Mohammad Rafi was trained kabali singer, and had deep voice that suited the purpose. But he was technically poor and for this reason Lata, being technically adep, was not too fond of singing duets with him. After he went on Hajj he did not want to sing romantic songs, which gave Kshore Kumar his opportunity. Even today and now there are many kabbali singers who can singer just as well if not better than Rafi. Indians have unique unhealthy romantic habit of magnifying achievements of the past and down playing present youngsters.
As far as Kerala is concerned Rafi Saab being treated as their own singer.He had performed live programmes in big cities as well as in small towns.There are at least four Rafi fan clubs in Calicut alone.This is happening in a state where Hindi speaking people are not there and without singing a single song in Malayalam.There is a Malayalam calender called "Mathrubhumi" calender.In that in special days 31st July is mentioned as "Death anniversary of Mohammed Rafi (even not mentioning as Hindi Playback singer).There are few Malayalam actors passed away like the great Sathyan,the evergree hero of Malayalam,Prem Nazir (Prem Nazir acted in more than 600 Malayalam films as Hero whose name appeared in the Guinnes Book of World Records) and Jayan.Their death anniversaries are not mentioned in this calender.
When there was a poll to select the Greatest Indian after Gandhiji,Rafi Saab came on 12th position.His song "Baharom phool barsaao" has been selected as the best song of Hindi cinema by BBC-Asian Network.He has been selected as the "Singer of the Millennium" by Hero Honda-Star Dust poll.He has been selected as the "Great Voice of Hindi Cinema" by a poll conducted by IBN.On the occasion of celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema, in a poll conducted by CNN-IBN he came on top in the "Best Male Singer" category.
During the Chinese aggression,he toured the border to boost the morality of our soldiers.
Truly, there cannot be another Md Rafi. The name rafi conjures up a melliflous voice which can transport you along with your thoughts and all inner feelings to another planet where you feel you are enjoying it at a personal level. Voice is so enchanting and words are beautifully sung to nicety. He must have been a music composer's delight, for his sheer versatility in solos, duets, soulful melodies, geet, gazhal, peppy numbers and soft romantic melodious songs. Truly incomparable. I grew up listening to his voice since the sixties.
I first heard the songs of Md. Rafi after 15 years of his death. I have no singing background & knowledge. But the voice caught my attention and till now I wonder how the voice of a person be such versatile, soft & genuine ? Truly ‘There Cannot Be Another’ or in my view ‘There Can Never Be Another’.
Instead of politicians, Bharat Ratna should be given to this true gentle man with unbelievable voice.
His was a gifted, divine and haunting voice that no singer of the present can match. Most of the present day singers are either imitators or creating noice in the name of play back singing, not only in hindi but in any indian language. One song of kannada by Rafi "ninelli nadeve dura" still haunts music lovers of kannada screen.
