13 Dec
Posted by: admin in: Hindi Cinema, Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi

Image Courtesy EternalRafi.com
I’d post my second entry on Kishore Kumar on this site with the following message: Hindi Music lovers often compare Kishoreda and Mohammed Rafi and try to downgrade the one they may not like about. I have been an intense Kishoreda fan since my childhood, and have my own reasons to believe he towered upon the rest in the Hindi Playback arena. However, it would be unbecoming on my part as a Hindi Cinema Music fan if I tried to show disrespect to Rafi or anybody else just to uphold my own views. While posting these ideas therefore, my only intention is to recapture a glimpse of the golden past of the Hindi Playback through Kishoreda’s greatness…hope I’ll have enough audience for this on my side!
Rafi and Kishoreda belonged to two different eras in Hindi film making. The needs of the craft were different when Rafi sang to his peak during the 50s and 60s. When it came to the action and cinemascope extravaganza of the 70s and onwards, Rafi subsided as his classical mold proved insufficient. The industry needed far too more versatile response, something the likes of Kishore Kumar, RD Burman and Asha Bhonsle had in them. They had had a huge impact on the generation that grew up listening to their blend since the early days of 70s.
I have personally been a hardcore KK fan. Never ever visited the Rafi camp or liked his style while I was still into my teens at the time of KK’s demise. But, things have somewhat changed with the passage of time and I find both the singers equally appealing into my late thirties now. You can’t compare or denounce the names like Kishore, Rafi or Mukesh just for the sake of upholding your personal ideas. All had something special in them in their own spheres. If Rafi Saheb was Rama, the “Ansha-Avatar” yet “Maryada-Purshottam”, that spoke of the finest facets of the “Hindustani” culture, Kishoreda was like Krishna, the “Purna Avatar”, with all the additional colors and “Mudras” to transcend you into ecstasy. Obviously, Kishoreda was better suited to occupy the center-stage at a time when Sholay and “Dam Maro Dam” were redefining the very basic Hindi Cinema Craft. They both were amazing in their own ways, nobody will deny this. Therefore, one should try to celebrate them as a “single golden past”, and not as two separate entities! Amen!
12 Responses
kcp
15|Dec|2007 1Good anology
I liked it !!
admin
17|Dec|2007 2Your remarks are appreciated Kaustubh. Thanks a lot!
dr.manoj kumar behera
16|Jan|2008 3the above written article,brought tears in my eyes… it was as satisfing as if achieving the greatest goal in my life .i donot know
why i am so passionate ,crazy to hear good praising words for my god.yes i mean it he is not only a singer for me ,he is my god.
the versatile unparrelel madcap genius….. kishre da..i am his greatest devotee.. can some body tell this sony television people
dr.manoj kumar
admin
17|Jan|2008 4Dr. Manoj Kumar, thanks for expressing out your views on Kishoreda. But, you are not alone in saying those words. Most Kishoreda fans would say similar words. Even Sony wallahs know this and that’s why they are airing this show now. Kishore Kumar was a rare occurrence, and there is little possibility that we will have yet another vocalist of his caliber any soon now.
vinod
02|Feb|2008 5kishoreda is perhaps the greatest indian ever borne even better than Chanakya.
Girish Modi
12|Jul|2008 6your comments and comparision (or contrst) between Rafi Saheb and Kishre Da are absurd. Just as you cannot compare Lata Maneshkar with Asha Bhosle, you can not compare Rafi with Kishore.
If you are not a fan of Rafi, then you are not a music lover.
It is true that Kishore Da was more popular among young generation. But Rafi was more pupular with people who liked classical music.
By the way Kumar Sanu and Amit Kumar both have imitated Kishore Kumar’s voice, but no one has yet copied Rafi’s voice.
I love all singers and their music
admin
12|Jul|2008 7Girish, stop trying to sell Asha Bhonsle songs to me. One could guess where the absurdity lies in this case. Also, try having an opinion first, before even beginning to think you could debate on this issue. You failed to read through my above post, which anybody could guess from what you stated.
Vind
03|Aug|2008 8I appericiate your comment. I am a fan of Mohd. Rafi and his style., but I also enjoy listening to Kishore’s song’s, including some of his earlier (50’s and 60’s)work which was under-apericiated.
All one has to do is listen to DUKHI MAAN MERE (funtoosh) to understand
that Kishore was a great singer long before the 70’s.
It seems the nature of bollywood MD’s is to gravitate mainly
toward the top singers (Rafi and Lata in the 50’s and 60’s) and that Kishore
had not made it to the club yet despite his wonderful skills.
What is not clear is that why Rafi was being sidelined Kishore’s arival as a great
singer not withstanding.
But even in the late 60’s and early 70’s was Rafi was delivering great hits
(e.g. YEH DUNIYA YEH MEHFIL among other many hits) including some
on Rajesh khanna and Dev Anand. Try these two : Gulabi Aankhe and Mera Man Tera Pyasa
Rafi went on to deliver great hits, but mainly not picturized on the stars of that time (with some exception). The beneficiaries were the not so “super stars” who got Rafi as a playback. Here are a few examples ase for the fans of the 70’s ‘music’
Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho
apni aankhon mein basa kar
chura liya hai tumne
teri galiyon mein
kya hua tera wada
tumse door rehke
aaj mausam
KKdiwani
15|Aug|2008 9Great writeup. Thanks
Something I have all along been telling both (both hardcore ones) Kk fans and Rafi fans - They both were amazing in their own ways, nobody will deny this. Therefore, one should try to celebrate them as a “single golden past”, and not as two separate entities! Amen!
Sigh! The feud continues and seems endless
admin
01|Sep|2008 10@ Musharraf,
Conversation has been moved to Kishore Kumar - The Undisputed King! It looks better there, not in this thread.
————————-
Btw, do visitors to my weblog understand the reasoning behind terming Rafi as Rama and Kishore Kumar as Krishna? A few do not, I suspect. It’s a very clever way of paying respect to Rafi despite patronizing KK. According to Hindu belief, Rama and Krishna were both the incarnations of the same supreme power - call Vishnu, god, almighty, whatever. They both are revered with equal zeal and passion…they are the same ultimate truth. One can read about Rama and Krishna worshipers arguing/ fighting for their sects/ gods in Hindu mythologies as well (though my knowledge with regards to Sanatan Dharma (The eternal law) is limited so bear with my misquotes, if any).
admin
10|Oct|2008 11I have been moving comments made by Rafi fans to Kishore Kumar - The Undisputed King! No attempt at starting a Kishore vs Rafi debate will be allowed in this particular thread. Do not waste your and my time and energy. Please move over to the other link for a KK vs Rafi battle. Whatever I have mentioned in this blog entry is my personal opinion and it stands in a good taste contrary to whatever some blinded Rafi fans may think of it. If somebody doesn’t agree it’s their problem. The other thread allows to speak out your mind, so you are not being prevented from disclosing your extreme love for Rafi either!
rommel
10|Oct|2008 12kishore is the best
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