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Time of India
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Mohammed Rafi grew a beard, felt hurt when people said, 'he is finished' as Kishore Kumar rose to fame
Mohammed Rafi , one of India's most iconic playback singers, began his journey in films during the 1940s and remained a beloved voice until his passing in 1980. Despite his immense talent and the affection he received from fans, Rafi also went through a phase of self-doubt and struggle. Incidentally, just as Rafi was going through this, Kishore Kumar 's popularity was on the rise. In a recent chat on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel, singer Sudesh Bhosle recalled this turbulent phase. He shared how, in the beginning, many in the classical music community didn't take Kishore Kumar seriously, often criticising composers like Kalyanji-Anandji for choosing a non-classically trained singer. However, once Kishore teamed up with RD Burman and delivered a string of chartbusters, opinions changed rapidly. Sudesh revealed that the same critics who once doubted Kishore soon praised him as unmatched, even claiming that 'Rafi saab is finished.' This shift was so intense that it reportedly prompted Kishore Kumar himself to ask the media to stop the comparisons. 'It's hurtful because I respect Rafi saab,' Kishore had said, according to Sudesh. Though Rafi's vocal skills remained as strong as ever, the change in musical trends deeply affected him. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like USDJPY đang đi lên không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Sudesh recalled hearing from Amit Kumar that Rafi once refused to sing for a film featuring Kishore as an actor, reportedly saying, 'Uthao isko, yeh doobta suraj hai.' As Kishore began to dominate the musical space post-Aradhana, Rafi found himself sidelined. According to Sudesh, this led to a period of depression for Rafi. 'He grew a beard and reportedly told Naushad, 'I am not a singer.'' Naushad played a crucial role in helping him regain confidence. It was Laxmikant-Pyarelal and director Manmohan Desai—an ardent fan of Rafi—who brought him back with Amar Akbar Anthony. Initially hesitant, Rafi asked, 'Why are you calling me? I am not a singer.' But Desai's encouragement reignited his spark, leading to iconic songs like 'Parda Hai Parda' and 'Shirdivale Sai Baba. ' During this period, Rafi also took a brief sabbatical, officially attributed to a throat infection, with some even claiming he had lost his voice. But he made a grand return, and one of the standout moments was in Amar Akbar Anthony (1975), where Rafi, Kishore Kumar, and Mukesh shared vocals on the romantic hit 'Humko Tumse Ho Gaya Hai Pyar.' It was a symbolic moment—three legendary singers coming together, with Lata Mangeshkar lending her voice to the female parts—celebrated as a landmark musical reunion.
Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Mohd Rafi was depressed, grew his beard after Bollywood said he was ‘finished', chose Kishore Kumar: ‘He would say I'm not a singer'
Mohd Rafi started singing in the movies in the 1940s and until his death in 1980, he remained one of the most respected and loved singers that India had ever seen. Yet, despite his skill and popularity, Rafi also went through a phase where he went through self-doubt and this phase came about in the early 1970s, coinciding with the popularity of singer Kishore Kumar. In a recent interview singer Sudesh Bhosle said that at one point, Kishore wasn't taken seriously by the pundits of music as he was not a classically trained singer, but later, as he started working with RD Burman and delivering one hit after another, Kishore's perception changed. In a chat shared on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel, Sudesh said that at one point, classical musicians would argue with composers like Kalyanji-Anandji as to why they were giving an opportunity to someone like Kishore, who wasn't trained classically. 'But Kishore gives us what we want. He gives the expressions, the feelings that we need in a song,' they said. Sudesh said that after a few years, everyone's tune changed and the same producers and media persons who didn't speak well about Kishore, declared him as the superior singer, and said that Rafi was 'finished.' 'They changed their tune and said, 'there is no one like Kishore, Rafi saab is gone, Rafi saab is finished. Finally, Kishore da had to tell media people that stop making these comparisons, it's hurtful because I respect Rafi saab,' he shared. Sudesh said that Rafi's singing was just the same, it was just that Kishore's fate had changed. ALSO READ | RD Burman's swan song 1942 A Love Story: Humiliated and cast aside by Bollywood, how Pancham created the album; teared up when music was called 'bullsh*t' He added, 'I never met Rafi saab but I have heard that at one point, if Rafi was asked to sing for Kishore, when he was acting, he said 'Uthao isko, yeh doobta suraj hai', Amit Kumar shared this with me. After Aradhana, people said, 'we don't care who is the hero, but we won't have it if there is no Kishore Kumar song. At that time, Kishore started singing for the heroes, for whom Rafi saab used to sing.' Sudesh then shared that somewhere in the early 1970s, Rafi went into depression and implied that this was due to the constant comparisons that were being made. 'We had heard, we don't know how true it is, that Rafi saab went in depression. He grew his beard. He would meet Naushad and say 'I am not a singer' and Naushad helped him rebuild his confidence,' he said. Sudesh claimed that Laxmikant-Pyarelal called Mohd Rafi for Amar Akbar Anthony, and because director Manmohan Desai was a big fan of the singer, he cheered him on. 'Rafi said, 'Why are you calling me? I am not a singer'. Manmohan ji was a huge fan of Rafi saab, and after that he sang 'Parda Hai Parda', 'Shirdivale Sai Baba'.' Rafi took a small sabbatical in the early 1970s and it was said that he as suffering from a throat infection and had, in fact, lost his voice. In 1975's Amar Akbar Anthony, Kishore and Rafi sang 'Humko Tumse Ho Gaya Hai Pyar' together, along with Mukesh, as the song was picturised on three male actors. Lata Mangeshkar sang for all three female actors. The song was widely promoted as a coup as it brought Kishore and Rafi together.
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sagar Wali Qawwali on modernising qawwali to appeal to Gen Z: I present qawwali the way I understand music
Jun 27, 2025 12:12 PM IST Singer Sagar Bhatia aka Sagar Wali Qawwali has been touring India. He performed in Mumbai last week and will take the stage in Kolkata tomorrow (June 28). Often credited for approaching qawwali with a modern approach, is it his way of keeping the genre relevant among the youth? 'I've been into Sufi music for 15 years now, as I started out with my band Sufi Rock. I haven't consciously changed anything. I've simply followed what felt right to me. People connected with it, and that's what made it feel relevant. I'm a kid of today's generation, so I presented qawwali in the way I understand music,' says Sagar. Sagar Bhatia A fan of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sagar is known for giving the late legend's qawwalis a rock twist. 'Qawwali has always been alive and Bollywood has played a huge role in that. From Parda Hai Parda, and Kun Faya Kun to Khwaja Mere Khwaja and Bhar Do Jholi – Qawwali has always been a part of our culture,' he adds. Talking about the kind of audience that turns up at his concerts, Sagar says, 'People from every generation connect with my music — even kids as young as 5 or 6 sing my qawwalis. I try to simplify my language. I don't know a lot of Urdu. I use more Hindi and relatable words, so even Gen Z connects with my songs. I remember seeing a five-year-old fan at one of my concerts, singing Biba Sada Dil Morde. He knew the lyrics by heart. It was humbling.' As someone who started out by performing at jagrans and clubs, did he ever feel he would see these days? 'I started by playing the guitar at jagrans. I even performed with Narendra Chanchal ji, but I never got the chance to sing. I learned everything from the streets, observing senior musicians, and surviving on whatever money people would shower on me during performances. I never learnt music formally. Later, I played the guitar at dance bars in Malaysia. I got my first break as a singer at a club in Chandigarh and earned ₹ 10,000. I realised qawwali was what I truly wanted to pursue. I was clear that I wanted to be a singer, and now my dream is to become a composer.'
