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

[Saurabh Marwaha]

Thanks for the info Venkat ji.

A few years back, Amin Sayani used to present a program on one of the FM channels and in one of the programs, he told an incredible thing.

B.R. Chopra had signed O.P. Nayar as Music Director for the movie Naya Daur and wanted Mahinder Kapoor to sing all the songs of the film. It was well known that Mr B.R. Chopra had a misunderstanding with Rafi Shaab as despite this fact O.P. Nayar had an argument with him.

Nayar told Chopra that "O.P. Nayar is incomplete without Rafi and if you want me to do the film, Rafi will be the lead singer" and even though Mahinder Kapoor also sang songs in that movie, it were Rafi's songs (Solo and Duet) which created the magic which is alive today as well.

Saurabh Marwaha

[venkat]

Thanks for the info Venkat ji.

A few years back, Amin Sayani used to present a program on one of the FM channels and in one of the programs, he told an incredible thing.

B.R. Chopra had signed O.P. Nayar as Music Director for the movie Naya Daur and wanted Mahinder Kapoor to sing all the songs of the film. It was well known that Mr B.R. Chopra had a misunderstanding with Rafi Shaab as despite this fact O.P. Nayar had an argument with him.

Nayar told Chopra that "O.P. Nayar is incomplete without Rafi and if you want me to do the film, Rafi will be the lead singer" and even though Mahinder Kapoor also sang songs in that movie, it were Rafi's songs (Solo and Duet) which created the magic which is alive today as well.

Saurabh Marwaha

Thanks, Saurabh Ji, for this post. OPN is quite capable of taking on anyone, however big, on what he believes is correct.

But, to the best of my knowledge, Rafi Saab is the sole male voice in Naya Daur. No MK songs in that movie that I know of. Open to correction.

Venkat

[nasir]

Thanks for the info Venkat ji.

A few years back, Amin Sayani used to present a program on one of the FM channels and in one of the programs, he told an incredible thing.

B.R. Chopra had signed O.P. Nayar as Music Director for the movie Naya Daur and wanted Mahinder Kapoor to sing all the songs of the film. It was well known that Mr B.R. Chopra had a misunderstanding with Rafi Shaab as despite this fact O.P. Nayar had an argument with him.

Nayar told Chopra that "O.P. Nayar is incomplete without Rafi and if you want me to do the film, Rafi will be the lead singer" and even though Mahinder Kapoor also sang songs in that movie, it were Rafi's songs (Solo and Duet) which created the magic which is alive today as well.

Saurabh Marwaha

Thanks, Saurabh Ji, for this post. OPN is quite capable of taking on anyone, however big, on what he believes is correct.

But, to the best of my knowledge, Rafi Saab is the sole male voice in Naya Daur. No MK songs in that movie that I know of. Open to correction.

Venkat

Here is where O.P scores over LP. In my opinion had LP stood their ground (as Madan Mohan was to do later in LAILA MAJNU in 1975) and used Rafi Sahaab in Bobby, then MAIN SHAAYAR TOH NAHIN would have been in Rafi Sahaab's voice.

Agree with you Venkatji that the sole male voice, including the so-called duet YEH DESH HAI VEER JAWAANON KA, in Naya Daur is that of Rafi Sahaab. We also know that Mahendra Kapoor first chance came with Naushad in SOHNI MAHIWAL (1958) and later NAV RANG (1959).

The question is: Was voice-over recording prevalent during that period?

[venkat]

Thanks for the info Venkat ji.

A few years back, Amin Sayani used to present a program on one of the FM channels and in one of the programs, he told an incredible thing.

B.R. Chopra had signed O.P. Nayar as Music Director for the movie Naya Daur and wanted Mahinder Kapoor to sing all the songs of the film. It was well known that Mr B.R. Chopra had a misunderstanding with Rafi Shaab as despite this fact O.P. Nayar had an argument with him.

Nayar told Chopra that "O.P. Nayar is incomplete without Rafi and if you want me to do the film, Rafi will be the lead singer" and even though Mahinder Kapoor also sang songs in that movie, it were Rafi's songs (Solo and Duet) which created the magic which is alive today as well.

Saurabh Marwaha

Thanks, Saurabh Ji, for this post. OPN is quite capable of taking on anyone, however big, on what he believes is correct.

But, to the best of my knowledge, Rafi Saab is the sole male voice in Naya Daur. No MK songs in that movie that I know of. Open to correction.

Venkat

Here is where O.P scores over LP. In my opinion had LP stood their ground (as Madan Mohan was to do later in LAILA MAJNU in 1975) and used Rafi Sahaab in Bobby, then MAIN SHAAYAR TOH NAHIN would have been in Rafi Sahaab's voice.

Agree with you Venkatji that the sole male voice, including the so-called duet YEH DESH HAI VEER JAWAANON KA, in Naya Daur is that of Rafi Sahaab. We also know that Mahendra Kapoor first chance came with Naushad in SOHNI MAHIWAL (1958) and later NAV RANG (1959).

The question is: Was voice-over recording prevalent during that period?

No, no, Nasir Ji. When I said Rafi Saab was the sole male voice in Naya Daur, I meant for the leading man. Actually, the only other male voice(s) in that Film are those of Balbir & chorus and that too only in that group song, "Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawanon Ki", along with Rafi Saab. In any case, there was no MK in that Film.

Venkat

PS. I think MK's very first song for OPN was that infamous "Badal Jaaye Agar Mali Chaman Hota Nahin Khali" from Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi(1966).

This post has been edited by venkat: Oct 21 2008, 08:41 PM

[nasir]

Thanks for the info Venkat ji.

A few years back, Amin Sayani used to present a program on one of the FM channels and in one of the programs, he told an incredible thing.

B.R. Chopra had signed O.P. Nayar as Music Director for the movie Naya Daur and wanted Mahinder Kapoor to sing all the songs of the film. It was well known that Mr B.R. Chopra had a misunderstanding with Rafi Shaab as despite this fact O.P. Nayar had an argument with him.

Nayar told Chopra that "O.P. Nayar is incomplete without Rafi and if you want me to do the film, Rafi will be the lead singer" and even though Mahinder Kapoor also sang songs in that movie, it were Rafi's songs (Solo and Duet) which created the magic which is alive today as well.

Saurabh Marwaha

Thanks, Saurabh Ji, for this post. OPN is quite capable of taking on anyone, however big, on what he believes is correct.

But, to the best of my knowledge, Rafi Saab is the sole male voice in Naya Daur. No MK songs in that movie that I know of. Open to correction.

Venkat

Here is where O.P scores over LP. In my opinion had LP stood their ground (as Madan Mohan was to do later in LAILA MAJNU in 1975) and used Rafi Sahaab in Bobby, then MAIN SHAAYAR TOH NAHIN would have been in Rafi Sahaab's voice.

Agree with you Venkatji that the sole male voice, including the so-called duet YEH DESH HAI VEER JAWAANON KA, in Naya Daur is that of Rafi Sahaab. We also know that Mahendra Kapoor first chance came with Naushad in SOHNI MAHIWAL (1958) and later NAV RANG (1959).

The question is: Was voice-over recording prevalent during that period?

No, no, Nasir Ji. When I said Rafi Saab was the sole male voice in Naya Daur, I meant for the leading man. Actually, the only other male voice(s) in that Film are those of Balbir & chorus and that too only in that group song, "Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawanon Ki", along with Rafi Saab. In any case, there was no MK in that Film.

Venkat

PS. I think MK's very first song for OPN was that infamous "Badal Jaaye Agar Mali Chaman Hota Nahin Khali" from Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi(1966).

"Infamous?" Do you mean that this was the first time after the Rafi- OPN rift that the song was given to MK? Of course, as you know there is the very popular Rafi Sahaab's number: AAPKE HASEEN RUKH PE...

If my memory serves me right, this was the very movie which initially had SD Burman as its music director and for which he had composed Kishore's YEH DIL NA HOTA (subsequently transferred to JEWEL THIEF).

On the side, the moment this MK song is mentioned I am automatically taken back in time to a hot debate in a running train. A person was actually criticizing the lyrics of the song: "ARRE YEH KYA LIKHA HAI" etc. Maybe Anand Bakshi was a new comer at that time and did not click well with some lyrics-lovers?

I may say that this song is my favourite among the MK songs.

[venkat]

Thanks for the info Venkat ji.

A few years back, Amin Sayani used to present a program on one of the FM channels and in one of the programs, he told an incredible thing.

B.R. Chopra had signed O.P. Nayar as Music Director for the movie Naya Daur and wanted Mahinder Kapoor to sing all the songs of the film. It was well known that Mr B.R. Chopra had a misunderstanding with Rafi Shaab as despite this fact O.P. Nayar had an argument with him.

Nayar told Chopra that "O.P. Nayar is incomplete without Rafi and if you want me to do the film, Rafi will be the lead singer" and even though Mahinder Kapoor also sang songs in that movie, it were Rafi's songs (Solo and Duet) which created the magic which is alive today as well.

Saurabh Marwaha

Thanks, Saurabh Ji, for this post. OPN is quite capable of taking on anyone, however big, on what he believes is correct.

But, to the best of my knowledge, Rafi Saab is the sole male voice in Naya Daur. No MK songs in that movie that I know of. Open to correction.

Venkat

Here is where O.P scores over LP. In my opinion had LP stood their ground (as Madan Mohan was to do later in LAILA MAJNU in 1975) and used Rafi Sahaab in Bobby, then MAIN SHAAYAR TOH NAHIN would have been in Rafi Sahaab's voice.

Agree with you Venkatji that the sole male voice, including the so-called duet YEH DESH HAI VEER JAWAANON KA, in Naya Daur is that of Rafi Sahaab. We also know that Mahendra Kapoor first chance came with Naushad in SOHNI MAHIWAL (1958) and later NAV RANG (1959).

The question is: Was voice-over recording prevalent during that period?

No, no, Nasir Ji. When I said Rafi Saab was the sole male voice in Naya Daur, I meant for the leading man. Actually, the only other male voice(s) in that Film are those of Balbir & chorus and that too only in that group song, "Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawanon Ki", along with Rafi Saab. In any case, there was no MK in that Film.

Venkat

PS. I think MK's very first song for OPN was that infamous "Badal Jaaye Agar Mali Chaman Hota Nahin Khali" from Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi(1966).

"Infamous?" Do you mean that this was the first time after the Rafi- OPN rift that the song was given to MK? Of course, as you know there is the very popular Rafi Sahaab's number: AAPKE HASEEN RUKH PE...

If my memory serves me right, this was the very movie which initially had SD Burman as its music director and for which he had composed Kishore's YEH DIL NA HOTA (subsequently transferred to JEWEL THIEF).

On the side, the moment this MK song is mentioned I am automatically taken back in time to a hot debate in a running train. A person was actually criticizing the lyrics of the song: "ARRE YEH KYA LIKHA HAI" etc. Maybe Anand Bakshi was a new comer at that time and did not click well with some lyrics-lovers?

I may say that this song is my favourite among the MK songs.

Nasir Ji,

Infamous only for the circumstances of the song. But otherwise, it is a very good song and I too like it.

The lyrics for "Badal Jaaye Agar Mali Chaman Hota Nahin Khali" were written By Kaifi Azmi. May be Kaifi Azmi was criticised as his prediction in the song went wrong!

And this song is also the first ever song of OPN with MK in OPN's career, not just first MK-OPN song after Rafi-OPN rift! OPN was so very loyal to Rafi Saab till then. Earlier, he had used Talat and Kishore only in Films wherein they themselves were the Heros!! OPN had used Manna Dey in three songs, but all of them duets with Rafi Saab.

On the other hand, OPN used Rafi Saab even on Kishore's acting in three or four songs in Raagini and Bhagambhagh.

Venkat

This post has been edited by venkat: Oct 22 2008, 05:47 PM