We have taken up to celebrate Mohammad Rafi’s anniversaries by publishing a series of articles that enlist the solo song of Mohammad Rafi with the music director for the first time in any film. The first 5-year slot of 1944 to 1948 was covered in Part I and Part II in December, 2016. We have covered 1949 and 1950-1951 of the 2nd five-year-slot of 1949 to 1953.
Presently we will take up years 1952 and 1953 of this 1949-1953 period..
[For the sake for structured documentation, I will be following the alphabetical sequence of Film names in the post.]
1952
Year 1952 had 80 songs to Mohammad Rafi’s account, of which 32 songs were solos. Naushad gave a slew of Rafi hits in Aan and Baiju Bawra. For Deewana, Naushad had one of Rafi’s immortal Tasweer Banata Hun Teri Khoon-e-Jigar Se.Ghulam Mohammad had had Rafi in films like Ajeeb Ladki, Amber and Sheesha, C Ramchandra in Saaqui and Maadn Mohan had him in Anjaam. Chitragupt had Rafi songs in a religious film, Bhakta Puran and a Sinbad series film, Sindbad The Sailor. Rafi gets repeat preference by several other music directors too.
O Moorakh Insaan Apne Ko Pehchan – Annadata – Mohammad Safi – Anjum Jaipuri
Mohammed Safi was an excellent Sitar player and music arranger. He has provided music independently in about 14 films and was a key assistant to Naushad.
Kit Jaoge Ghanshyam Murari Jaane Na Doonga – Mordhwaj – Narayan Dutt – Bharat Vyas
The most striking feature of the song is so complex orchestration in support of the song as well as for the interludes.
We find second part of the song on YT.
1953
The last year of the 2nd Five-year period of Mohammad Rafi’s career is quite rich in terms of the ‘first film wherein Rafi had a solo song with the music director’ as well as the films with the music directors who seem to have started giving Mohammad Rafi as lead male playback singer. If we have to select one Mohammad Rafi song from this year that has stood up the tests of time that would easily be Madan Mohan’s composition – Ye Duniya Pagalo Ka Bazaar. For the purpose of records, we note that the year had 31 solos songs of Mohammad Rafi out of a total of 71 songs.
Asides:
This should go on records as the only year where Mohammad Rafi has played back in the films which had the three Kapoor brothers.
Ghata Mein Chup Kar..Jo Dil Ki Baat Hoti Hai – Baaz – O P Nayyar – Majrooh Sultanpuri
O P Nayyar gets to toe in the narrow space through this Guru Dutt film which went on create a crescendo in the years to come. Guru Dutt also comes up in this directorial venture for the first time as a n actor too. The present song is cast in quawalli style. Interestingly, OPN has chosen Talat Mahmood for Mujhe Dekho Hasrat Ki Tasveer Hun Main
Koi Ameer Hai Koi Gareeb Hai – Dana Pani – Madan Junior – Kaif Irfani
The film credit has Shashi Kapoor to as one of the actors, who would have been 14 then.
Ajab Tori Duniya Ho More Rama – Do Bigha Jameen – Salil Chowdhury – Shailendra
Here is the song that can be said to be one more defining step in Mohammad Rafi’s career.
Jal Jal Ke Shama Ki Tarah Fariyad – Fariyadi – Baldev Nath Baali – Muzaffar Orakhzai
The song is cast in what we know as Mohammad Rafi’s signature style for the songs of sad mood.
Mohabbat Aur Wafa Ki….Chanda Ka Dil Toot Gaya Hai Roney Lage Hai Sitaare – Khoj – Nissar Bazmi – Raja Mahendi Ali Khan
The film has Shammi Kapoor in the lead role. It is said that Mohammad Rafi had charged only Rs. 1.00 to sing this Nissar Bazmi song.
Sulag Rahi Hein Husn Ki Sigdi Aaja Pakaye Prem Ki Khichadi – Madmast – V Balsara – Madhukar Rajasthani
Deft use of mandolin in the prelude and interlude has the distinct imprint of V Balsara. It seems Rafi was mandated to deliver this light-toned song with a dead-pan expression.
Chudiyan Lelo Gori, Pehan Le Chudi – Paapi – S Mohinder – Raja Mahendi Ali Khan
The record-worthy feature of the film is that this is the only film wherein Raj Kapoor was seen in a double role. And of course, we can count one more film where Rafi has playedback for Raj Kapoor.The film had another solo too – Tera Kaam Hai Jalna O Parawane – which had gained immense popularity.
Naram Naram Yeh Garam Garam Yeh Chane Gagan Ke Tare – Rangeela – Jamal Sen – S H Bihari
We have picked up this song over two other solos – Nadaan Na Ban E Matwale..Kuchh Haath Nahin and Sun Sun Meri Kahani Mushkil Hai Jaan Bachani – because it is similar genre as that of the earlier song. That genre is small-tradespersons-selling-their-wares-by-singing-on-the-streets songs.
To conclude the statistics the music directors with whom Mohammad Rafi sang his first solo song for the 2nd Five-Year-period of Mohammad Rafi’s career, we have had 10 films in 1949, 5 each in 1950 and 1951, 2 in 1952 and 8 films in 1953.
At this stage, Rafi has had established fairly wide base of association with music directors – of the vintage as well as golden era. Also, now more and more of his songs with repeat-music directors are getting high popularity. That sets a very interesting tone for the next 5-Year period.
The world is too small? or Is it? 