Mohammad Rafi’s First Solo Song With The Music Director -1964 – 1966
Since 2016, we have taken up a series of articles that specifically remembers Mohammad Rafi’s First Solo Song with a Music Director as token of our appreciation of Mohammad Rafi’s songs as we commemorate his birth (24th December 1924) and death (31 July 1980) anniversaries. This exercise has given an excellent opportunity to revisit many of Mahammad Rafi’s songs remembered today, some of the songs that required a refreshing and some more that we got to listen first time. In the process, we have come more than 110 music directors.
We have selected a five-year slot each as the base review period. Starting from the year 1944, till now we have covered
- 1st Five-Year Period : 1944 -1948 ,
- 2nd Five-Year Period : 1949-1953,
- 3rd Five-Year period : 1954 – 1958, and
- 4th Five-Year Period – 1959 -1963
The present series commenced from the year 1944 when Mohammad Rafi set his feet in the Hindi Film World for the first time. From then till 1950, can be considered as the years wherein he gradually established his firm foothold on the male playback singing scene in the Hindi cinema. The decade of 50s saw his ascendancy to the numero uno position among the male playback singers. ‘60s was the period where his popular songs saw a quantum jump in the number of popular songs. ‘The ‘Aradhana’ phenomenon in 1969 jacked up Kishore Kumar to the No. 1 position almost overnight. Therefore, we had planned to limit our present exercise to the year 1969. Mohammad Rafi did remain active till 1980. He had several songs that were as good as his few among the best. There must have been some more music directors who were associated first time with Mohammad Rafi in this post-1969 period. But, this is a period which requires a point of view which should be different then what we have taken during 40s , 50s and then 60s. We will take up the post-1969 period separately in the future.
As such, we would now take up the last leg of our journey of Mohammad Rafi’s First Solo Song with a Music Director. This will be the period of 6 years, from 1964 to 1969.
Presently we take up the first half of the period 1964-19689, viz. years 1964 to 1966 so as to focus our attention to the core subject – Mohammad Rafi’s first solo Song with a Music Director – in our present post.
1964
1964 has 143 solo songs of Mohammad Rafi.
We have four music directors who have had their first solo song by Mohammad Rafi
Robin Banerjee
Robin Banerjee composed music for his very first film ‘Insaaf Kahaan Hai” in 1958. He went to compose music for another 20 odd films, all of B and C grade ones. He is best remembered for his Tum Jo Aao To Pyar Aa Jaye (Sakhi Robin, 1962; Manna Dey, Suman Kalyanpur)
Ek Taraf Hai Maa Ki Chhaya Ek Taraf Hai Taaj – Aandhi Aur Toofan – Lyrics: Farooq Kaiser
Here we have a classic background song.
V Nagayya
S Nagayya [a.k.a Chittoor V. Nagaiah (born Vuppaladadiyam Nagaiah Sarma)] was a multilingual Indian film actor, composer, director, producer, writer and playback singer
Dil Ko Hamare Chain Nahi Hai – Bhakt Randasu
The film was a remake Telugu film of the same name. V Nagiah had acted in the Telugu version in the role of 17th-century saint Kancharla Gopanna.
Mohammad Rafi is as his silken best as he begins this pleasure and has a high scale ending to the song as well.
Gandharva Ghantshala
I have not been able to locate much information about this music director.
Parbat Dera Pyar Bhara Tha, Maine Dekhi Thi Ek Doli – Jhanda Uncha Rahe Hamara – Lyrics: Shrinivas
This also is a remake of Telugu film. Mohammad Rafi renders a recital-style song here.
Shanti Kumar Desai
Shanti Kumar Desai is documented to be active from 1934 to 1964. As it appears that Tere Dwar Khada Bhagwan was his last film. I have no means to check whether he has composed a Mohammad Rafi solo earlier than this.
Dil Todanewale Aaja Re Sang Chhodanewale Aaja Re – Tere Dwar Khada Bhagwan – Lyrics: Pt. Madhur
The songs is set to a typical bhajan style, but has allowed full freedom to Mohammad Rafi to explore low to high to low scale variations.
We will also take note of another Mohammad Rafi song in this film
Teri Yaad Ki Gaau Saragam Sargam – – Tere Dwar Khada Bhagwan – Lyrics: Pt. Madhur
The song reflects the sheer joy of the protagonist as he seems to be on the move for exploring his search for his God.
1965
1965 has 128 solo songs of Mohammad Rafi.
1965 to has 4 new music directors. These music directors, too, had, extremely limited active career span. However, the songs that we get to listen comes back to our memory no sooner the songs starts playing.
P D Sharma
Not much is known about P D Sharma. It seems that he has composed music for just this one film.
Ek Ek Tinke Par Kab Tak Insaano Ka Lahu Bahega – Baaghi Haseena – Lyrics:
The composition of the song seems quite competent one for someone who is so obscure as a music director.
Roy Frank
Again, I do not have much information about Roy Frank. However, his song Zara Keh Do FizaoN Se Hamein Itana Sataye Na (Talat Mahmood, Mubarak Begum; Gogol;a, 1966) can be his best introduction!
Puchho Na Humse Ki Hum Hain Kis Haal Mein – – Chor Darwaja – Lyrics: Qafil Azar
The feeling of regret for not being able to realize what one has intended is so beautifully set to a Gujarati folk Graba Tune.
Tum Jahan Jaaoge Mujh Ko Bhi Wahin Paaoge – Chor Darwaja – Lyrics: Qafil Azar
Mohammad Rafi fans should easily be able to recollect this song.
Lala Asar Sattar
Lala (Gangwane), Asar and Sattar Khan were ace musicians who worked with the leading music directors of their time. They teamed up as independent music directors, created a few dazzling stars, broke up, leaving Lala and Sattar to carry the baton, ultimately to be cosigned to oblivion. Hindi Film Music archive is grave to a score of such musicians.
Yug Yug Se Gaate Aaye Hain Dharti Aur Aasmaan – Jahan Sati WahaN Bhagwan – Lyrics: ?
The song has all the elements of a background, title, song, each one fully justified by Mohammad Rafi, by his soft yet strong tone that signifies deep and firm, and still, very humble, feelings for the omnipresence of the God.
We have one more film in the same year, where Lala Asad Sattar have created one of the most memorable Mohammad Rafi song.
Main To Tere Haseen Khayalon Mein Kho Gaya – Sangram – Lyrics: Aish Kanwal
One of the most blessed side of a typical B or C grade Hind film was its excellent music score. Most of the music directors who have scored music for such films were at the stage of their initial days of struggle. That may be one reason why almost every song they composed for such songs had their best, and highly creative, scores. Many of the films benefited at the box office by these excellent songs . However, Lady Luck chose to favor Laxmikant Pyarelal only from the lot.
Vedpal Verma
Vedpal Verma worked as a story writer and lyricist before becoming a music director.
Ab To Bata De Avgun Mere Paanv Pada Hu Shyam – Sant Tukaram = Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani
The song is an emotional prayer to the God, wherein the protagonists seeks to his weaknesses. As can expected, the song moves along with variations in the emotions, duly matched by Mohammad Rafi’s throw of words.
In the database of Mohammad Rafi, for the year 1965 there is a reference to one Shyam Sharma, who has composed music for a Bhojpuri film, Hamara Sansar, in this year.
Atul’s Song A Day has listed one Mohammad Rafi NFS created by Shyam Sharma – Paagal Naina Sagri Raina Teri Baat Nihaare.
The song is a hidden gem.
1966
The year 1966 has 105 solo songs of Mohammad Rafi.
The year 1966 has three new music directors.
Ganesh
Ganesh (Sharma) was the younger brother of Pyarelal (of Laxmikant Pyarelal duo.). His most known song is from the same year, Hum Tere Bin Jee Na Sakenge Sanam (Thakur Jarnail Singh, Asha Bhosle)
Jinki Tasveer Nigahon Mein Liye Phirta Hun – Husn Aur Ishq – Lyrics: Noor Devasi
The orchestration is set to Arabic style composition.
Harbans
One more music director for which hardly any information is available.
Girdhaari O Girdhaari Laut Bhi Aao O Girdhaari Radha Neer Bahae– Nagin Aur Sapera – Lyrics: Satyapal Sharma
We have a mature composition from this music director.
Babu Singh
From the available information, it seems that Babu Singh has only one Hindi film and one Bhojpuri films to his credit.
Unhe Manzil Nahi Milti Jo Kismat Ke Sahare Hai – Vidyaarthi – Lyrics: Madhukar Bihari
One more example of a mature composition from what seems to be one-film music director.
The film has two more Mohammad Rafi solos: Bankar Ke Insan banaye Tumko Ham Bhagwan and Suno Sunate Aaj Tumhe Hum Nehru Ji Ki Amar Kahani. Both the compositions are also equally mature ones. In fact, I remember having heard the second one, a story of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, on radio on Nehruji’s anniversaries in late 60s.
We will conclude our series on Mohammad Rafi’s First Solo Song with a Music Director in our December 2020 episode.
We will continue remembering Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month……..
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