Listening to a collection of songs recently, I realised the legendary Mohammed Rafi had given voice to more variety of subjects and characters than probably any other singer in the world. Given our film stories, lyrical metaphors are largely woven around shades of love but even within the constraints of cinematic poetry, Rafi Sahab brought alive some of the most unconventional leitmotifs that range from names of cities, animals, professions and Gods to other highly weird and unusual topics!
What started the introspection was the comic yet stinging song “Mera Gadha Gadhon Ka Leader” (“Meharbaan”) as, even after five decades, it exemplified the complaints against the political class still remain the same and that giving animal epithets to human beings is grossly unfair to animals! After all, when have animals cheated human beings or their own brethren of food, fodder and shelter? However, coming back to Rafi Sahab, it is noteworthy that he gave ‘wings’ not just to several feathered creatures like crow and peacock but was equally fair to rat, monkey, bear and many other animals! The children’s eternal favourite “Chun Chun Karti Aayee Chidiya” (“Ab Dilli Door Nahin”) is only one example of the many variants available to us.
We may not see a rickshaw or tonga (horse carriages) anymore on our roads but veterans recollect how Rafi transformed Mehmood in “Chhoti Behan” into “Main Rickshawala” just as his exultations of “Ghoda Peshori Mera, Taanga Lahori Mera” (“Pyar Ka Bandhan”) converted Raj Kumar into the perfect horse lover.
His “Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye” may have come off Johnny Walker’s lips in “Pyaasa” but is the eternal marketing pitch of masseurs for decades. Today, as exorbitant prices burn a hole in our pocket; one wishes an affable shopkeeper would call “Aana O Bhaijaan Khilaun Paan” (“Taxi Stand”) or a caring vendor would come with “Badha Hee Sasta Maal Bechne Aaya Hai Bhajiwala” (“Dulhan”). Our photo-obsessed youngsters would be surprised that, once upon a time, street photographers took help of Rafi’s vocals from “Pehli Raat” to entice tourists with “Photo Khincha Le Babu”. Even though Rafi Sahab always stayed on the right side of the law yet he didn’t refrain from voicing the outlaws’ complaint that “Chor Bano Ya Mor, Yahan Sab Chalta Hai” (“Hum Sab Chor Hain”).
Surprisingly, much before cyber criminals were discovered, Rafi Sahab had warned “Sambhal Ke Ye Duniya Hai Nagar Hoshiyaaron Ka” (“Sitaaron Se Aage”) and given our present paranoia with terror, one easily sympathises with Rafi’s request for “Aisa Na Maaro Nazaron Ke Bamb”. If he makes us comprehend the plight of the distraught man who reckons marriage to disaster “…Jise Kahte Hain Shaadi, Wo Hai Barbaadi” (“Kaaghaz ke Phool”), it is even more in the case of the man who is “Ghar Ki Murgi Daal Baraabar” (“Street Singer”)! And surely none would disagree with the observation “Badla Sara Zamana, Satyanarain Ki Katha Mein Ab to Bajta Filmi Gaana” (“Paighaam”) since irrespective of caste and community, Indian festivities are never complete without film songs!
Johnny Walker’s call for mother’s help through Rafi Sahab when he finds “Zulf Ke Phande Phans Gayee Jaan” (“Mujrim”) is similar to Mehmood’s call for justice with “Hum Kaale Hain To Kya Hua Dilwaale Hain” (“Gumnaam”). And if in his inimitable style Rafi helps Mehmood’s Telugu studded yearnings reach Helen with “Badkamma, Badkamaa, Ekad Poto Ra” (“Shatranj”), he also comes to the comedian’s rescue when Mehmood risks extinction with “Mehbooba Mehbooba, Banalyo Mujhe Dulha, Jaladyo Mera Chulha” (Sadhu Aur Shaitan”)! In fact, several of Rafi Sahab’s gibberish croonings like “Suku Suku” (“Junglee”), “Tumse Rippy Tippy Ho Gayee” (“Agra Road”) and “Tarara Ram Pampam” (“Musafirkana”) make people smile in delight till this day.
Though born in the city of the Golden Temple, Rafi Sahab expressed no bias against any other city even though he playfully warned us about life being difficult in Bombay! So even though he teases with “Ye Hai Bombay Meri Jaan” (“CID”), he is all praise for Uttar Pradesh capital with a heartfelt “Ye Lucknow Ki Sarzameen” (“Chaudhvin Ka Chand”). And if Rafi questions “Suno Suno, Miss Chatterji, Kalkatte Wali Rooth Gayee Kyun” in “Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi”, his songs like “Gudiya Japan Ki” (“Love In Tokyo”), “Rome Ki Vaadiyon Mein” (“Spy in Rome”) and “Brindaban Ka Krishna Kanhaiyya” (“Miss Mary”) only remind you how Rafi transcended continents making several cities from Jaipur to Paris proud with his association.
Delve deep and you find Rafi has elaborated on several styles and items of dresses and “Pajama Tang Hai Kurta Dheela, Gajab Hai Uspe Dupatta Neela” (“Simla Road”) is just a solitary example. In fact, from colours to walking sticks and shoes to kitchenware have found a place on Rafi’s lyrical lips just as various festivals like Holi, Diwali and Raakhi have come alive through his voice. In the secular spirit of the nation, along with the sacred names of rivers, mountains and Bapu, Rafi Sahab has chanted probably most known names of divinity from Allah, Jesus, Ishwar, Mohammed, Bhagwan, Ganesh and Ganpati to Ram, Rahim, Krishna, Nandlal, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv and Mahesh; the songs being far too many to elaborate in this small feature.
Frankly, there are far too many characters like priests, missionaries, soldiers, farmers, beggars, drunkards, cobblers and even eunuchs whom Rafi Sahab gave life on screen with his divinely gifted talent. No wonder Music Director Jaidev once told me that certain films like “Pyaasa” and “Baiju Bawra” would have been impossible to make were it not for the sheer virtuosity of this colossus singer. After all, none except Rafi Sahab’s immortal singing could have convinced us that a deity’s statue could be moved to tears (“O Duniya Ke Rakhwale”) and it isn’t a surprise why people cannot get over him as he still remains an integral part of their lives!
