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BBC Interview of Rafi Sahab in 1977

Here is an audio treat – the audio interview of the legend. This was in Brittania, during 1977 while Rafi Sahab was on world tour. My thanks to Shuklas@HF for providing us all this interview. The transcript of the interview is below. Just read through and listen to Rafi Sahab speak in his soft voice. How transparent he is in his thoughts.

Mohd Rafi, jo lagta hai abhi kal taq jo hamare darmiyan the, aur phir voh chale gaye. Abhi chand baras huve jo woh London aaye the; unse ghulmil kar baatein ho rahin thi. Yakeen nahin aata jitni oonche unki taane thi, use se bhi oonchi aasmaanon mein unhone basera kar liya hai, aur jitne neechi unki sur the, unhe us se bhi zyada neechi need aagayi hai. Mohd Rafi, marhoom. Yeh November sathathar (1977) ki baat hai, Mohd Rafi, Brittania ke kayi sheheron mein, bade bade mazhumon ke saamne gaa chuke the. Hamne unse puucha ke:

Download this 10 Minutes interview (9MB)

Interviewer: aapko apne saamne paakar, aur khud aapki zabaan mein, apne pasandida geet sunkar, logon ne kya mehsoos kiya?

Rafi: Bahut achha kiya ji, bahut achha kiya. Response achha mila. Public itni khush huyi bahut.

Interviewer: Achha Tho Yeh Baatayiye, ab aap is tamaam safar ke baad wapar bambai pahunchenge; wahan phir aage ke liye aapke kya mansoobe hain, kya plans hein?

Rafi: Kuch nahin, wahan jaake ham apna recording shuru kardenge ji. Sab log rasta dekh rahe hein udhar. Telephone aarahe hein, jaldi aayiye; jaldi aayiye.

Interviewer: Phir hamne Mohd Rafi se poocha ke hindustan ki filmon mein aapko gaate huve, chauthaayi sadise bhi zyada arsa ho chuka hai. Kabhi aapne hisaab lagaya hai ke, itne bahut se barason mein, aapne kul milakar kitne gaane gaaye hein?

Rafi: Aisa jahan tak mujeh yaad hai ki, mujeh isline mein painteez (35) saal hogaye, aur us arse ke andar maine pachheez hazaar (25000) gaane gaayen hein; pachheez – chabeez hazaar (25000-26000).

Interviewer: Achha pacheez-chabeez hazaar gaano mein, aisa nahin hota ke aap, kuch gaanon ke dhoone bhool gayen hon?

Rafi: Aisa tho kuch nahin, jo gaane hit horahe zyada inko, voh gaane yaad rehte hein. Kayi aise gaane bhi hein jo bhool bhi gaye hein.

Interviewer: Achha yeh batayiye ke, yeh jo microphone hein istarah jo aadmi peheli baar iske saamne aata hai tho, usko khauf aata hai. Microphone se kehete hein ke aadmi darta hai; aur, shuru mein kaafi arse taq usse khauf aata hai. Aur aap yeh samajhiye ke painteez saal microphone ke saamne guzare hein; yeh bataayi, ke jab aap, farz kijiye jab aap gaane khade huye the, yahan badla wafa ka bewafaayi ke siva kya hai, us waqt aap ko kaisa mehsoos ho raha tha?

Rafi: Aisa, zara si kuch jijhak aati, thodi si, phir baad mein tik ho jatha hai. Bajne se tho gaane, gaane ke baad phir se dhun aajaayegi.

Interviewer: Ab jab aap, mashallah itne arse se gaa rahein hein tho, ab aapko, microphone ke aage kaisa mehsoon hota hai?

Rafi: Bas, mehesoos kuch nahin hota ji. Ek dam free gaata hun mein bas.

O duniya ke rakhwale song plays.

Interviewer: Kahan hai yeh paakdaar awaaz aur kahan apni neeji zindagi mein, bhole bhale, seedhe saadhe, balke sach poochiye tho kuch, sehme sehme the Mohd Rafi. Yakeen nahin aata. Hamne unse Poocha ke recording studio mein tho aap aksar jaate hein. Lekin ab aap yahan Brittania mein, hazaaron mazhumon ke saamne gaa rahe hein. Kya us gaane mein, aur, is gaane mein kuch faraq hai?

Rafi: Ji haan. Bahut, ek dam change peheli dafa hota hai. Har public ki farmaish poori karni padti hai, aur jaise jaise log farmaish karte hein, waise hi gaana gaana padta hai. Usi Mood mein koyi Rock N Roll, Bhajan, Classical, ji waise gaana padta hai.

Interviewer: Mohd Rafi ki ek badi khoobi yeh thi ke voh thirakte huve geeton se lekar, tehre tehre classici raagon taq, sabi kuch, badi masharath se gaate the. Aise mehero mein unse poocha gaya ke, tarah tarah se filmon ke badalte huve manzaron ke muthabik, aap apne gaane ka andaaz, aur apni kaifiyath ko kaise badalte hein?

Rafi: Aise voh, director ham logon ko batate hein, shuru mein batate hein, yeh gaana voh gaarahein sab, Kayi saal pehele picture aayi thi Neel Kamal, Usmein Ek Gaana tha, Babul Ki Duvayen lethi Jaa. Us mein se, meri ek ladki ki bhi shaadi thi, us ke doosre din mein yeh gaana record kiya. Tho wahan voh ladki gaati hai, tho meri aankhon mein aaraha tha aisa, ke jaise meri ladki abhi jaa rahi hai, doli mein, aisa aisa, tho lagta tha ke, gaane ekdam jazbaat se dil se nikal gaya.

Babul Ki Duvayen Lethi Ja song plays.

Interviewer: Aur Aakhir mein hamne Mohd Rafi se poccha, Ke Aap, painteez barson mein, pacheez se chhabeez hazar gaane gaaye hein, tho kya aap samjhthe hein mausiki ki duniya mein, apni zindagi ka, sab se achha nagma aap gaa chuke hein?

Rafi: Yeh tho dariya hai music ka. Yeh tho kabhi khatam hota nahin bas. Jitne bhi is mein, har tarah khushi ka sana hoti rehegi bas ismein.

Interviewer: Ek dafa Rafi Sahab koyi tees saal huve, maine Illahbaad ke ek tehele mein aapka Interview pada tha. Us mein unhone aap se poocha tha ke Rafi Sahab, aapko apna gaya huva kaunsa gaana sab se zyada pasand hai? Us waqt aapne kaha tha, Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki. Kya apne is bayaan par aap abhi Kayam hai?

Rafi: Ji haan, yeh gaana achha hai, bahut sweet lagta hai bas.

Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki song plays.

Download this 10 Minutes interview (9MB)

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136 Blog Comments to “BBC Interview of Rafi Sahab in 1977”

  1. S C NAIR says:

    simple grate

  2. satish Bhargava says:

    Md Rafi jaisa na hua na hoga. Top most singer of India Aane wale 1000 sal bad bhi unke gane asey hi achhey lagege jaise aaj lagte hai

  3. Rafi sahab ki awaz ta qayamat hamein sukoon aur rahat pahunchati rahegi. says:

    Rafi sahab ki awaz me jaadu,nasha,roohaniyat hai. Unka koi muqabla nahin.Allah pak unki maghfirat farmaye.Aameen

  4. Shakeel Ahmed Kasar says:

    ALLAH RAFISAB KO JANNAT ATA’A FARMAYE AMEEN YA RABIL AAL AMEEN

  5. Rafi Bhat says:

    The Legend of Legends The Great Rafi Sahab is everything for me..I use to sing Rafi Sahab songs. Inshaallah soon i will record few songs sung by Rafi Sahab & upload them on youtube.

    Best Regards

    Rafi Bhat

  6. ravindra says:

    Such a humble person……….. it’s sad that world will never be able to see another rafi sahab………… following audio is from his live performance in pakistan………… enjoy the performance…………….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoBjlRHKHfw&feature=youtu.be

  7. B TAVRI says:

    The earth has two motions .1. one on it’s dhuri in every 24 hrs it completes one rotation.2. it compeletes one full round around the sun in a year time.These show two types of energies earth has.These are qualities of earth.Rafi saheb has many qualities.Voice, technical perfections, voice matching with the actor whom he sings for,feelings of the words…so many qualities.Such a great singer he was.He was greatest one the whole world has sofar,

  8. Masood says:

    First of all I would like to give my sincere thanks to the admin of this site. The wonder voice thats really I feel from my inner heart. I feel Rafi Sb is with me while I listen him………………..that feeling..I can’t express.

    Its my bad luck I never seen Rafi Sb in my life may be I am late comer to this world.

  9. sudhir dwivedi says:

    i am very happy to read the interview of rafi saheb i have only one word to define him that is “na bhooto na bhavisyati”

  10. Ras Kumar Jha says:

    I can not explain in words how much i like and love Rafi Sahab. Whenever I listen his songs I think that the voice of God will also be the same. This legendry is not alive amongst us but his music will be forever amongst us. Since when Sun, Moon and stars will be on the horizon since then Rafi Sahab will be among us. Neither any singer like him has born nor will born in the world. I like him more than my life.

  11. RKSINGH says:

    Bachpan se lekar ab tak rafi sahab hi suro ki duniya mein hamare adarsh hain. Unki awaj aisa lagta hai ki jaise har taraf ek meethapan bikher rahi ho. Aur is interview mein wo bahut hi saleen aur saral lag rahe hain. A gr8 personality and gr8 human being. Kash hum bhi unko kabhi dekh pate..

  12. jasbir singh zando says:

    i am really excited to hear my GOD’s(rafisaab) interview on bbc,his speaking is so gentle n his answers so humble n honest….i do hv words to express my thanks…i was really dieing to hear how rafisaab used to speak….

  13. Mohammed Rijwan Chopdar says:

    Rafi Sahab i miss u.

    aapke gane mujhe bhut ache lagte hai.

    isliye mujhe mere dost rafi kehte h

    aye kass me aapko dekh paata

    i miss ssss ss u

  14. neeraj says:

    A poll to select your favourite mohd rafi website

    http://www.twiigs.com/poll/Entertainment/Music/12264

  15. Farook says:

    Rafi ka matlab hi hae ‘oochaa’…Allah ne unko oocha kar diya…’jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere, sang sang tum bhi gungunaaoge….ha tum mujhe yu bhula na paaoge……so very true.

  16. sagar says:

    Rafi saab is my favourite, I like all of his songs.
    he is a gift to God

  17. vanraj &pravinsinh from Gandhinagar says:

    …..jo padha ..vo ek sapana lagta hai…malum nahi..agar hum ye interview hu b hu dekhte..to kya maza aata !! ek dil-e-khwahish puri hoti…aur kya

  18. A S MURTY says:

    DEAR ARIF BHAI, please provide us with the email id, phone number and other details of your friend who as you say is capable of singing rafi sahab’s songs 100 pc. unbelievable, but if true, it is a discovery indeed. please provide his audio/video at my email id rafimurty@gmail.com and i would be only too happy to post it on a host of blogs. also give us more details of yourself and your friend i.e. from which city you hail etc. this is with ref to your post 114. pls act fast, we are waiting with abated breath. and post 115 from kuldeep bhai. you have echoed very well feelings of all of us in few lines.

  19. Imtiyaz A. Sharif says:

    Agar Allah hamari umar (age) ko hamaray ikhtiyaar mein deta kay tum jisko chaho aur jitni chaho apni umar mein se desakte ho to hum Rafians apni umar de de kar Rafi sahab ko kabhi apne se juda honay nahin dete.

  20. kuldeep says:

    MD. RAFI SAAB

    KYA TUM JANTE HO KI TO KITNE LOGO KI JAAN HO?

    ANSWER FROM KHUDA : COUNTING UPTO MY EXISTANCE IN THIS UNIVERSE

  21. binus2000 says:

    Arif ji: thanks for your discovery.. i should screammmmmmmmmmm
    eureka , euraka , eureka.aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
    now., for discovering a rafi style singer who sings 100 percent
    rafi style.

    can we too hear him first hand and give our opinion on him instead
    of relying on your word..

    thanks..

    binu nair,,,, the rafi foundation, mumbai. cell 9833 250 701

  22. Aseer says:

    reference post 113, Asim ji
    “Allah Tala unki Maqfarat farmaye (Amin)”
    the word is maagfiraat.
    regards
    BTW, this doesnt make ur prayer inferior in any ways. reagrds

  23. arif says:

    great news.
    i have found a freind wh can sing so great that he can match yes match 100pc
    most top singers including rafi.
    just goes to show Allah can and does give greatness to whom he chooses.
    my freind can sing all rafi songs and mehdi hassan songs so well that i gurantee you wont even be ab able to tell the difference,
    tell me how and where to post his songs so that you guys can enjoy as well.

    well worth it!!!

  24. Asim says:

    I am one of the Big fan of Mohd. Rafi Sb.this is true that there will be no any singer born like Rafi Sb.Allah Tala unki Maqfarat farmaye (Amin)

  25. Parag says:

    I am too small person to comment on Rafi Saab but yes his songs are just full of life and its impossible that such a singer will ever be born on this earth

  26. rakesh ravi says:

    md rafi was a god’s gift to human kind. vo ishhwar ke aashirvaad the. na kewal unki gaayaki magar un sa insaan bhi khuda ki rahamat se hi janm leta hai.
    main unki ijjat ek sant ek mahatma ki tarah karta hoon. unke geet – is a divine experience to me. i am proud that i was born in my society.
    rafi saheb aamar rahen.

  27. Jahanzeb M Waziri says:

    Assalamo Alaikum.

    I was barely two months old when Mohd Rafi left us all. I can not thank my father enough for passing on his passion for Rafi Saab to us. Its hard to imagine how dry and dull my soul would have been had I not experienced his voice.

    Rafi Saab agar aap hazaar saal ki umar bhi le kar aatay toh hum phir bhi aapki kami aisay mehsoos kartay jaisay aaj! Allah ki rehmatein aur barkatein ho aap pe (aamin) – insha’allah jald mulaqat ho gi aap se, jis ka intizar hai hamein…

    JM Waziri
    USA/Pakistan

  28. Asim says:

    o Rafi Sahib! aapko karwat karwat junut naseeb ho. Vacume left by u simply cannot b filled. 27 years paased since u left but ur celestial voice!!!!!. I was not even born when u left. Whenever i listen your song i start thinking the time when u would have sung it, that moment, the time u would have left ur home for recording, …………….We miss u

  29. RAFI SA’AB ke tamaam chahnewalon
    ko mera pahla salaam tah-e-dil se,

    Hi friends, i am in this condition that i can not express my initial feelings due to lack of words. But i would like to thank this site of RAFI SA’AB and all RAFI’s lovers from india and abroad, that they made me available such rare recording of RAFI SA’AB’s BBC interview. It was just like a massage for all of us in his own voice,
    ” MUJHE LAMHE NAHIN SADIYAN SUNENGI,
    HIFAZAT SE MERI AWAZ RAKHAN”
    and once again thanks to all rafians and mohdrafi.com

  30. RIZWAN DEHLVI says:

    KHAAQ MAIN KYA SURTEY HONGI KI PINAH HO GAYEE

  31. jameel m ali says:

    Greatest ever playback singer in indian history,but unfortunately he does not get the credit that he deserves due to communal politics in bollywood and other places.

  32. Irfan says:

    Dear Abhishek, The song is ‘wo hum na the wo tum na the wo rehguzar thi pyar ki,luti jaha pe bevajah palki bahaar ki’ from the film ‘CHA CHA CHA’,Lead Actors (Chandrashekhar,Helen),Music -Iqbal Qureshi,Lyrics-Neeraj.This film has had another soulful number by Rafisaab ‘Subha na aayee shaam na aaye,jis din teri yaad na aayee’
    Regards

  33. Sayed Zaka says:

    Refer Post 103 Dear Abhishek The Bol Of You Require song is ” Wo Ham Na The” From The Film ” Cha Cha Cha”

  34. Abhishek says:

    i am searching for a song of Rafi Sahab but i do not know the exact lyrics. I can tell a mid line that is “na hai khalish yeh phool ki na hai khata bahar ki, luti jahan pe bewajah palki bahar ki, palki bahar ki”. If you tell me the name of movie , i would be really oblidged and thankfull to you.

  35. Sjah says:

    Salaam to all Rafians,
    Dear Mr. Kutty sahab, I am just like you. I was 18 years old and cried like little child when Rafi sahab passed away on july 31st 1980. I still can not believe that Rafi sahab is no longer among us. Almost avery day I am busy in search and collecting information about and songs of my beloved Mohd. Rafi sahab.

    Mohd Rafi sahab truly touched my heart … over and over .. forever.

    Sjah (from The Netherlands)

  36. ahamed kutty says:

    It is a wonder why Rafians are loving and treating him as their own and even more than their own family.I thought he is getting such thing only in India.but after going through various blogs it is sure only Rafi saab is getting such a relationship in the world.On July 31st 1980 in the night from vividha bharathy I was hearing ‘Chaya geeth’ programme doing by Mrs.Kanta Gupta.she put the rafi saab song “Ha tumujeyum” from pagla kahi ka and after finishing the song she asked “if you hear the song can you believe rafi saab is no more.within moment i started crying as I lost somebody who is related to me so much.Even some days I am forgetting my daughter who is very dear to me.since 33 years i am in search of rafi saabs details from magazines,
    news papers,radio and TV.Once to forget him i started hearig unpopular songs.But of no use and still my love and affection for him is going up like anything.

    Ahamed Kutty

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