

While it is impossible to pin a particular style on Mohammed Rafi, there was always something extra special about his songs that had a touch of the classical, says Prakash Dharmarajan. This piece celebrates the ‘classical’ side of Rafi through his romantic songs.
It’s that divine hour of the night when a profound stillness takes over. It is still dark, though it will not remain so for long. It is a time of calm, a time of serenity, a time to reflect, connect, and create. It is the time for Lalit. And if this night also happens to be awash with the light of a full moon, it is the time for Naushad to skilfully weave Shakeel’s poetry around the two madhyams and leave the rest to the magic of Rafi and Lata.
Ek shahenshah ne banwaake haseen Taj Mahal
Leader (1964)
If that’s not enough, we can treat ourselves to Rafi with Manna Dey in tandem with this surprising OP Nayyar offering.
Tu hai mera prem devta
Kalpana (1960)
—xxx—
They say that morning shows the day. So, what better way then, than to welcome the sun with the versatility of Bhairavi and her ability to assimilate every swara and emotion? Whether in viraha or milan, in devotion or for romance, in dhrupad, khayal, thumri, tappa, or film song, the ‘queen of the morning ragas’ reigns supreme. And Rafi demonstrated this with aplomb – with a playful, traditionally woven Holi song, composed by SN Tripathi…
Baat chalat nayi chunari rang nyaari
Rani Roopmati (1959)
…and then in a different mood where two lovers reaffirm their love in Khayyam’s little beauty.
Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum
Shola aur Shabnam (1961)
—xxx—
The brightness of mid-day calls for joy, playfulness and charm. The air must be suffused with the tinkle of anklets, and with the notes of Brindavani Sarang rendered with speed and swift taans. And who better than Rafi to capture this spirit – first with Lata in a beautiful composition by SN Tripathi…
Jhananan jhan Jhan baaje payaliya
Rani Roopmati (1959)
…and then with Asha in the more famous song tuned by Naushad.
Saawan aaye ya na aaye
Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966)
—xxx—
After the energy of the morning, it is time to rest for a bit. A great complement to the quietude is Bhimpalasi. We mustn’t be fooled by the weight of its name for it is soft and sweet – just like Rafi! Shankar-Jaikishan make the most of this tender sweetness in this lovely duet by Rafi and Lata, the gentleness of which makes even Shammi Kapoor move in slow motion!
Masoom chehra ye qaatil adaayein
Dil Tera Deewana (1962)
If the afternoon is long, we can complete it in the company of Multani, to hasten the appearance of the evening. Rafi, accompanied this time with Geeta Dutt in an SD Burman surprise – a playful presentation in what is usually a solemn, dignified raga!
Lag gayi ankhiyaan tumse mori
Jeevan Jyoti (1953)
—xxx—
After the splendour of sunset, the heart wonders what to do. Is this the time for devotion? Or an opportunity for playful romance? Or to contemplate unrequited love? The heart wavers with these questions and only the majestic Yaman can resolve this battle between the soft and the sharp. These dilemmas see Rafi at his best. First, he addresses Sahir’s philosophical questions set to tune by the incomparable Roshan.
Mann re tu kaahe na dheer dhare
Chitralekha (1964)
Then, he follows it up with this playful disclaimer composed by Naushad.
Tere husn ki kya taarif karuun
Leader (1964)
—xxx—
The second prahar of the night is when the world begins to wind down. This is when Kedar is often invoked in prayer – hoping that He grants shakti of the mind, and showers karam to the needy. But in the hands of a magician like OP Nayyar, Kedar becomes an instrument of romance, which he wields with customary aplomb through his favourite conspirators, Rafi and Asha.
Aap yunhi agar humse milte rahe
Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962)
Or if one prefers, one could choose Maru Bihag, where Rafi and Lata are in fine fettle as they sing Ramlal’s composition.
Tum toh pyaar ho sajni
Sehra (1963)
—xxx—
The witching hour calls for the weightiest music. That’s when the masters unleash the majesty of Malkauns. Its wide sweep includes the full range from meditative to frolic. It can be invoked to plead and coax the gods into revealing themselves to the devotee. It can also be a medium to playfully woo a lover. Rafi shows us the full range – but keeping with the spirit of our selections we will stick to the romantic. First, a bit of melodious mischief composed by Chitragupt.
Akhiyan sang akhiyaan laage aaj
Bada Aadmi (1961)
And then, because it is midnight, Rafi presents a drunken entreaty, spun by Ravi.
Chhoo lene do nazuk hothon ko
Kaajal (1965)
—xxx—
The day (and most of the night) is done. The energy is still high and so are the emotions. It’s time for a final celebration of everything that’s happened during the day. One final raga? Nah, let’s do a string of them – four in one shot. We’ll start with Sohini, and move rapidly through Bahar and Jaunpuri, and finally settle with Yaman. Rafi and Lata team up for this final hurrah – a famous ragamalika composed by Adi Narayana Rao.
Kuhu kuhu bole
Suvarna Sundari (1957)
And finally, we are back to that divine hour of the night when that profound stillness takes over.
Author’s note:
While looking at raga-inspired film songs, we must remember that the purpose of each song is to imbue emotion into the storytelling, and not to expound a raga. Hence, composers are free to embellish and modify their work to suit a situation. People may have differing, and sometimes confusing, views on which raga a song is based on. Similar differences of opinion could also exist on the time appropriateness of each raga.
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Absolutely delightful reading and listening! Haven’t heard some of these gems before, thank you for showcasing them. Looking forward to many more such articles from you!