He had a soft voice in the form of velvet. His singing brought out the spirit of every song coming in his way. Mohammad Rafi is one of the most loved singers in India.
On its 45th Death Anniversary (31 July), the Hindu rewils its best songs.
Man re you don’t
Rafi has sung several timeless classics, but it is difficult for the 1964 film Chitralalishk to choose a much better than this bright composition. On the basis of raga Yemen welfare, this song calms your senses.
When Outlook Magazine organized a two decades ago between music composers, singers and lyricists a few decades ago, to choose the biggest Hindi film songs ever, it tops the list. When you may vary with some songs he selected, you will not be with this one.
Kabbi himself
Hum Dono gave great music by Jaidev. Lata-Rafi couple Abhi Na Jaho Chodkar can be the most popular song of the album, and Lata Mangeshkar Bhajan, is also the name Allah Tero. Nevertheless, there is something about this Rafi classic.
When Lata brought out the album Shradanjali as a tribute to the great singers, he chose this song and I did not do it to pay tribute to Rafi. Its versions were also beautiful.
Mere mehboob you
Some actor could romance in a beautiful Bollywood heroine like Rajendra Kumar. And he was very often near the sweet tunes to woo those beauties. Like this song tuned by Naushad for the 1963 film Mer Mehboob. Rafi’s singing and honey and love.
There is an equally delicious version of the song by Lata. And those scenes, which appeared on Dordersion on Saturday evening on the Onida Television Set in North Kerala city Kalpeta, are still fresh in memory.
Deen dhal jai
RK Narayan’s novel The Guide was ahead of his time and its hero Raju is one of the most powerful characters in Indian English stories.
Dev Anand played Raju on screen in the 1965 film guide. The novel was also made in English and its script was written by the Nobel Prize winner American novelist Pearl S Bak.
Raju’s feelings survived through his voice in this evergreen raga.
The music of the film by the score by SD Burman was extraordinary. Songs like Piya Toz Naina, Tere Mere Sapne, Aaj Jean Ki, Sion Beeman, Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya and Gata Rahe Mera Dil, make it one of the greatest albums in Hindi cinema so far.
Will meet again
This may not be the most in Rafi’s songs, but it is a rare gem. Tuned by Op Nayyar, which was more popular for its Pepier compositions, it is a grand song, which was set in Raga Yemen Kalyan for the 1966 film Yeh Rat Phir Na Aayegi. And Rafi had Asha Bhosle for the company.
The song is also a visual pleasure in Black-and-White, there is no remedy for the appearance of Sharmila Tagore’s appearance, which looked incredibly beautiful in her Amrapali dress. Some women could express shame and innocence the way she could.
Spread flowers
One of the most popular romantic songs of Indian cinema, and not without reason. Shankar-Jykishan gave some lovely poem by Hasrat Jaipuri a lovely tune and Rafi’s singing ensured its immortality. On the screen, Rajendra Kumar performed a romantic romance with a blush, whose natural dancer will click on the Replay button on YouTube.
The song based on Raga Shivranjani was voted as the biggest Bollywood song of all times by the BBC Asian Network in 2013.
This throne of the fence
Madan Mohan made sheer magic with his music. He was in one of his own classes and came with a magnificent song one after the other, most often through his music, Lata Mangeshkar’s voice. But this huge song of Jahn Ara of 1964 was presented by Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur, and they were both fantastic.
It is a pity that the song failed to catch the popular imagination. It should also be, even as an album as an album, Jahan Ara (Woh Choop Rahe To, then Wohi Sham, Jab Jab Tuma Bhulaya, Mein Teri Nazar Ka, Hall-e-Dial Yun Yun UNN).
For this throne of Bad Mudat, it can think of you about the very popular song of the 1990s – I will be angry, the film Papa Kahte Han Se, one of the best of Sonu Nigam.
From Main Pucha Chand
RD Burman’s favorite singer, a long distance, was Kishore Kumar, and together he came in some of Indian cinema songs. However, RD gave the song from the 1980 film Abdullah to Rafi. The result was pure magic. Better recording quality of that time also helped.
Chaudhwin’s few
The 1960 film Chaudhwin Ka Chand to one of the most popular songs from Rafi. Music composer Ravi’s tune was perfect for this love poem by Shakeel Batayuni.
Rani of Ai Phoolan
Another grand tune by Shankar-Jykishan, the most talented of composer couple, has a lot in Boliude. It is from the 1965 film Arzoo, for which two other great tunes, AJI Humse Bachkar and Chalke Teri Ankhon SE also presented. The film also had two beautiful Lata songs – Aji Roth Kar AB and Bedardi Balma.
Of course, there are many other Rafi songs that continue to please us. Songs like Terry Ankhon’s Shiva (Chirag), O Dunia’s ashes (God), What happened tere wada (We do some work nahin), Yeh Remi Zulfen (What raaste), This is my love sheet pad (confluence), You are my life (Aap to aisa na the), Pardesione to Akyan (Job jab flower khile) …
Published – July 31, 2025 12:33 PM IST
