All Great Mds' Preference For Rafi Saab!, Some Widely-reported Stories On This Options

[venkat]

Friends,

That all great MDs during the Platinum-era of HFM from 1947 to 1972 had a distinct preference for Rafi Saab is crystal-clear, well-known and needs no debate, as the historical facts and statistics speak for themselves.

But, there were some instances of extreme display of this tendency by some of the great MDs of olden days.

In this thread, let us narrate and discuss some of such instances.

To start with, I recall one radio interview that I heard very long back, which gave me the following information.

In early, mid and late fifties, it was fashionable to listen to Talat Mehmood songs and somewhat over-rate him. Many Industry bigwigs, such as Anil Biswas, Bimal Roy, etc., too were not immune to this tendency.

So, when Bimal Roy was making Sujata (1959), he had advised S.D.Burman to use Talat Mehmood for the great SDB composition, "Jalte Hain Jis Ke Liye".

But, S.D.Burman was far from enamoured by Talat Mehmood's style of singing. He wanted to utilise only Rafi Saab for this sublime composition and tried to reason out with Bimal Roy. But, as Bimal Roy wouldn't listen, he had to finally use Talat Mehmood.

But, what is really amusing was that during the rehearsals and recording, S.D.Burman made no secret of his displeasure to poor Talat Ji. He even used to say, "Yeh Boda Achha Composition Hoy. Is Ko Khorab Mot Koro".

Such was SDB's bullishness on Rafi Saab.

More later.

Venkat

PS. It is a different matter that the song, "Jalte Hain Jis Ke liye", from Sujata happened to have been sung by Talat Mehmood extremely well and it is a great favorite of mine. But, the above was just to illustrate great MDs' stubborn preference for Rafi Saab.

This post has been edited by venkat: Sep 27 2008, 04:12 PM

[venkat]

Madan Mohan was with Rafi Saab right from the Films:Anjaam(1952) and Chacha Chowdary(1953), or even earlier. This inextricable relationship lasted all the way upto Laila Majnu (1976).

Madan Mohan had made over 160 songs with Rafi Saab, 88 solos, 63 duets and 9 group songs.

Madan Mohan made probably about 250 songs with Lata Ji, out of which the proportion of duets is rather low, may be not even 25% (?).

This brings me to the theory that Lata is, in general, a solo girl rather than a duet girl, not only for Madan Mohan, but also for all the other great MDs. I am floating this theory in order to test it from the inputs of learned members.

While Madan Mohan went on making countless number of very high quality songs with Rafi Saab, as he did even with Lata Ji for that matter, he had faced a very dicey/difficult situation from 1964 on wards. The reason: In that year, Lata said that she would no longer sing with Rafi Saab, for her own reasons.

Now, Lata Mangeshkar is the hot favorite and blue-eyed girl of Madan Mohan, as was well-known to all and even to Lata.

The subsequent events from 1964 to 1966 have, however, shown that Madan Mohan did indeed make his choice decisively in favor of Rafi Saab, in this 'greatest male singer vs. greatest female singer plus personal favorite' issue.

In 1964, Madan Mohan made music for the following Films: 1.Aap Ki Parchhayiyan, 2.Gazal, 3.Haqeeqat, 4.Jahan Ara, 5.Pooja Ke Phool, 6.Sharabi, 7.Woh Kaun Thhi and 8.Suhagan

In 1965, Madan Mohan composed for the following Films:1.Bombay Race Course, 2.Naya Qanoon, 3.Neela Akash, 4. Rishte Naate and 5. Dak Ghar

In 1966, Madan Mohan was the MD for the following Films: 1.Dulhan Ek Raat Ki 2. Ladka Ladki, 3.Mera Saya and 4.Neend Hamari Khawab Tumhari.

We are talking of 1964-66 as this was the period of Rafi-Lata rift.

Firstly, Madan Mohan retained Rafi Saab as the lead singer (be it solos or duets) for over 80% of the above named Films and had at least one song of Rafi Saab even in the other 20%, barring just a Film or Two.

Secondly, coming to the interesting part of duets in the above Films, Madan Mohan had used Lata Ji and excluded Rafi Saab only for the following five duets (open to additions).

1."Ae Sanam Aaj Yeh Qasam"--Jahan Ara (1964)--Lata and Talat

2."Bheegi Chandini"--Suhagan (1964)--Lata and Manna Dey

3."Tum Hi To Meri Pooja Ho"--Suhagan (1964)--Lata and Talat

4."Chod Kar Tere Pyaar Ka Daman"--Woh Kaun Thi(1964)--Lata and Mahendra Kapoor

5."Aap Ne Apna Banaaya, Meherbaani"--Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1966)--Lata and Mahendra Kapoor.

Out of the above, Jahan Ara duet can be excluded as Rafi Saab was, in any case, not the lead male singer for Jahan Ara. It was indeed Talat.

In contrast, Madan Mohan had, in the above named 1964-66 Films, around 12-15 duets featuring Rafi Saab either with Asha or Suman, not to speak of an equal number of all-time great solos of Rafi Saab in these very Films.

Some of these memorable duets of Rafi-Suman and Rafi-Asha are 1.Baad Muddat Ke yeh Ghadi Aayi, 2.Mujhe Yeh Phool Na De Tujh Ko Dilbari Ki Qasam, 3.Jaao Ji Jaao Dekhen Hai Bade Tum Jaise Chor Lutere, 4.Ab Do Dilon Ki Mushqil Aasan Ho Gayi Hai, 5. Aap Ko Pyaar Chupaane Ki Buri Adat Hai, 6.Tere Paas Aake Mera Waqt Guzar, 7.Kabhi Tera Daman NA Chodenge Ham, 8.Husn Jab Jab Ishq Se Takaragaya.

Madan Mohan is indeed one of the many great MDs who knew the worth of Rafi Saab!!

Venkat

This post has been edited by venkat: Sep 30 2008, 11:13 AM