ustaad hain. I will learn more by singing for them’.

Favourite songs? I know he loved his song from Dulari under Naushad saab’s music — ‘Suhani raat dhal chuki, na jaane tum kab aaogee.’ But there were quite a few of his own songs which he liked. I knew it, because after his recording, he’d gather the children, bring out the harmonium and sing the song. He’d do this quite often when he was in a happy mood.

Mohammed Rafi with late producer-director Sultan Ahmed.

What Rafi saab did quite enjoy, was when he had sung a song with a star — like with Nanda in Jab Jab Phool Khile or with Saira Banu in Aman. He always told us excitedly, ‘Today I sang with so-and-so’.

Favourite films? God knows what he liked about it, but he saw Sholay thrice. He attended many trials, but I don’t remember him mentioning any film in particular.

A s far as actors were concerned, Rafi saab did have a special liking for Shammiji (Shammi Kapoor) and Dharamji (Dharmendra). Shammiji, almost at every recording, would listen to Rafi saab and literally act out how he’d do a particular line, or make an expression with a particular word. Dharamji was another actor who always openly showered his love on Rafi saab, Bada pyar tha in dono actoron ke liye. In fact, I am proud to say that I don’t think there is any film industry person who didn’t love my husband. And personally, he never spoke a word against anyone.

I spent the most wonderful 35 years of my life with Rafi saab — before he passed away on July 31, ’80. He was going to be 54.

I remember it even today. He had been requested to do a Bengali recording for their Kaali pooja album. The day before that, he told me ‘I’m tired, I don’t think I’ll be able to sing this Bengali song’. So I told him to tell the people to take somebody else. ‘No, no, they’re are coming all the way from Calcutta in the hope that I will agree. I’ll do it this year, but next year I’ll say no’.

The next day, he sat for rehearsal from 9.30 a.m. and was in pain, but he refused to tell us anything till 12.30 in the afternoon. We scolded him about it, but he told us, ‘Those who come to the Rafi residence, should never return empty-handed’. These were his last words.

He was in a lot of pain and was sweating profusely. It was also in the month of Ramzan, so he was hungry. His hands and feet were yellow. The doctors asked us to shift him to a hospital, explaining that Rafi saab had suffered a very major heart attack. The end came soon after that…

Today, when I look back I am grateful for the children we have borne. They have been wonderful sons and daughters, and have been my strength for the last eight years, after his passing away. But yet there are moments when I wish I was 13 years old and Rafi saab was 19… There are times when I wish he’d come to me like he would nearly every evening, sit beside me and ask me, ‘What is troubling you? Tell me your troubles and they’ll all go away’."

Mohammed Rafi believed in giving as much as he received. As Laxmikant (of the Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo) once observed – "He always gave without thinking of the returns". Many industry veterans still recall his good deeds. Not only was he humble, but also very helpful to the needy — which did not necessarily mean the urchins on the road, but his colleagues, his friends, anybody. A close friend of Rafi said that every month, packets of Rs 200/300 or more used to be dispatched to the singer's struggling friends, upcoming music directors, and the like. It was all between Rafi and the person. Nobody knew where the money came from!

Once, when composer Nisar Bazmi (who had migrated to Pakistan) didn't have enough money to pay him, Rafi charged a fee of one rupee and sang for him. He also helped producers financially.

Music director Pyarelal of the Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo also remembers how Rafi sahab had given Rs 500 to his father in their bad times. Like that, Rafi has sung for many producers for a minuscule amount and sometimes completely for free. It was Rafi who unconditionally helped Laxmikant-Pyarelal all the way, according to industry insiders.

Mohammed Rafi with his second son Khalid Rafi

Pyarelal further adds, "We worked with Rafi in our debut film Parasmani. Rafi agreed to do it despite low budget and unknown names. We considered Rafi as our mentor. The whole world knows we shared the best working rapport with Rafi and Lataji." According to him, perhaps Rafi has sung the maximum number of songs with Laxmikant-Pyarelal. During the Kishore Kumar wave in the '70s, the musician duo stood by Rafi.


Music director Rajesh Roshan remembers him as a warm-hearted simple person with no ego.

What the stars and the musicians of Hindi film industry say about Rafi Sahab:

OP Nayyar (Music director)

"I loved Mohammed Rafi. His death was a big loss to me. When I composed for Shammi Kapoor or Johnny Walker, he managed to sound like them. He sang so many wonderful songs for me. Rafi miyan was a wonderful person. Nobody can ever be compared to him."

Lata Mangeshkar (singer)

"A man of unassuming temparament, Rafi Sahab was very melodious. It's my good fortune that I sang the maximum number of duets with him. He sang every kind of song so brilliantly that even those listeners not very conversant with music, would spontaneously break into appreciative wahs - wahs. Singers like Rafi Sahab aren't born everyday."

Asha Bhosle (singer)

"His greatest ability was that he could sing at a high pitch and shift to a low pitch immediately. He could manage that very well. One of his songs which I love is Suhani raat dhal chuki."

Johny Walker (comedian-actor)

"Rafi Sahab was such a dedicated singer that he would take time to meet with the actors and to study the actors' personalities so that he could match his singing style with the actors' style, accent and pronunciation. Jab Rafi Sahab mere liye gaate, tab aisa lagta ki main khud ga raha hoon(When Rafi Sahab sang for me, it seemed like I was singing)".

Laxmikant (music director)

"He was a great human being. He would never ask what he was going to be paid for a song. Apart from waving off payments, he even helped producers financially. He'd help out the needy. He always gave without thinking of the returns.

Once Rafi recorded six songs in a day for us-two for Anjaam, one for Maa Aur Mamta, two for Man Ki Ankhen and one for Pyasi Shyam. Imagine, he could memorise six songs in a day! And he could do this at live recordings and not through the easy dubbing method that's on today. If any singer claims that he has recorded 25-30 songs in a day, he's talking nonsense. There's only one singer in India who can even attempt that and that's S.P.Balasubramaniam, not anyone else.

The demand for Mohammed Rafi's songs is phenomenal. No other singer, not even Lata Mangeshkar, has been able to attract such a tremendous following. It's almost as if he were still alive."

Shahid Rafi (son)

"If a producer was in a tight spot Abba would'nt accept any money from him. He was a God fearing man. He felt he was an instrument through whom God was singing...whenever he was extra busy he'd ask the producer to give the song to another singer"

Naushad Ali (music director)

"Tu hi tha pyar ka ek saaz

Nafrat ki is duniya mein

ganimat thi teri awazOnce Rafi recorded six songs in a day for us-two for Anjaam, one for Maa Aur Mamta, two for Man Ki Ankhen and one for Pyasi Shyam. Imagine, he could memorise six songs in a day! And he could do this at live recordings and not through the easy dubbing method that's on today. If any singer claims 

nafrat ki is duniya mein."

On Rafi's death Naushad sahab remarked...

"Kehta hai koi dil gaya, dilbar chala gaya

Saahil pukarta hai, samundar chala gaya

Lekin jo baat sach hai, woh kehta nahin koi

Duniya se mausiqui ka paembar chala gaya !!!

"He earned respect and his popularity touched the sky. The magic of his voice enthralled the whole world. His popularity, respect and wealth all increased tremendously, yet he always remained modest. Like a fruit-bearing tree, the more he fructified, the more he bent in front of the world. His heart was filled with fear of God and the love for truth. Generosity and altruism were part of his system. God and truth were the only sources of inspiration for him. And he always used to say Tum yahan jaisa karoge waisa bharoge, ye duniya ek mandir hai"

Jagjit Singh (ghazal singer)

"Rafi sahab had immense versatality and an ability to take on the personality of the hero on whom the song was picturised. Every time you hear a Rafi song, you see the hero, you can vividly put in place the situation and correctly access the mood."

Raj Kapoor (Actor/producer/director)

Raj kapoor's reaction on hearing the news about Rafi's death was "In the world of music, the uncrowned king of singing has left us".

Shammi Kapoor (actor)

Shammi Kapoor acknowledges that Rafi had a lot to do with his success. "It was amazing the way Rafisaab adapted himself to what I wanted him to do. I used to be terribly involved with my songs and go for all the recordings. I used to make it clear how I wanted a certain line sung and Rafisaab always responded. I remember when the song Tareef karoon kya uski (in Kashmir Ki Kali) was being recorded, I wanted the signature line Tareef karoon to be repeated till it reached a crescendo. O P Nayyar, the composer and a friend of mine, objected. He thought it would sound boring. But suddenly, Rafisaab spoke up and said 'I would like to do it the way the boy wants it because I know what he wants'." When the film was released, the song was a big hit. Nayyar hugged Kapoor and congratulated him for his foresight, but the actor maintains "it was possible only because Rafisaab had taken the song to such a pitch and had sung each repetition in a different style." He adds, with a touch of pride, "Though Rafisaab sang for all the actors -- be it Dilip Kumar or Johnny Walker -- he was especially identified with me. Some songs sung by him and picturised on Joy Mukherjee and Biswajeet were actually my kind of songs. Baharon phool barsao, Pukarta chala hoon main or Teri pyari pyari surat ko -- these were my songs, sung in Rafi's special style for me. I remember when he sang Main gaoon tum so jaao for Brahmachari, I told him how I wanted him to sing one particular line. When he saw the picturisation he came and kissed my hand and said, 'it's very beautiful, why didn't I think of that?' I felt as if my own voice had been lost and could not utter a word for hours when I heard this shocking news of Rafi Sahab's death."

Shabbir Kumar (singer)

"I have been singing Rafi sahab's songs since 1968 when I first started performing on stage in my hometown of Baroda. I have met Rafisahab only twice and both meetings were very moving. He was so nice and kind to me even though I was a nobody at that time. The first time I met him at Famous studio in 1972, there were a lot of people waiting to meet him. I used to sketch then and drew a sketch of him when he was recording. As soon as he passed me I showed the sketch in his hands to get his attention. He encouraged me a lot. Even today, there is a large audience for Rafi's songs."

Anand Bakshi (lyricist)

Even today when I write something I imagine how it would sound if Rafisahab had sung it. His place can never be filled again."

Nitin Mukesh (singer)

"Amongst his contemporaries, my father's favourite singer was Mohammed Rafi. He loved Rafisaab's voice, and believed that nobody could replace him."

Udit Narayan (singer)

Udit Narayan talks about his first recording with Rafi Saheb "As it was a dream come true I was obviously excited, and to add to my excitement I was to sing none other than with Rafisaab, that very singer whom I worshipped as my guru, whose voice I used to hear on the radio, was in front of me! I can't describe my ecstasy. But I was a bit nervous too. Rafisaab, realised this and the angel that he was, he comforted me by saying 'You remind me of myself. I too was of your age when I came in the industry. Do not worry keep going.'(Mohd. Rafi was a chorus singer at the start of his career.) "

Khayyam (music director)

"Rafi sahab is the pride of India. His voice and his memories are still with us even though his body has left us."

SD Batish (singer of 40s)

"His extremely humble way of showing respect for my seniority, before all gathered, left an impression of utmost respect and regard in my mind. Time went by, and Mr. Rafi, with his, ever flexible good voice and be recorded to the satisfaction of the music director."

Manna Dey (singer)

"Despite being an educated singer, I could never reach Rafi's height of popularity. And he sang very good songs that I could never hope to sing. His style was unique. I sing Rafi's songs to myself when I am alone. He was a singer par excellence. He was an uneducated singer like Lata, but their voices are gifts of God. It cannot be anything else!"

"I have been singing for many years now. I have seen and heard so many singers. But the most brilliant of all singers and all songs are the ones sung by Mohammed Rafi! "

"Mohammed Rafi was king, and Manna never grudged him his success because he genuinely believed that Rafi was better than he was! "

"In my time, there were giant singers. Rafi was there, and he was such a great singer. He used to sing for everybody -- the hero, the villain and the comedian. "

"How can you ever dream of singing what legendary singer like Rafi have sung? I do not claim to come up to his standards. "

Dharmendra (Actor)

On being asked "Hemant Kumar, Mukesh, Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar... all of them provided playback for you. Whose voice suited you the best?", macho man Dharmendra said: " Mohammad Rafi's contribution to my career is immense. From numbers like Jaane kya dhoondti rehti hain yeh aankhen mujh mein ('Shola Aur Shabnam') right till Main jat yamla pagla deewana ('Pratigyaa') have remained evergreen. The other singers have also made huge contributions to my career. I can never forget that. But Rafi saab is a personal favourite. "

Sonu Nigam (singer)

"Rafi Saab is God to me. I have grown up listening to him and imitating him in my early years. Rafi Saab sounded only like Rafi Saab if he sang Chahe koi mujhe junglee kahe from Junglee, or Man tarpat Hari darshan ko from Baiju Bawra which is what made him the legend he was.