Remembering Mohd Rafi: 8 Lesser-Known Facts About the Legend from Lahore
Dec 24, 2023, 11:45 IST
Pragati Awasthi
Raised in Lahore, gifted with a soulful voice and immense talent, Mohammed Rafi went on to become the voice of India.
Rafi’s songs have transcended generations. On his 99th birth anniversary, here are some interesting facts about the legendary icon.
Rafi started singing by imitating the songs of the fakir who wandered the streets of his village.
Rafi’s nickname was Pheeko, and his father had a men’s salon in Lahore’s Noor Mohalla in Bhati Ghate.
Rafi performed in front of legendary singer K. L. Saigal at a public event at the age of 13.
One of the greatest playback singers, lauded for the versatility and range of voice, Rafi recorded more than 7,000 songs in several languages and dialects in his career spanning decades.
After Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Rafi and his team came up with the song “Suno Suno Ae Duniyawalon, Bapuji Ki Amar Kahani” as a tribute, which became a huge hit.
The singer was invited by the former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to sing at his house.
Not only Indian languages, Rafi has sung in foreign languages, including English, Farsi, Arabic, Mauritian Creole, Sinhala and Dutch.
Rafi died on July 31, 1980, following a massive heart attack, at the prime of his career at the age of 55. Over 10,000 people attended his funeral procession in Mumbai.