Mohammed Rafi's : Know some unknown facts

!!!!

Mohammed Rafi's : Know some unknown facts
Known as the voice of Indian Cinema, Mohammed Rafi was a playback singer who was globally acclaimed for his versatile songs varying from classical numbers, ghazals, qawwalis, patriotic songs, bhajans etc.

On Mohammed Rafi's 35th birth anniversary, here are some unknown facts that you know:

• Mohammad Rafi was born on December 24, 1924 and died on July 31, 1990
  

• Mohammed Rafi's nickname was Pheeko
  

• He originally belonged to Kotla Sultan Singh, a village in Amritsar district and he later moved to Lahore with his family
  

• At the age of 13, Mohammed Rafi made his first public appearance in Lahore where he featured K. L. Saigal
  

• In 1944, Mohammed Rafi made his playback singing debut in Lahore along with Zeenat Begum in a duet, 'Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee'. He was also invited by All India Radio Ladhore to sing for them
  

• Mohammed Rafi debuted in Hindi films in 1945 with the film Gaon Ki Gori
  

• In 1948, after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Husanlal Bhagatram, Rajendra Krishan and Mohammed Rafi created the song, 'Suno Suno Ae Duniyawalon, Bapuji Ki Amar Kahani' overnight. Mohammed Rafi was even invited by Jawaharlal Nehru to sing at his house
  

• Mohammed Rafi has sung about 4,516 Hindi songs, 112 other language songs and about 328 personal songs
  

• Mohammed Rafi sang in many languages which include Assamese, Konkani, Bhojpuri, English, Persian, Dutch, Spanish,  Telugu, Maithili, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi, Bengali etc.
  

• Mohammed Rafi's burial was one of the largest funeral processions in India as over 10,000 people attended his burial
  

• In July 2011, over 9,000 musical tributes were organised to celebrate his death anniversary
  

• Mohammad Rafi's 'Baharon Phool Barsao' was voted as the most popular Hindi song in BBC Asia Network poll
  

• Mohammed Rafi received about six Filmfare Awards and one National Film Award
  

• In a survey conducted by CNN-IBN, Mohammed Rafi was voted as the greatest voice of Hindi Cinema
  

• In 1948, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru honoured Rafi with a silver medal
  

• In 1967, the Government of India awarded Mohammed Rafi with Padma Shri award
  

As per a blog in the internet, Naushad Ali ji, when asked the question about Mohd Rafi, he said Rafi Sahab was his most favorite singer. When the press reporter asked him the reason Naushad said for a playback singer 7 essential qualities are necessary and Rafi possessed an 8th quality too which was rare for a playback singer.

Then the press reporter eagerly asked Naushad what are the 7 qualities and which is the 8th quality that Rafi Sahab had. Naushad answered.

For a playback singer the 7 qualities are.

Good Voice

Classical training

Diction

Expression

Voice modulation

Clarity in Base voice

Sur

He added apart from all these qualities Rafi had an 8th quality and that was he Is a very good person. He never had any ego or anything against anyone. He concentrated more on Riyaz and his work was everything for him.

Following is the incidence in the word of Dilip Kumar.
I remember an experience when Rafi Bhai and I were at the Indo-China border, soon after the conflict of 1962, to entertain the jawans of the Border Security Force. And suddenly a day prior to the show he lost his voice due to the severe cold causing a throat infection. Rafi bhai was in tears and inconsolable because he knew he would let down the eager jawans who were sending us little notes on pieces of paper with requests for the songs they wished to hear live at the show.



He kept on praying and I kept on giving him my own concotion of a ginger and honey drink which he drank obediently. And lo and behold it worked! Rafi Bhai couldn't believe it when he woke up in the morning of the day of the show and he cleared his throat and heard his own inimitable velvet voice. He was a karmayogi in the real sense of the word. He own numerous awards and recognition but he believed his real award was the admiration of the people, the common man for whose entertainment Allah had gifted him with the incomparable voice he possessed.




Few knows that there was a song sung by Rafi on which blood came out of Rafi's throat while singing. This song was the “O Duniya Ke Rakhwale” of movie “Baiju Bawra”. For this song, Rafi did 'Riyaz' for 15 days. But after the song, his voice broke up badly and people started saying that he would not be able to regain his voice again. But it did not happen and after some years he again recorded this song and sang it on higher scale than before, that too without any hassle.


There is an interesting fact related to this famous song. Once a criminal was about to hanged. When he was asked for his last wish, he neither sought any special food nor did he meet his family. He said that he wants to hear Rafi's song “O Duniya Ke Rakhwale” before he dies. The jail officials were also stunned after hearing this wish. After this the song was played on a tape recorder.

Amittkumarr

Great information about the legend. Thanks for sharing

cabrito

cool info about the evergreen singer who is loved through all  generations..
thanks.

somyajeet

Really fascinating to read.

Akm1001

Only had heard that blood came out while singing “O Duniya Ke Rakhwale”. Got confirmed now. Indèed a singer par excellence.

jayyogeswarusa

The legend and wonderful singer and can be role model of secularism