Born - December 24, 1924
Kotla Sultan Singh, Punjab, British India
Origin - Indian
Died -July 31, 1980(1980-07-31) (aged 55)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Genres - Indian classical, ghazal, playback singing
Occupations - Hindi and regional playback singer
Years active - 1944–1980
Mohammed Rafi (Hindi: मोहम्मद रफ़ी, Urdu: محمد رفیع; December 24, 1924 – July 31, 1980), was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. He won 5 National Awards and 6 Filmfare Awards. In 1967, he was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
In a career spanning about 40 years, Rafi sang over 26,000 film songs. His songs ranged from classical numbers to patriotic songs, sad lamentations to highly romantic numbers, qawwalis to ghazals and bhajans, and from slow melancholic tunes to fast fun filled songs. He had a strong command of Hindi and Urdu and a powerful range that could accommodate this variety. He sang in many Indian languages including Hindi, Konkani, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, Maghi, Maithili and Assamese. He also recorded a few English, Persian, Spanish and Dutch songs.
In a career spanning about 40 years, Rafi sang over 26,000 film songs. His songs ranged from classical numbers to patriotic songs, sad lamentations to highly romantic numbers, qawwalis to ghazals and bhajans, and from slow melancholic tunes to fast fun filled songs. He had a strong command of Hindi and Urdu and a powerful range that could accommodate this variety. He sang in many Indian languages including Hindi, Konkani, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, Maghi, Maithili and Assamese. He also recorded a few English, Persian, Spanish and Dutch songs.
Mohammed Rafi was born the youngest of six sons of Hajji Ali Mohammad at Kotla Sultan Singh, a village near Amritsar in Punjab (British India). Rafi, whose nickname was Pheeko, started singing by imitating chants of a fakir in his village.
Rafi’s first public performance came at the age of 13, when he was allowed to sing at a concert featuring K. L. Saigal. In 1941, Rafi, under Shyam Sunder, made his debut as a playback singer in the duet “Soniye nee, Heeriye nee” with Zeenat Begum in the Punjabi film Gul Baloch (the film was released in 1944). In that same year, Rafi was invited by All India Radio Lahore station to sing for them. He made his professional debut in the Shyam Sunder-directed 1941 film Gul Baloch and the Bombay film, Gaon Ki Gauri, the following year.
Rafi also did brief roles in movies like Laila-Majnu (1945) and Jugnu. In Laila-Majnu, he was seen singing ‘tera jalwa’ as a part of the chorus.
In 1945, Rafi married his cousin Bashira, nicknamed “Majhi”, in his village. and had four sons and three daughters. He was a teetotaller, a religious and extremely humble person. He was very much a family man, following a recording-room to home to recording-room itenerary. He never attended filmy parties, did not smoke or drink. He used to perform his riyaz (musical practise) from 3 AM to 7 AM without fail. His only indulgences were playing carom and badminton and flying kites.
Death
On Thursday, July 31, 1980, Rafi died at 10:50 p.m., following a massive heart attack. His last song was “Shaam phir kyun udaas hai dost” (Aas Paas), which he had recorded with Laxmikant-Pyarelal few hours before his death. He was survived by four sons (Saeed Rafi, Khalid Rafi, Hamid Rafi, Shahid Rafi), three daughters (Parveen, Nasreen, Yasmin) and 18 grandchildren.
Rafi was buried at the Juhu Muslim cemetery. It was one of the biggest funeral processions Mumbai had ever witnessed, with over 10,000 people attending.
In 2010, his tomb was demolished to make space for new bodies. Fans of Mohammed Rafi who arrive twice a year at his tomb, on December 24 and July 31, to mark his birth and death anniversary, use the coconut tree nearest to his grave as a marker.
Trivia
1. In the 1960 film Mughal-E-Azam, Mohammed Rafi sang the song “Ae Mohabbat Zindabad” with a chorus of 100 singers.
2. He has sung the maximum number of duets with Asha Bhonsle (female) and Manna Dey (male).
3. Rafi has a record number of Filmfare Award nominations (23). He won it six times.
4. The song “ajab hai dasta teri ae zindagi…” was first given to Kishore Kumar to sing and he sung the first half of antara but in the second half, he faced some trouble and after many retakes, he was unable to give the effect that Shankar Jaikishan wanted, and finally the song was given to Rafi to sing.
5. During a concert in Raipur with Shankar-Jaikishan, the audience kept on demanding “once more”.. Even the musicians in the orchestra were tired. Finally, Rafi sang five songs with just Harmonium as a musical instrument. Then, he sang the National Anthem
6. A man, sentenced to be hanged until dead, was asked what his last wish was. The man asks that he be allowed to listen to “O duniya ke rakhwale, sun dard bare mere naale; jeewan apna wapas lele, jeewan dene wale“.
Awards:
Filmfare Awards 1977- Kya Hua Tera Wada – Naya Daur
Filmfare Awards 1968 -Dil Ke Jharoke Mein Tujko Bithakar – Brahmachari
Filmfare Awards 1967- Neele Gagan Ke – Humraaz
Filmfare Awards 1966- Baharon Phool Barsaao – Suraj
Filmfare Awards 1964- Chahunga Main Tujhe – Dosti
Filmfare Awards 1961- Chasme Baddor – Sasuraal
Filmfare Awards 1960 Chaudvin Ka Chand – Chaudvin Ka Chand
Filmfare Awards 1968 -Dil Ke Jharoke Mein Tujko Bithakar – Brahmachari
Filmfare Awards 1967- Neele Gagan Ke – Humraaz
Filmfare Awards 1966- Baharon Phool Barsaao – Suraj
Filmfare Awards 1964- Chahunga Main Tujhe – Dosti
Filmfare Awards 1961- Chasme Baddor – Sasuraal
Filmfare Awards 1960 Chaudvin Ka Chand – Chaudvin Ka Chand
Best Of Mohammad Rafi:
Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukaar ———–Tere Ghar Ke Saamne
Teri Pyaari Pyaari Surat Ko ———Sasural
Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye ————Daastan
Abhee naa jaao chhodakar———— Hum Dono
Maine Puchha Chand Se Ke ———–Abdullah
Bekhudi Mein Sanam ————-Haseena Maan Jayegi
Chhoo Lene Do Nazuk———- Kajal
Ehesaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par ——Junglee
Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padh Kar———- Sangam
Mujhe Teri Mohabbat Ka———— Aap Aaye Bahaar Aayi
Aaja Tujeh Ko Pukaare———– Neel Kamal
Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho, Ya Aaftaab Ho—- Chaudvin Ka Chand
O Hasina Zulfon Vaali ———–Teessri Manzil
Gun guna rahe hain bhanwar————– Aaradhana
Jahan Daal Daal Par Sone ———–Sikander-E-Azam
Nain lad Jaihen ———–Ganga Jamuna
Kisko Pyar Karun ———–Tumse Achha Kaun Hai
Maang Ke Saath Tumhara —–Naya Daur
Nache Man Mora Magan ———–Meri Surat Teri Aankhen
Akele Akele Kahan Ja Rahe Ho———— An Evening in Paris
Patthar Ke Sanam Tujeh ——-Pathar Ke Sanam
Ay Phoolon Ki Rani ———–Aarzoo
Nanhe Mune Bache Teri Muti Mein———- Boot Polish
Tum mujhe yun bhula na paoge ———-Pagla Kahi Ka
Bahut Shukriya Badi.html ——–Ek Musafir Ek Haseena
Badan Pe Sitaare ———-Prince
Jo Baat Tujh Mein Hai——— Taj Mahal
Madhuban mein radhika ——– Kohinoor
Jo Vaada Kiya Woh Nibhaana Padega—– Taj Mahal
Wada Karle Saajna—- Haath Ki Safaai
Husn Wale Tera.html——– Gharana
Chalkaaye Jaam Aayi Yeh——- Mere Humdun Mere Dost
Chalo Dildaar Chalo——- Pakeezah
Aakhon Hi Aakhon main —–CID
Dheere Dheere Chal ———Love Marriage
Mere Meheboob Tujeh————– Mere Meheboob
Mera Man Tera Pyaasa ——–Gambler
Ude Jab Jab Zulfen Teri———- Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi
Kya Hua Tera Wada———– Naya Daur
Tere mere sapne, ab ek rang -Guide
Babul Ki Duaayein Leti Jaa ———Neel Kamal
Hum Intezaar Karenge Bahu ———Begum
Acha Jee Mein Hari Chalo ———-Kala Pani
Teri Pyaari Pyaari Surat Ko ———Sasural
Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye ————Daastan
Abhee naa jaao chhodakar———— Hum Dono
Maine Puchha Chand Se Ke ———–Abdullah
Bekhudi Mein Sanam ————-Haseena Maan Jayegi
Chhoo Lene Do Nazuk———- Kajal
Ehesaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par ——Junglee
Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padh Kar———- Sangam
Mujhe Teri Mohabbat Ka———— Aap Aaye Bahaar Aayi
Aaja Tujeh Ko Pukaare———– Neel Kamal
Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho, Ya Aaftaab Ho—- Chaudvin Ka Chand
O Hasina Zulfon Vaali ———–Teessri Manzil
Gun guna rahe hain bhanwar————– Aaradhana
Jahan Daal Daal Par Sone ———–Sikander-E-Azam
Nain lad Jaihen ———–Ganga Jamuna
Kisko Pyar Karun ———–Tumse Achha Kaun Hai
Maang Ke Saath Tumhara —–Naya Daur
Nache Man Mora Magan ———–Meri Surat Teri Aankhen
Akele Akele Kahan Ja Rahe Ho———— An Evening in Paris
Patthar Ke Sanam Tujeh ——-Pathar Ke Sanam
Ay Phoolon Ki Rani ———–Aarzoo
Nanhe Mune Bache Teri Muti Mein———- Boot Polish
Tum mujhe yun bhula na paoge ———-Pagla Kahi Ka
Bahut Shukriya Badi.html ——–Ek Musafir Ek Haseena
Badan Pe Sitaare ———-Prince
Jo Baat Tujh Mein Hai——— Taj Mahal
Madhuban mein radhika ——– Kohinoor
Jo Vaada Kiya Woh Nibhaana Padega—– Taj Mahal
Wada Karle Saajna—- Haath Ki Safaai
Husn Wale Tera.html——– Gharana
Chalkaaye Jaam Aayi Yeh——- Mere Humdun Mere Dost
Chalo Dildaar Chalo——- Pakeezah
Aakhon Hi Aakhon main —–CID
Dheere Dheere Chal ———Love Marriage
Mere Meheboob Tujeh————– Mere Meheboob
Mera Man Tera Pyaasa ——–Gambler
Ude Jab Jab Zulfen Teri———- Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi
Kya Hua Tera Wada———– Naya Daur
Tere mere sapne, ab ek rang -Guide
Babul Ki Duaayein Leti Jaa ———Neel Kamal
Hum Intezaar Karenge Bahu ———Begum
Acha Jee Mein Hari Chalo ———-Kala Pani
Mohammad Rafi Family Photos
