Mohammed Rafi: His Songs with Supporting Actors

The association of a singer with a particular actor or actress is a common practice in the film industry. Sometimes a voice just fits with a star's image and becomes intricately entwined with their aura. Kishore Kumar-Rajesh Khanna, Mukesh-Raj Kapoor, Asha Bhosle-Helen - the list runs long. Over the course of his 35 year career, Mohammad Rafi too became associated with a few faces. Most prominently remembered are the classic Dilip Kumar-Naushad-Rafi combination or the transformation of Shammi Kapoor into the new age romantic hero through Rafi's voice and O P Nayyar's music. Even in these two examples what shines through is Rafi's versatility. It is this versatility and range that allowed him to mould his voice to almost any genre of music, or to any actor's particular image. He never limited himself to any particular coterie or star, but rather lent his magic freely and equally. 

While most songs are picturised on leading actors or actresses, there are memorable songs that feature supporting actors or people whom we normally associate with behind-the-camera roles. This list takes a look at the Rafi songs that feature faces we do not normally associate with his voice. These feature beloved supporting actors like Manmohan Krishna or Dhumal, singers like G M Durrani or choreographers like Herman Benjamin, and even faces we normally associate with villainy such as an Ajit or Prem Nath. Also featured are some actors with short-lived tenures as leads. Each song is sung with the same skill and energy as any Rafi classic, which is a testament to the legend's commitment. This exhaustive list is a treasure trove for any Rafi fan. 

Abhi Bhattacharya - Hum Laye Hai Toofan Se Kashti nikal Ke - Jagriti (1954)

Composed by: Hemant Kumar
Lyrics - Kavi Pradeep

                                                                           

Agha - Diwana admi ko banati hai rotiya - Kaali Topi Lal Rumal (1959)

Composed by: Chitragupt
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                                                          

Ajay - Aayi baharo ki sham kya jane phir kiske naam - Wapas (1969)

Composed by: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                                                         

Ajay Sahani - Mile na phool to kaanto se dosti karli - Anokhi Raat (1968)

Composed by: Roshan
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi

                                                                       

Ajit - Ab woh karam kare ke sitam main nashe mein hoon - Marine Drive (1955)

Composed by: N Dutta
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

                                                                                                                                         
Anand Bakshi - Bijli giri kaha se begane ho gaye hum - Picnic (1966)

Composed by: S Mohinder
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                                                     

Anwar Hussain - Garibo ka jeena bhi hai koi jeena - Nai Roshni (1967)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan
      
                                                                   

Rajan - Aaye The Huzoor Bade Tanke - Main Bhi ladki Hoon (1964)

Composed by: Chitragupt
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
              
                                                                  

Balam - Mere dilbar mujh par kafa naa ho jo yeh dil deewana – Dharmputra (1961)

Composed by: N Dutta
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

                                                                 

Baldev Khosa - Apni aankho mai basakar koi iqaraar karo -Thokar (1974)

Composed by: Shyamji Ghanshyamji
Lyrics: Sajan Dehlvi

                                                                


Bhagwan Dada - Aaye Jawani Jaye Jawani - Sheikh Chilli (1956)

Composed by: Vinod
Lyrics: Pandit Indra

                                                              

Brahmachari - Rekha o Rekha jabse tumhe dekha - Adhikar (1971)

Composed by: R D Burman
Lyrics: Ramesh Pant

                                                             


Dheeraj Kumar - Mere liye aati hai shaam chanda bhi hai mera gulam - Raaton Ka Raja (1970)

Composed by: R D Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                                         

Dhumal - Jisko Mile Padosi Achha Woh Hai Kismatwala - Padosi (1971)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Pravasi

                                                         

Dilip Dutt - Ho dil walo matwalo hum se shadi karwalo – Taqdeer (1967)

Composed by: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

                                                         

Dinesh Hingoo - Jhalak Dikha De Sanam Dil Tera Diwana Hai - Hamara Adhikar (1970)

Composed by: Chitragupt
Lyrics: Kaif Irfani

                                                         

G.M.Durrani - Unke khayal aaye to aake chale gaye - Laal Patthar (1971)

Composed by: Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

                                                         

Herman Benjamin – Jaan pehchan ho jeena asan ho - Gumnaam (1965)

Composed by: Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics: Shailendra

                                                         

Jagdeep - Paas baitho tabiyat behal jayegi – Punar Milan (1964)

Composed by: C Arjun
Lyrics: Indeevar

                                                       

                             
Jeevan - Yu chaal chalo na matvali is dil pe qayaamat aati hai - Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (1966)

Composed by: Sonik-Omi
Lyrics: G S Rawal

                                                     

Johny Whisky - O pape na sharma kuch garmi varmi kha – Sagai (1966)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan

                                                     

Kamaljit - Zindagi aaj mere naam se sharmati hai - Son Of India (1962)

Composed by: Naushad
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

                                                                                                           

Kamran - Ye maana dil jise dhunde badi mushkil se milta hai – Zimbo (1958)

Composed by: Chitragupt
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                                     

Kanwaljit Singh - Kahin ek masoom naazuk si ladki - Shankar Husain (1977)

Composed by: Khayyam
Lyrics: Kamal Amrohi

                                                    

Kashinath Ghanekar - Jata hun mai muje ab na bulana - Daadi Maa (1966)

Composed by: Roshan
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                                    

Kewal Kumar - Sab jawan sab haseen koi tumsa nahi - Main Suhagan Hoo (1964)

Composed by: Lachhiram Tamar
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi

                                                    

Krishan Dhawan - Pagdi sambhal jatta pagdi sambhal – Shaheed (1965)

Composed by: Prem Dhawan
Lyrics: Prem Dhawan

                                                    

M. Kumar - Zindabad zindabad ae mohabbat zindabad - Mughal-E-Azam (1960)

Composed by: Naushad
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

                                                  

Lotan and Sadiq Ali - Hai kali kali ke lab par tere husn ka thikana - Lala Rukh (1958)

Composed by: Khayyam
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi 

                                                 

Manmohan Krishna - Tu Hindu banega na Musalman - Dhool Ka Phool (1959)

Composed by: N Dutta
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

                                                 

Manohar Deepak - Abhi kamsin ho nadan ha jaane jaa - Aaya Toofan (1964)

Composed by: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics: Asad Bhopali

                                                 

Maruti - Yeh Bambai Shahar Ka Bada Naam Hai - Kya Ye Bombai Hai (1959)

Composed by: Bipin Dutta
Lyrics: Noor Devasi

                                                 

Mastar Nisar - Aaj kyu humse parda hai – Sadhna (1958)

Composed by: N Dutta
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

                                                 

Moti Sagar - Mubarak ho dulha dulhan ko ye shadi - Pak Daman (1957)

Composed by: Ghulam Mohammad
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

                                                 

Mumtaz Ali - Hume bhi dedo sahara – Seema (1955)

Composed by: Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

                                                 

O.P.Ralhan - Meri gaadi udan khatola koi kahe raja ka rath – Aurat (1967)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

                                                 

Om Prakash - Pahele paisa phir bhagwan babu dete daan - Miss Mary (1957)

Composed by: Hemant Kumar
Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan

                                                 

Om Shivpuri - Nanhe baba mere so ja soja baba – Koshish (1972)

Composed by: Madan Mohan
Lyrics: Gulzar

                                                 

Pran - Chal musafir teri manzil door hai to kya hua - Ganga Ki Saugand (1978)

Composed by: Kalyanji Anandji
Lyrics: Anjaan

                                                 

Prashant - Mana mere haseen sanam tu rashq-e-mahatab hai - The Adventures of Robin Hood (1965)

Composed by: G S Kohli
Lyrics: Anjaan

                                                 

Prem Nath - Mohabbat zinda rehti hai - Changez Khan (1957)

Composed by: Hansraj Behl
Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi

                                                 

Prem Parashar - Hey Shankar Jay Shankar insaan ko hai kartar woh do – Jogi (1982)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

                                                

Radhakishan - Tasveer teri dil mera behla na sakegi - Devar Bhabhi (1958)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Shailendra

                                               

Raja Gosavi - Jawan ho ya buddha ya nanhisi gudiya – Bhabhi (1957)

Composed by: Chitragupt
Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan

                                              

Rajeev - Aaj ki raat badi shokh badi natkhat hai - Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal (1966)

Composed by: Roshan
Lyrics: Neeraj

                                              

Ram Sethi - Kaun kisi ko baandh saka sayyaad to ik deewana hai – Kaalia (1981)

Composed by: R D Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                              

Ramesh Dev - Meri nigah ne kya kaam lajawab kiya - Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hai (1965)

Composed by: Khayyam
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                              

Randhava - Main to tere hasin khayalo mai kho gaya – Sangram (1965)

Composed by: Lala Sattar
Lyrics: Aish Kanwal

                                              

Rehman - Mohabbat ke dhokhe mai koi na aye - Badi Behen (1949)

Composed by: Husnlal Bhagatram
Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi

                                               

Satish Kaul - Jhuka Jhuka Ke Nazar - Mere Sartaaj (1975)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Mehboob Sarvar

                                               

Shailesh Kumar - Mukhde pe tere bijli ki chamak - Aadhi Raat Ke baad (1965)

Composed by: Chitragupt
Lyricist: Prem Dhawan

                                               

Shekhar - Tuje kya sunau mai dilruba tere samne mera haal hai - Aakhri Dao (1958)

Composed by: Madan Mohan
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                               

Subiraj - Akhiyan sang akhiyaan laage aaj - Bada Admi (1961)

Composed by: Chitragupt
Lyricist: Prem Dhawan

                                               

Sudesh Kumar - Ruk ruk chamke jhuk jhuk chamke - Peheli Raat (1959)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                               

Sudhir - Main ye sochkar uske dar se uthatha – Haqeeqat (1964)

Composed by: Madan Mohan
Lyricist: Kaifi Azmi

                                              

Sudhir Kumar - Jaane walo zara mudke dekho muje – Dosti (1964)

Composed by: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri

                                              

Sujit Kumar - Haseen wadiyo, fizaon se kehdo hawao se khedo - Laal Bangla (1966)

Composed by: Usha Khanna
Lyricist: Gulshan Bawra

                                               

Suresh - Suhani raat dhal chuki – Dulari (1949)

Composed by: Naushad
Lyricist: Shakeel Badayuni

                                               

Swaroop Dutt - Main ek raja hoon tu ek rani hai - Uphaar (1971)

Composed by: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi

                                               


Vijay Anand - Masti mai chhedke tarana koi dil ka – Haqeeqat (1964)

Composed by: Madan Mohan
Lyricist: Kaifi Azmi

                                              

Vijay Dutt - Wo sadgi kahen,ise deewangi kahen – Shama (1961)
                   
Composed by: Ghulam Mohammad
Lyricist: Kaifi Azmi

                                              

Vijay Kumar - Zara sun haseena e nazneen - Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya (1963)

Composed by: Ravi
Lyricist: Shakeel Badayuni

                                              

Yaqub - Chun chun karti ayi chidiya - Ab Dilli Door Nahi (1957)

Composed by: Dattaram Wadekar
Lyricist: Shailendra