Salil Chowdhury used to feel that Manna Dey was not given due respect in the hindi film industry. In spite of singing for Raj Kapoor (in fact most of his hit songs were sung by Manna da) it was Mukesh who was known as voice of RK. Also the group of Rafi and Naushad were experts in churning out hits, and were at their peak. Salil Chowdhury has said that he felt that Manna De was sidelined as he was a Bengali and the music directors felt he would not get the nuances of urdu correctly and so naturally felt an animosity towards Rafi, but in a concert, Manna De said publicly that Rafi was the greatest.
As for Rafi he once said everybody listen to my song but I listen to Mannadey's songs.
Salil Chowdhury felt that Mohammad Rafi tended, unwittingly, to indulge in vocal mannerisms.
He was not the only one who felt that way.
During the recording of Jaane Kya Dhoondte Phirti Aankhen Tujh Main (Shola Aur Shabnam), Rafi needed over 20 takes. Even then (composer) Khayyam was not satisfied.
But that could be Rafi's off day. This is the only industry where you cannot have off days.
Rafi could not get a particular portion of Tasveer Teri Dil Mein (Maaya) right as well, and Salil Chowdhury was trying to explain it to him.
After many takes, Lata Mangeshkar got angry with Rafi and snapped at him. The thing with Rafi was that if you got very demanding, he would be put off.
O P Nayyar and Naushad would not be demanding with Rafi because they understood him. But that day, Rafi got very upset because Salil took Lata's side.
Salil always considered Rafi to be just an okay singer
As for RDB, he always felt in awe of Rafi as he was the chosen singer for his father SD Burman, and when RDB came onto the film scene on his own, he wanted to create a distinct identity rather than being known as a clone of his father, and hence chose Kishore Kumar who was a close friend of Mehmood who was RDB's closest friend. He also changed most of the orchestration to sound different, and providentially his songs clicked becoz of the change, and Kishore Kumar had arrived.
However RDB admitted in his last interview immediately after 1942 a love story, where he said that Kishore Kumar was his favorite, but any song that Kishore sang, Rafi could sing, but not all that Rafi sang Kishore could, eg. classical.
Kishore himself said that I can sing song in one way but Rafi can sing the same song in 100 ways.
But that one way of Kishore was awesome in most of the cases.
Kishore's voice was most powerful and would overcome other singers. It was sheer confidence and natural talent of Kishore which overshadowed MannaDey in ek chatur naar from padosan.
Only Rafi could stand infront of kishore in duet song like hum premi, yaadon ki baraat, salamat rahe dostana, yum na sharma, etc.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar came into the industry as a singer-actor. But once he was paid for his work as an actor, he would not be paid separately for singing.
Kishore was unsuccessful for such a long time that he signed on those terms and later, it became the norm.
Later when he began asking for money to sing in films he acted in, he was not given a chance to sing. In Begunaah, a song sung by Manna Dey was picturised on him.
Kishore was acting in Ashok Kumar's Raagini, which had music by O P Nayyar. Both Nayyar and Ashok Kumar were superstitious.
One day, both of them were going through Kishore's horoscope, and taking a call on whether he should sing in the film or not.
According to Nayyar, Kishore was not destined to sing in the film, but Ashok Kumar argued that he was.
Nayyar wanted Mohammad Rafi to sing Man Mora Bawra, and finally had his way. The song was to be picturised on Kishore.
Kishore took his revenge by ruining the scene.
Kishore was a good singer, so his rise was not a surprise. But he was an eccentric.
Pancham -- R D Burman -- said Kishore was a brilliant singer, and hard working as well. He would even act out his song in front of the mirror. But he wanted to be paid before he sang the song.
Kishore was unsuccessful for such a long time that he signed on those terms and later, it became the norm.
Later when he began asking for money to sing in films he acted in, he was not given a chance to sing. In Begunaah, a song sung by Manna Dey was picturised on him.
Kishore was acting in Ashok Kumar's Raagini, which had music by O P Nayyar. Both Nayyar and Ashok Kumar were superstitious.
One day, both of them were going through Kishore's horoscope, and taking a call on whether he should sing in the film or not.
According to Nayyar, Kishore was not destined to sing in the film, but Ashok Kumar argued that he was.
Nayyar wanted Mohammad Rafi to sing Man Mora Bawra, and finally had his way. The song was to be picturised on Kishore.
Kishore took his revenge by ruining the scene.
Kishore was a good singer, so his rise was not a surprise. But he was an eccentric.
Pancham -- R D Burman -- said Kishore was a brilliant singer, and hard working as well. He would even act out his song in front of the mirror. But he wanted to be paid before he sang the song.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Lata Remembering Rafi
As Mohammed Rafi's 30th death anniversary comes up on July 31, melody queen Lata Mangeshkar pays a personal tribute to one of India's greatest playback singers.
"Rafi bhaiya was not only India's greatest playback singer but also a wonderful person. I am yet to come across another artist so modest, dignified and unassuming. The blessings of Goddess Saraswati were with him and this was responsible to a great extent for his iconic success and he believed in true sadhna. Every morning he had his riyaz like a devoted singer and rehearsed before recording each song.
Suhani raat dhal chuki in "Dulari" tuned by Naushad saab, made him a household name in the late 1940s. Since then there was no looking back for Mohd. Rafi. He went from strength to strength as a singer never conscious of his amazing abilities.
While raising his voice to the highest octave for O Duniya Ke Rakhwale in "Baiju Bawra," he was so involved that he was not even aware that his vocal chord was disturbed and blood oozed out. Naushad saab had to compel his musicians and the sound recordist to stop the recording immediately.
He was not only cordial but affectionate and cooperative with his colleagues. I consider myself very lucky for having sung the maximum number of duets with him under Naushad, C. Ramchandra, S.D. Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan, Salil Chowdhury, Madan Mohan, R.D. Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji. Even other talented composers like Hemant Kumar, Ravi and Khayyam worked with us with resounding success.
We sang so many memorable duets together. I remember Do Sitaron Ka Milan, Sau Saal Pehle, Dil Pukare, Yeh Dil Tum Bin...He was one singer whose vocal range could outclass any other singer, whether it was me, Asha, Mannada or Kishore bhaiya. Yet, he never believed in dominating the scene.
Rafi Bhaiya was very particular about lyrics. He was dead against obscenity. Salil Chowdhury, who generally did not use Rafi bhaiya, composed the haunting Tasveer teri dil mein, which we sang for "Maya." It was the Hindi version of his Bengali master piece, Ogo aar kichu to noi. Rafi bhaiya was not getting the antara ( phirun tujhe sang leke), accurately. Salilda grew impatient and showed flashes of anger, but Rafi bhaiya would not react. He politely asked Salilda to explain it to him and ultimately delivered it even better than what Salilda expected.
Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Guru Dutt, Shammi Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, even Rajesh Khanna... Rafi bhaiya sang for top actors with equal ability and resounding success. The way he rendered Aye chand jise, Na mukhda mor ke and Tujhe dekha for Uttam Kumar in "Choti Si Mulakat" was mind-blowing.
He was at his best rendering Teri bindya re for Amitabh Bachhan and Dard e dil for Rishi Kapoor. No wonder even music directors of the 1970s, like Bappi Lahiri and Rajesh Roshan, used his voice very effectively. I still remember him singing Dil ki kali tuned by Rajesh Roshan for "Inkar" in 1978. The female voice simply paled in comparison.
It is very wrong to say that Kishore Kumar overtook Rafi bhaiya in the early 1970s. Kishore was no doubt at his peak, but Rafi bhaiya was equally effective with Tere naam ka diwana, Gulabi aankhen, Yeh duniya yeh mehfil and Tum jo mil gaye ho. Even Kishore bhaiya never felt he was ahead of Rafi.
It's been three decades since he left us but his melodies are alive not only in my heart but in that of countless music lovers. Rafi bhaiya, Yaad na jaye beete dino ki."
"Rafi bhaiya was not only India's greatest playback singer but also a wonderful person. I am yet to come across another artist so modest, dignified and unassuming. The blessings of Goddess Saraswati were with him and this was responsible to a great extent for his iconic success and he believed in true sadhna. Every morning he had his riyaz like a devoted singer and rehearsed before recording each song.
Suhani raat dhal chuki in "Dulari" tuned by Naushad saab, made him a household name in the late 1940s. Since then there was no looking back for Mohd. Rafi. He went from strength to strength as a singer never conscious of his amazing abilities.
While raising his voice to the highest octave for O Duniya Ke Rakhwale in "Baiju Bawra," he was so involved that he was not even aware that his vocal chord was disturbed and blood oozed out. Naushad saab had to compel his musicians and the sound recordist to stop the recording immediately.
He was not only cordial but affectionate and cooperative with his colleagues. I consider myself very lucky for having sung the maximum number of duets with him under Naushad, C. Ramchandra, S.D. Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan, Salil Chowdhury, Madan Mohan, R.D. Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji. Even other talented composers like Hemant Kumar, Ravi and Khayyam worked with us with resounding success.
We sang so many memorable duets together. I remember Do Sitaron Ka Milan, Sau Saal Pehle, Dil Pukare, Yeh Dil Tum Bin...He was one singer whose vocal range could outclass any other singer, whether it was me, Asha, Mannada or Kishore bhaiya. Yet, he never believed in dominating the scene.
Rafi Bhaiya was very particular about lyrics. He was dead against obscenity. Salil Chowdhury, who generally did not use Rafi bhaiya, composed the haunting Tasveer teri dil mein, which we sang for "Maya." It was the Hindi version of his Bengali master piece, Ogo aar kichu to noi. Rafi bhaiya was not getting the antara ( phirun tujhe sang leke), accurately. Salilda grew impatient and showed flashes of anger, but Rafi bhaiya would not react. He politely asked Salilda to explain it to him and ultimately delivered it even better than what Salilda expected.
Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Guru Dutt, Shammi Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, even Rajesh Khanna... Rafi bhaiya sang for top actors with equal ability and resounding success. The way he rendered Aye chand jise, Na mukhda mor ke and Tujhe dekha for Uttam Kumar in "Choti Si Mulakat" was mind-blowing.
He was at his best rendering Teri bindya re for Amitabh Bachhan and Dard e dil for Rishi Kapoor. No wonder even music directors of the 1970s, like Bappi Lahiri and Rajesh Roshan, used his voice very effectively. I still remember him singing Dil ki kali tuned by Rajesh Roshan for "Inkar" in 1978. The female voice simply paled in comparison.
It is very wrong to say that Kishore Kumar overtook Rafi bhaiya in the early 1970s. Kishore was no doubt at his peak, but Rafi bhaiya was equally effective with Tere naam ka diwana, Gulabi aankhen, Yeh duniya yeh mehfil and Tum jo mil gaye ho. Even Kishore bhaiya never felt he was ahead of Rafi.
It's been three decades since he left us but his melodies are alive not only in my heart but in that of countless music lovers. Rafi bhaiya, Yaad na jaye beete dino ki."
music directors failed
1) Mohabbat zindabad from mugal-e-azam ----- rafi switch from high notes to low. to me something wrong there. I don't know how Naushad OKayed it.
2) Koi pyar ki dekhe from kohinoor ----- lata sings mukhda with breath and rafi take breath. The mukhda I ccan sing without breath and as per rafi he has sang longer lines without breath. Cannot be excepted as shotcoming in rafi but Naushad okayed it. listening to that song you feel odd when both lata and rafi sing togather and one breaking for breatch while other doesn't.
3) Yeh dil diwana hai from isqt par jor nahin----- again the breath taken by rafi and not by lata even when singing togather the same lines.
4) dost dost na raha from sangam ---- mukesh completely goes offbeat at one instant while ending mukhda with na raha.
5) aaye mere dost aye mere hamdam ----- ending was at very high note but song ends at HUM and leaves you standed in middle probably in movie someone puts hand on hero's mouth.
6)mere naina from mehbooba --- kishore started the songs at very low scale (although it appears very tough song to people who just hear kishore's song). Rafi would have sang it better. It was more of RD's ego to prove himself unique which costed the song to become better. Lata's version is far better. Kishore sing with false notes.
2) Koi pyar ki dekhe from kohinoor ----- lata sings mukhda with breath and rafi take breath. The mukhda I ccan sing without breath and as per rafi he has sang longer lines without breath. Cannot be excepted as shotcoming in rafi but Naushad okayed it. listening to that song you feel odd when both lata and rafi sing togather and one breaking for breatch while other doesn't.
3) Yeh dil diwana hai from isqt par jor nahin----- again the breath taken by rafi and not by lata even when singing togather the same lines.
4) dost dost na raha from sangam ---- mukesh completely goes offbeat at one instant while ending mukhda with na raha.
5) aaye mere dost aye mere hamdam ----- ending was at very high note but song ends at HUM and leaves you standed in middle probably in movie someone puts hand on hero's mouth.
6)mere naina from mehbooba --- kishore started the songs at very low scale (although it appears very tough song to people who just hear kishore's song). Rafi would have sang it better. It was more of RD's ego to prove himself unique which costed the song to become better. Lata's version is far better. Kishore sing with false notes.
Besura Mukesh
Retakes were very common between atleast Shankar and Mukesh rendered songs.
Shankar is on record that "Mukesh was considered a "besura" singer. Maybe he was slightly, but he had his own "khubsoorti" in it. Not many know that while recording the song "Awara hoon....it took us days before Mukesh sang it perfectly. It became a craze after its release." and the final melody, always was the result of a lot of working on his vocals during the retakes.
Mukesh was himself conscious of this fact and even after attaining dizzy heights as a singer , he would often humorously chide his fellow composer colleagues that their songs were famous because of besura singers like him.
Mukesh was more than once bewildered when one MD okayed straightaway a song sung by him and also complimented him for his beautiful rendering, stating " How can you say I sang so well ? Your song will click only if I sing besura once or twice".
It was to Mukesh's credit that he never ever made composers feel that it was they who needed him though often it was so. SD Burman was known for his penchant for distancing himself from Mukesh's singing voice but yet his musical genius warranted presenting 'Chalri sajni ab kya hoga ..." for "Bombai ka Babu" through him (his second choice his first being Kishore who was unavailable) and even told Mukesh that he would scrap his version of the number if the recorded results were not to his expectation.
Mukesh answered Dada Burman the only way he knew singing "Chal ri sajni..." with a feeling of meaningful depth, leaving Dada for once overwhelmed at the deliverance and retained it as a rare pristine acievement not only here but also when it came to recording of " Oh jaane wale ho sake tho laut ke aana....." for Bimal Roy's "Bandini". Most of us and SDB fans would surely recollect these two rare SDB Mukesh novelties with great relish and nostalgia.
Hasrat Jaipuri recalls the many recording sessions with Jaikishan the Mukesh number "Duniya banane wale .... for "Teesri Kasam" and Mukesh would always sit on the floor and since Hasrat was sitting on a sofa, would request him to sit on a chair, Mukesh would say "We are all going to die one day, nobody is going to take a chair along" Strangely the same essence was embedded into its macrocosmic level into the other famous number, as Mukesh recalls with fond sagacity,
"My regard for Shankar is astute and full of reverence, as most of the title songs sung by me , were from his domain " and continues philosophically
From whom else can I get a composition like
"Sajan re jhoot mat bolo , khuda ke paas jaana hai ,
na haathi hai na ghoda hai, wahan paidal hi jana hai "
Shankar is on record that "Mukesh was considered a "besura" singer. Maybe he was slightly, but he had his own "khubsoorti" in it. Not many know that while recording the song "Awara hoon....it took us days before Mukesh sang it perfectly. It became a craze after its release." and the final melody, always was the result of a lot of working on his vocals during the retakes.
Mukesh was himself conscious of this fact and even after attaining dizzy heights as a singer , he would often humorously chide his fellow composer colleagues that their songs were famous because of besura singers like him.
Mukesh was more than once bewildered when one MD okayed straightaway a song sung by him and also complimented him for his beautiful rendering, stating " How can you say I sang so well ? Your song will click only if I sing besura once or twice".
It was to Mukesh's credit that he never ever made composers feel that it was they who needed him though often it was so. SD Burman was known for his penchant for distancing himself from Mukesh's singing voice but yet his musical genius warranted presenting 'Chalri sajni ab kya hoga ..." for "Bombai ka Babu" through him (his second choice his first being Kishore who was unavailable) and even told Mukesh that he would scrap his version of the number if the recorded results were not to his expectation.
Mukesh answered Dada Burman the only way he knew singing "Chal ri sajni..." with a feeling of meaningful depth, leaving Dada for once overwhelmed at the deliverance and retained it as a rare pristine acievement not only here but also when it came to recording of " Oh jaane wale ho sake tho laut ke aana....." for Bimal Roy's "Bandini". Most of us and SDB fans would surely recollect these two rare SDB Mukesh novelties with great relish and nostalgia.
Hasrat Jaipuri recalls the many recording sessions with Jaikishan the Mukesh number "Duniya banane wale .... for "Teesri Kasam" and Mukesh would always sit on the floor and since Hasrat was sitting on a sofa, would request him to sit on a chair, Mukesh would say "We are all going to die one day, nobody is going to take a chair along" Strangely the same essence was embedded into its macrocosmic level into the other famous number, as Mukesh recalls with fond sagacity,
"My regard for Shankar is astute and full of reverence, as most of the title songs sung by me , were from his domain " and continues philosophically
From whom else can I get a composition like
"Sajan re jhoot mat bolo , khuda ke paas jaana hai ,
na haathi hai na ghoda hai, wahan paidal hi jana hai "
Nayyar's controversies
How did you transform Asha Bhosle into such a versatile singer? Wasn’t she heavily influenced by Geeta Dutt in her early career?
“Hundred percent right! Asha was introduced to me by lyricist P.L.Santoshi at the time of Chham Chhama Chaam – my second movie. At that time, she was not only influenced by Geeta but she was also under heavy (inferiority) complex of Lata. As if she was torn between their styles. What I did was to give her confidence and to help her come out of that complex. This process started from the time of Naya Daur. To Asha’s credit, it must be said that she never shied away from practice. In fact, she would be the one who would ask me for more rehearsals even if I felt she was singing the song well. I can proudly claim that more than S.D. Burman, more than R.D.Burman, more than anybody else, it is O.P.Nayyar who has really moulded her voice. Unfortunately today she refuses to acknowledge that fact!”
Now the eternal question. Why didn’t you ever use Lata’s voice in your music? Wasn’t she supposed to have come for the Aasman song that was finally sung by Raj Kumari? In Harish Bhimani’s book on Lata, she claims to have been held up by rain and being not able to come for the recording.
“It’s all humbug! I never ever summoned her for any of my songs. I needed a powerful, full throated, sensuous voice and she had this thin, thread-like voice, which was not at all suitable for my music. Another thing is about my inspiration coming from beauty. Lata with her plain, ordinary looks never could inspire me as a composer!
At the same time, let me say this once and for all and remember I am swearing this on my food– even though I never ever worked with Lata, I still consider her as the Number 1 singer in India. Asha tried hard to take her place but could never achieve that. Lata was just supreme, a God given voice! Her work with almost any composer – be it Madan Mohan, Roshan, S.D. Burman or Shankar- Jaikishan was exemplary. Just imagine Madan Mohan’s ghazals being sung by Shamshad or anyone else. They wouldn’t have reached the same artistic height as they did with Lata’s voice.
We had cordial relations but still I remained suspicious about her. I remember, once she called me for lunch and I was first watching what she was eating and then eating the same thing after her!
Once she said to me, “These film- songs are becoming so predictable. Just by listening to the Mukhda, you can predict the Antara.” I said, “Lata bai, you may say this about other composers but this O.P. Nayyar challenges you now to predict his song’s Antara after listening to its Mukhda.” After that challenge, she simply vanished from there!”
You also rejected Madhya Pradesh Government’s Lata Mangeshkar Award.
“You see Beta, that award was worth cash 1 lac rupees, all tax-free and remember- I was in dire straits those days, having been separated from my family. Still I rejected that award on three counts – one, it was a crooner’s award given to a composer; two- I had never worked with Lata and three- I don’t believe in instituting awards in living person’s name! I stood up for my principles- that’s all!”
In spite of your long-standing partnership with Mohammed Rafi, how come you two separated in the late sixties?
Throughout my career, I have been famous for my punctuality. Rafi had given me a time for recording a song from Saawan Ki Ghata. The musicians were all set. Rafi came late for that recording and said, “Sorry, I was stuck up in Shankar- Jaikishan’s recording.” I said, “You had given me the time by your choice. So I gather, you have time for Shankar- Jaikishan and not for O.P. Nayyar. Now onwards, O.P.Nayyar will not have time for Rafi.” I cancelled the recording in front of shell shocked musicians and told the accountant to charge the expenses for the cancelled session to my account!
After three years, Rafi came to my house crying like a baby. I also broke down. Both of us touched each other’s feet. I said, “Rafi, by coming here today you proved that you are much greater than O.P. You could overcome your ego. I could not!”
What about Mahendra Kapoor?
“I used him as replacement for Rafi. I used to call him Çharan Das for he used to touch feet of practically any Tom, Dick and Harry. I found this extra- humility phony. He might have sung quite a few good songs for me but just listen to Do Ustaad title track to know how off-key he could be! Purposely I kept that Besuraa singing so that one day, I could show him how bad he could be!”
You Used Manna Dey with Rafi for Tu Hai Mera Prem Devta.
“Well, Rafi was far too superior to Manna Dey there! Manna Dey would take around four- five takes to get it right.”
You even once made Kishore sing in Rafi’s voice.
“Yes, in Raagini for the classical song Man Mora Baawra, I made Rafi give playback for Kishore Kumar. I was annoyed with Kishore’s tomfoolery during the recordings and wanted to teach him a lesson. Kishore – who was the hero of the film, then went and complained to his brother Ashok Kumar – who was also the producer but Ashok refused to interfere with my decision.
“Hundred percent right! Asha was introduced to me by lyricist P.L.Santoshi at the time of Chham Chhama Chaam – my second movie. At that time, she was not only influenced by Geeta but she was also under heavy (inferiority) complex of Lata. As if she was torn between their styles. What I did was to give her confidence and to help her come out of that complex. This process started from the time of Naya Daur. To Asha’s credit, it must be said that she never shied away from practice. In fact, she would be the one who would ask me for more rehearsals even if I felt she was singing the song well. I can proudly claim that more than S.D. Burman, more than R.D.Burman, more than anybody else, it is O.P.Nayyar who has really moulded her voice. Unfortunately today she refuses to acknowledge that fact!”
Now the eternal question. Why didn’t you ever use Lata’s voice in your music? Wasn’t she supposed to have come for the Aasman song that was finally sung by Raj Kumari? In Harish Bhimani’s book on Lata, she claims to have been held up by rain and being not able to come for the recording.
“It’s all humbug! I never ever summoned her for any of my songs. I needed a powerful, full throated, sensuous voice and she had this thin, thread-like voice, which was not at all suitable for my music. Another thing is about my inspiration coming from beauty. Lata with her plain, ordinary looks never could inspire me as a composer!
At the same time, let me say this once and for all and remember I am swearing this on my food– even though I never ever worked with Lata, I still consider her as the Number 1 singer in India. Asha tried hard to take her place but could never achieve that. Lata was just supreme, a God given voice! Her work with almost any composer – be it Madan Mohan, Roshan, S.D. Burman or Shankar- Jaikishan was exemplary. Just imagine Madan Mohan’s ghazals being sung by Shamshad or anyone else. They wouldn’t have reached the same artistic height as they did with Lata’s voice.
We had cordial relations but still I remained suspicious about her. I remember, once she called me for lunch and I was first watching what she was eating and then eating the same thing after her!
Once she said to me, “These film- songs are becoming so predictable. Just by listening to the Mukhda, you can predict the Antara.” I said, “Lata bai, you may say this about other composers but this O.P. Nayyar challenges you now to predict his song’s Antara after listening to its Mukhda.” After that challenge, she simply vanished from there!”
You also rejected Madhya Pradesh Government’s Lata Mangeshkar Award.
“You see Beta, that award was worth cash 1 lac rupees, all tax-free and remember- I was in dire straits those days, having been separated from my family. Still I rejected that award on three counts – one, it was a crooner’s award given to a composer; two- I had never worked with Lata and three- I don’t believe in instituting awards in living person’s name! I stood up for my principles- that’s all!”
In spite of your long-standing partnership with Mohammed Rafi, how come you two separated in the late sixties?
Throughout my career, I have been famous for my punctuality. Rafi had given me a time for recording a song from Saawan Ki Ghata. The musicians were all set. Rafi came late for that recording and said, “Sorry, I was stuck up in Shankar- Jaikishan’s recording.” I said, “You had given me the time by your choice. So I gather, you have time for Shankar- Jaikishan and not for O.P. Nayyar. Now onwards, O.P.Nayyar will not have time for Rafi.” I cancelled the recording in front of shell shocked musicians and told the accountant to charge the expenses for the cancelled session to my account!
After three years, Rafi came to my house crying like a baby. I also broke down. Both of us touched each other’s feet. I said, “Rafi, by coming here today you proved that you are much greater than O.P. You could overcome your ego. I could not!”
What about Mahendra Kapoor?
“I used him as replacement for Rafi. I used to call him Çharan Das for he used to touch feet of practically any Tom, Dick and Harry. I found this extra- humility phony. He might have sung quite a few good songs for me but just listen to Do Ustaad title track to know how off-key he could be! Purposely I kept that Besuraa singing so that one day, I could show him how bad he could be!”
You Used Manna Dey with Rafi for Tu Hai Mera Prem Devta.
“Well, Rafi was far too superior to Manna Dey there! Manna Dey would take around four- five takes to get it right.”
You even once made Kishore sing in Rafi’s voice.
“Yes, in Raagini for the classical song Man Mora Baawra, I made Rafi give playback for Kishore Kumar. I was annoyed with Kishore’s tomfoolery during the recordings and wanted to teach him a lesson. Kishore – who was the hero of the film, then went and complained to his brother Ashok Kumar – who was also the producer but Ashok refused to interfere with my decision.
Lata answers controversies
What about your infamous rift with Mohd Rafi?
I'll tell you what happened. We had a Musicians' Association in the 1960s . Mukesh bhaiyya, Talaj Mehmood saab had started a campaign for artistes to get royalty so that they would have a comfortable old age. Main to leti thi royalty but I also wanted other artistes to get it. Rafi saab was instigated into opposing my campaign. In a meeting among musicians he said, 'We get money for what we sing from producers and that's the end of what we get.' When he was asked his opinion Rafi saab turned to Mukesh bhaiyya and said, 'I guess this Maharani here will say whatever has to be said.'
He meant you?
Yes. I said, 'Of course I am a Maharani. But why are you calling me that?' He said in front of everyone at the meeting that he won't sing with me. I turned around and said, 'Yeh kasht aap kyon kar rahe hain? Main hi nahin gaaongi aapke saath.' I stormed out of the meeting and called up every music director to inform them that I would thereafter not sing with Rafi saab. We didn't sing together for almost three years.
What about the alleged differences between you and your sister Asha Bhosle?
We're sisters. The fights were because of her husband who was against me.
Composers gave all the heroines' songs to you and all the supporting actresses' songs to Ashaji ...
Not always. What about so many films where only Asha sang all the songs? In fact OP Nayyarji worked only with her. Even some of Burman dada's scores had only Asha's vocals.
That's because you and SD Burman had a fight.
I didn't sing for him for 14 years. Someone had caused mischief. Burman dada said, "I won't have Lata sing my songs.' I said, 'I won't sing for you.' Asha sang all the songs for Burman dada during that period, even for Waheeda Rehman who insisted on me singing for her. Then one day out of the blue, Burman dada phoned me and said he wanted me to sing Mora gora rang lai le and Jogi jab se aaya tu aaya mere dware in Bandini. It was his son RD who brought us together. I remember Burman dada specifically told me that Mora gora rang was written by a promising new poet, Gulzar.
At one time you were accused of indulging in a melodious monopoly?
Once I was even asked if I tampered with the equipment during other singers' recordings. Bataiye main kyon aisa karun? I never bothered with what other singers were doing. When Runa Laila came to India for the first time, I went to her first recording and everybody said I was just indulging in dikhawa, that in fact I had gone to see how she sang. Runa Laila met me with lots of affection. Later she too was poisoned against me. Even some male singers accused me of trying to stop them from singing.
I'll tell you what happened. We had a Musicians' Association in the 1960s . Mukesh bhaiyya, Talaj Mehmood saab had started a campaign for artistes to get royalty so that they would have a comfortable old age. Main to leti thi royalty but I also wanted other artistes to get it. Rafi saab was instigated into opposing my campaign. In a meeting among musicians he said, 'We get money for what we sing from producers and that's the end of what we get.' When he was asked his opinion Rafi saab turned to Mukesh bhaiyya and said, 'I guess this Maharani here will say whatever has to be said.'
He meant you?
Yes. I said, 'Of course I am a Maharani. But why are you calling me that?' He said in front of everyone at the meeting that he won't sing with me. I turned around and said, 'Yeh kasht aap kyon kar rahe hain? Main hi nahin gaaongi aapke saath.' I stormed out of the meeting and called up every music director to inform them that I would thereafter not sing with Rafi saab. We didn't sing together for almost three years.
What about the alleged differences between you and your sister Asha Bhosle?
We're sisters. The fights were because of her husband who was against me.
Composers gave all the heroines' songs to you and all the supporting actresses' songs to Ashaji ...
Not always. What about so many films where only Asha sang all the songs? In fact OP Nayyarji worked only with her. Even some of Burman dada's scores had only Asha's vocals.
That's because you and SD Burman had a fight.
I didn't sing for him for 14 years. Someone had caused mischief. Burman dada said, "I won't have Lata sing my songs.' I said, 'I won't sing for you.' Asha sang all the songs for Burman dada during that period, even for Waheeda Rehman who insisted on me singing for her. Then one day out of the blue, Burman dada phoned me and said he wanted me to sing Mora gora rang lai le and Jogi jab se aaya tu aaya mere dware in Bandini. It was his son RD who brought us together. I remember Burman dada specifically told me that Mora gora rang was written by a promising new poet, Gulzar.
At one time you were accused of indulging in a melodious monopoly?
Once I was even asked if I tampered with the equipment during other singers' recordings. Bataiye main kyon aisa karun? I never bothered with what other singers were doing. When Runa Laila came to India for the first time, I went to her first recording and everybody said I was just indulging in dikhawa, that in fact I had gone to see how she sang. Runa Laila met me with lots of affection. Later she too was poisoned against me. Even some male singers accused me of trying to stop them from singing.
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