Mohammed Rafi was born in a village Kotta
Sultan Singh in Lucknow on December 24, 1924. He
made his singing debut in the Punjabi film Gul
baloch by rendering a duet with Zeenat Begum.
Rafi songs are very popular in the Indian
subcontinent and also amongst the emigrant
Indians globally.
In his glorious career Mohammed Rafi won the
coveted Filmfare Award of best playback singer no
less than six times. He was also decorated with the
Padmashri by the Government of India. In the year
1944, Mohammed Rafi recorded his first song under
music director Shyam Sunder. It was for a Punjabi
movie named Gul Baloch. It was recognized by many
and Rafi started to get more and more offers. Rafi
also sang songs composed by Naushad for the movie
Pehle Aap in the year 1944. He also acted in a
couple of movies named Laila Majnu (1945) and Jugnu
(1947). Another splendid performance was in the year
1946 when he sang the song "Tera Khilona Toota Balak"
of the movie Anmol Ghadi. With the movie Jugnu
(1947), Rafi bagged his first major hit. The song "Yahaan
Badla Wafa Ka'' with Noor Jehan under Feroze Nizami
went on to become a major hit with the public.
His major hits in the 70's include Amar Akbar
Anthony (1977), Sargam (1979) and Karz (1980). The
Qawali song "Pardah Hai Pardah" of the movie Amar
Akbar Anthony was a superhit. Other hit songs in
late 1970s include films like Laila Majnu (1976),
Apnapan (1978), Qurbani, Dostana (1980) and The
Burning Train (1980). On July 31st, 1980, this great
singer went back home early after recording and dies
due to a massive heart attack. His funeral
procession was one befitting a king. Mohammed Rafi
was a legend of legends and shall remain so till
eternity.
