Too many death anniversaries as well as birthdays… I was reminded that July 31 was Rafi’s death anniversary. So I will add one from Baiju Bawra (one of those “obvious” movie choices), posted once before… Rafi is great in this one, and he may well be the star of the song, though Meena’s clearly the star of the scene, with her incredibly vivid facial expressions, etc. And Bharat Bhushan isn’t so bad here, either…
And Here’s One for Rafi, Too
02 Tuesday Aug 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
I like that “And Bharat Bhushan isn’t so bad here, either…”!! ;-) I agree – quite a change, huh? Yes, this is one song where I don’t mind him at all – perhaps because he’s being playful rather than his usual either sombre or sappily romantic self?
Indeed Rafi’s voice is heavenly in this song! This is from a period when he reigned supreme, and no wonder.. I rewatched this film earlier this year just for the music and though as a norm I cannot bear Bharat Bhushan nor Meena in her forever tearful roles, they were both quite good in this film. Meena looks young and innocent in this debut film of hers and Bharat Bhushan looks less prosy then his normal self. But Rafi is the star of this film!
Dustedoff and Suja, yes, I guess we’re all in agreement about Bharat Bhushan. :) And Suja, I have no problem with naming Rafi as the star of this film! (With acknowledgments to Naushad…)
Regarding Meena Kumari, I like her in all the roles that I’ve seen her play (and love her in quite a few :) )… Granted, there were a couple of films in the late ’60s and early ’70s that were far from her best and not so great as films, either. Ah, but then there was Pakeezah…
She is very young and innocent in Baiju Bawra, which I guess was her breakthrough film. But I have gathered that it was far from her debut, even as the “adult” Meena Kumari During the past dozen or so days, I’ve posted clips from some of her earlier films… Madhosh, featured in the birthday post, was made one year earlier than Baiju Bawra, 1951. And the first of the Geeta-on-Meena clips that I posted on July 20 is from Shree Ganesh Mahima, made in 1950. (I think her debut as an “adult” was in the other mythological that I’ve linked to, Veer Ghatotkach, made in 1949.) Then, of course, there’s Baby Meena, as in Lal Haveli. She was only 11 in that, but she was very good. (Though, of course, I watched that film mainly for its great singer, who really was counted as the star. ;) )
funnily I liked Bharat Bhushan a lot in this song and in all the romantic bits in the film. And yo… Rafi was God!!
As netdhaba says Rafi was God!! He was just so effortless. And Bharat Bhushan was different here, hence so likeable!!
A good choice of song to remember Rafi by.
Poor Bharart Bhushan :)
I do think he suited the role of a poet or an artist, very well.
I don’t mind meena kumari in any form. She was always graceful and elegant.
Suhaani raat dhal chuki, na jane tum kab aaoge.
I guess I would pick this as my Rafi fave.
Netdhaba and Sharmi, thanks for the comments re. Rafi being God. You are not the first people who have pointed this out to me in the past few years (somebody was saying as much to me off-blog, quite a few times, back in 2007 :) ). Admittedly, I tend to focus more on female voices (and my number one singing goddess is still Noor Jehan :) ), but among male singers, I agree that Rafi was the greatest.
Pacifist, yes, we shouldn’t be too critical of Bharat Bhushan… He was believable enough as the great artist type in Baiju Bawra and Barsaat Ki Raat… And, oh yes, I agree re. Meena Kumari in any form…
Ava, “Suha Raat Dhal Chucki” is one of my favorites too. I included it in my post of seven songs for Rafi’s death anniversary last year:
http://roughinhere.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/seven-of-my-favorite-rafi-songs/
Rafi, Rafi, RAfi!
Great singer and a great human being!
Love his songs, love his renditions!
‘Tu ganga ki mauj me’ is a nice gem in this crown of Naushad’s creation. And Naushad had many other crowns as well!
Saw this movie after a long, long time last year and surprisingly loved it, although I’d thought I will most probably not like it.
Thanks for this!
I always think I should make a post on Rafi, whom I like so much, but just can’t muster up enough courage to approach this huge talent. Once I jokingly mentioned to Madhu, I will make a list of ‘famous’ Rafi songs, which I don’t like. That would be an easier list to make than my fav one!
And my statement to
‘Suhani raat dhal chuki’
I think it will head my list of famous Rafi song I don’t like. After his death in 1980 (?) it was played to death on radio and TV and everywhere else.
And I was wondering all the time what is baugi?
Why?
I thought the song is
Suhani raat dhal chuki, na jaane tumko baugi?
I think if I make this Rafi songs I don’t like it will be sort of a purgation for me! ;-)
@harvey: You should probably be making your own ‘top ten list’ of songs you’ve misunderstood!! :-D This was hilarious!
Harvey, if I were so conscientious about trying to pick the best Rafi songs (and somehow do them justice with my post?), I never would have done any Rafi posts, either. (Though I know I have not done an adequate number as it is…) So, I just toss out a bunch of them that come to mind once in a while and assume, well, there’s no way people could NOT like these…
But you don’t like “Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki”… Hmm, I am wondering if you ever have seen this YouTube clip, because surely, you must at least like the first five seconds of this…
Actually, I think Geeta Bali was the best person in that movie (apologies once again to all those worshipful Madhubala fans)… I thought of writing Dulari up, but, eh, I have to be inspired to actually write up a movie these days, and I didn’t find this film too inspiring beyond the music…
I also thought of doing a Missing-Girl-With-A-Birthmark theme post – could bring in Dulari and Miss Mary as well… Well, maybe that will work sometime…
Richard, I just use my conscientiousness as an excuse to spare me the work of going through all the wonderful songs sung by Rafi and also the pain to leave out good songs. I think I am more indecisive than conscientious. ;-)
But I love your method of just choosing songs which you like and posting them. Maybe I should copy your method! But I am even too lazy to do that. ;-)
Yeah the first five seconds of the song ARE beautiful. I loved the dog! ;-) And yeah, there was Geeta Bali somewhere in the background as well.
A Missing-Girl-With-A-Birthmark theme post would be great! Do try and do it if possible. Dustedoff and I were discussing a recognizing-lost-sibling-through-song list sometime back and I am too lazy to do one!
>I thought the song is
Suhani raat dhal chuki, na jaane tumko baugi?
ROTFLOL!!
Lovely song. Meena Kumari’s beauty showed through so much better in her earlier films before the heavy eye make-up took over. She was still stunning though, some clips of her at Filmfare Awards just a couple of years before her death reveal a naturally beautiful woman.
Here’s a beautiful song of Rafi’s pictured on 2 people who I think are totally not up to the song!! (prejudice, I know).
Thank you, Bawa. I agree, a beautiful song with the people/picturization not totally up to it. :)
By the way, from the glimpses that I’ve seen so far, I just don’t like Rajshree nearly as much as I like her parents…
Yes, she is pretty enough but there’s something missing in her screen presence.