Rafi@100: Colossus who looms over Hindi music to this day
His silken timbre, a product of classical training and raw talent, would raise him to near-revered status across multiple generations
Looking back at Mohammed Rafi’s legacy, in an age of autotune, AI and meme culture, one cannot help but marvel at the era he belonged to, of poet-musicians and timeless classics, songs we can all still hum today, and a voice that can’t be forgotten.
In a world divided between Rafi and his great contemporary Kishore Kumar, it needed time for many from the then-younger generation to understand the unparalleled artistry of Rafi’s voice, but they eventually came around to its fluid versatility and emotional depth. He looms over the landscape of Hindi film music, a colossus even today.
Born 100 years ago, on December 24, 1924, Rafi had his debut as a singer at the age of 17. Over nearly four decades, from 1945 until 1980 (when he died of a massive heart attack, aged just 55), he would lend that rich, ache-filled voice to about 5,000 songs.
His silken timbre, a product of classical training and raw talent, would raise him to near-revered status across multiple generations.
“As Shailendra was jan kavi (poet to the people), Rafi was jan gaayak. He was the voice of the aam aadmi, the common man,” says film historian and musicologist Pavan Jha. “For instance, there were great vocalists such as Kumar Gandharva and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. The common person could appreciate their singing, but could not sing their songs. In contrast, Rafi’s songs were accessible, allowing anyone to connect with them. That’s the deep connection that endures across decades, generations, perhaps centuries.”
What versatility that voice held. Rafi moved with effortless ease between the classical refinement of Man Re Tu Kahe Na Dheer Dhare (Chitralekha, 1964) and Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re (Kohinoor; 1960) to the vibrant energy of Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe (Junglee, 1961) and the tender melancholy of Tumne Mujhe Dekha Hokar Meherban (Teesri Manzil, 1966).
Through his career, he didn’t just sing for actors; he turned them into stars.
Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Guru Dutt, Shammi Kapoor, even Johnny Walker all seemed to gleam, larger than life, when his talent was joined with theirs.
What set Rafi apart was an uncanny ability to mould his voice to fit the persona of each actor, adapting effortlessly to situation and style. This makes him one of the greatest playback singers in history.
Think of how different he sounded when singing Chhoo Lene Do (Nazuk Hothon Ko) for Raaj Kumar in Kaajal (1965), and when singing Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan for Johnny Walker in CID (1956).
He had a voice one cannot forget, and yet it never intruded on a scene. When the vocals began, you didn’t think, “Oh, that’s Rafi.” You stayed in the moment; stayed in the story. That too makes him one of the greatest playback singers in history.
A different pathAs an artist — whether a musician, lyricist or singer — you want your work to stand out. Rafi’s true mastery lay in surrendering to the character on screen. Rafi sa’ab had that samarpan (dedication). He simply merged with the actor and the character… I wish Rafisa’ab had given voice to my songs,” says lyricist Raj Shekhar (Tanu Weds Manu, Tumbadd, Animal).
“We all know of songs picturised on lesser-known or expressionless actors that achieved success thanks to Rafi’s voice,” adds Pavan Jha.
He recalls an interesting anecdote from the film Badnam Farishte (1971), a small production featuring a range of newcomers. Despite a promotional campaign that involved Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, the film was a flop.
“However, it has this one standout song — BA MA PhD Yeh Diplome Yeh Degree — featuring about 10 actors, all given voice by Rafi sa’ab,” Jha says. “His voice perfectly adapts to each character, smoothly transitioning from comic to serious tones, subtly ensuring each character stands out on its own. It’s remarkable.”
The test of timeSo, who was the better singer, Rafi or Kishore? I asked Anirudha Bhattacharjee, co-author of a National Award-winning biography of Kishore Kumar.
“They are both legends! Among the male singers, Rafi, Kishore, Manna Dey, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar and Talat Mahmood are the six jewels of post-Independence Hindi film music,” Bhattacharjee says. “But to put it bluntly, Rafi and Kishore are the only singers whose styles have stood the test of time. By which I mean they are the only singers constantly imitated by aspiring singers. Theirs are voices that will never go out of fashion.”
Artists such as Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet and Babul Supriyo have spoken of being inspired by Kishore Kumar. Those inspired by the Rafi legacy include Anwar, Mohammed Aziz, Shabbir Kumar and Sonu Nigam.
“Mohammed Rafi sa’ab has been like a peer (saint) in my life…I have truly worshipped him,” Sonu Nigam told HT, speaking on the occasion of Teacher’s Day, in September this year.
AR Rahman, Amit Trivedi, Vishal-Shekhar and Javed Akhtar have all acknowledged Rafi’s profound influence on their music.
The lyricist Raj Shekhar shares a fascinating example of his continued impact.
Pehle Bhi Main, a soothing romantic track written by Shekhar and sung by Vishal Mishra in Animal, became a chartbuster in 2023, he says, and then something strange happened. An AI-generated version featuring the voice of Rafi went viral. It rung out on Instagram for weeks.
“Eventually T-Series, the co-producers and music label, shared the song on their official YouTube channel. It racked up more views. I can’t help but feel a sense of wonder and joy that, in some way, Rafisa’ab’s voice is now part of one of my songs,” Shekhar says.
Perhaps one of my favourite tributes to the master comes from another legend, the iconic singer SP Balasubrahmanyam: “The (musician with the) maximum impact on me was Mohammed Rafi sa’ab,” Balasubrahmanyam has said. “Why Rafi sa’ab? Because of his expression. Just close your eyes and listen to him… you can see the situation, the scenario, the romance. I used to go to college and listen to this one particular song every day and shed tears — not from pathos, but from something close to Godliness… (Never mind) the heroine, who will not fall in love with you if you can sing in that voice?”
(Yasser Usman is a journalist who has authored best-selling biographies of Guru Dutt, Rajesh Khanna, Rekha and Sanjay Dutt)
