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What's in A Name? The Many Iterations of Mohammed Rafi in Film Credits

23 Dec, 2020 | Short Features by Haresh Joshi
Image Courtesy: Filmfare, 1969

William Shakespeare once wrote “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." The film industry certainly seems to be a firm believer in this. One glance at film credits over the years is enough to tell us how frequently names are changed or distorted. I have gone through around 817 films and found 41 different ways in which Mohammed Rafi’s name appears .
 
Name of Mohammed Rafi in title Movie
MOHD.RAFI 12 O’Clock (1958)
MOHAMMED RAFI Aabroo (1968)
MOHAMED RAFI Aarzoo (1965)
Mohomad rafi Aaj Aur Kal (1963)
MOHAMMAD RAFI  Aakashdeep (1965)
LATE Mohammed rafi  Aan Aur Shaan (1984)
मुहम्मद रफ़ी Aanchal Ke Phool (1968)
महमद रफ़ी Aastik (1956)
Film dedicated to him Aas Paas (1981)
Ma.RAFI Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963)
MAHAMMED RAFI Alakh Niranjan (1975)
MOHAMED RAFFI Alibaba Aur Chalees Chor (1966)
RAFI Amber (1952)
MOHOMED RAFI Anjan Hai Koi (1969)
MOHMAD RAFI Balak Aur Janwar (1975)
मो. रफ़ी Balak Dhruv (1974)
MAHAMAD RAFI Baarish (1957)
MD.RAFI Bedaag (1965)
मोहम्मद रफी Beti (1969)
Mohd. Raffi Bharat Milap (1965)
MAHOMED RAFI Biradari (1966)
Moh. Rafi 24 Ghante (1958)
MOHEMED RAFI Daadi Maa (1966)
MAHAMMAD RAFI Dekh Kabira Roya (1957)
MOHAMOD RAFI Ghar Aakhir Ghar Hai (1988)
महमद रफी Hanuman Vijay (1974)
मोहमद रफी Harishchandra Taramati (1963)
MOHMMED RAFI Jawab (1970)
PADMASHRI MD RAFI Johar In Bombay (1967)
MAHAMMADH RAFI Kaun Sachha Kaun Jhutha (1972)
MOHMD. RAFI Kunwara Baap (1974)
MOHMED RAFI Love and Murder (1966)
महंमद रफी Mahabali Hanuman (1980)
Late Mohd Rafi Nazrana Pyar Ka (1980)
महम्मद रफी Paisa Ya Pyar (1969)
MAHD RAFI Pratiggya (1975)
MOHMMAD RAFI Seema (1955)
MOAHMMAD RAFI Teen Devian (1965)
RAFFI Tu Nahin Aur Sahi (1960)
MD RAFFI Trip To Moon (1967)
MOD. RAFFI Woh Din Yaad Karo (1971)

                
 Screenshots of each title are below:
    

12 O’Clock (1958)


 
24 Ghante


        
Aabroo (1968)

 
 
Aarzoo (1965)


 
Aaj Aur Kal (1963)
Also see: Asha Bhonsale

      
Aakashdeep (1965)
 
Aan Aur Shaan (1984)


 
        
Aanchal Ke Phool (1968)



 
Aastik (1956)


 
 Aas Paas (1981)  - dedicated to Mohammed Rafi

 
Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963)


     
Alakh Niranjan (1975)
 
Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (1966)

Amber (1952)

Anjan Hai Koi (1969)

Balak Aur Janwar (1975)


 
Balak Dhruv (1974)


 
Baarish (1957)

Bedaag (1965)

Beti (1969)

Bharat Milap (1965)

         
Biradari (1966)



 
Daadi Maa (1966)
Also see: Asha Bhonsle and Mehinder Kapoor


 
Dekh Kabira Roya (1957)
Also see: LATA MUNGESHKAR and TALAT MAHAMMUD


 
Ghar Aakhir Ghar Hai (1988)


 
Hanuman Vijay (1974)

 
Harishchandra Taramati (1963)
 
Jawab (1970)

Johar In Bombay (1967)

 
Kaun Sachha Kaun Jhutha (1972)


 
Kunwara Baap (1974)


        
Love and Murder (1966)

Mahabali Hanuman (1980)


 
Nazrana Pyar Ka (1980)


 
Paisa Ya Pyar (1969)


 
Pratiggya (1975)

 
Seema (1955)


 
Teen Devian (1965)
 
Tu Nahin Aur Sahi (1960)


 
Tu Nahin Aur Sahi (1960)


 
Woh Din Yaad Karo (1971)


Few more observations:
•    Out of 817 films, Bombay Talkie (1970) was the only film in which Mohammed Rafi’s picture is displayed along with his name in film title.
•    Out of 817 films, only 15 film titles have Mohammed Rafi’s name before Lata Mangeshkar’s. Otherwise Lata Mangeshkar’s name always came before Mohammed Rafi. These 15 film titles are  :
Ankhen (1968), Budtameez (1966), Dekha Pyar Tumhara (1963), Do Premee (1950), Gaon Hamara Shahar Tumhara (1972), Gunaho Ka Devta (1967), Haath Ki Safai (1974), Hasina Maan Jayengi (1968), Kudrat (1981), Mehndi (1958), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Palki (1967), Sangam (1964), Wapas (1969), Yakeen (1969. In Aankh Ka Taara (1977) even Usha Mangeshkar’s name came before Mohammed Rafi.
•    Out of 817 movies, I have also observed that there are several movies, in which playback singers' names are not included in credits.
•    There are 3 movies in which only Mohammed Rafi’s name is excluded in singers name even though his songs were there in films, while other singers' names are there in the credits. These films are:
Kasam Khoon Ki, 1977 (Rafi's song is - Arre Aaj Lutaa Do Jaan)
Ram Kasam, 1978 (Rafi's song is - Kajre ki kasam gajre ki kasam)
Film Hi Film, 1983 (Rafi's song is - Humne Jinke Khwab Sajaye Aaj Wo Mere Samne Hai)


 

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About the Author

Haresh Joshi is a presently retired Manager (Quality Control) at Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. Vadodara. He has been a life long Mohammed Rafi afficionado and has written the book Mohammed Rafi - His Voice, My Choice. 

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