The 34th death anniversary of Mohammad Rafi, one of the all time great singers of the sub-continent, was observed in a sombre mood on July 31. Then on August 4, came the 85th birth anniversary of another classic singer Kishore Kumar. Indeed, the two occasions, close to one another, provided the music lovers opportunities of listening to the wonderful songs of yesteryears. Anyone having  some rudimentary idea about the sub-continental music cannot remain indifferent to Rafi and Kishore Kumar. Their songs transcend all barriers and boundaries. Late Manna Dey, another top singer, said before his death in an interview a few months ago that he believed Mohammad Rafi is the greatest singer of this era in this part of the world while music lovers can be proud of several other notable singers.
It has been really very entertaining to see some of the Indian and Pakistani TV channels telecast programmes on the two occasions. Singers - both male and female - brought back the memory of Rafi and Kishore Kumar when they sang many a popular renditions including duet songs of different films.
It is also nice to read some articles on them in newspapers and periodicals in Bangladesh, where the name of both remain inseparably linked with the excellence of modern and other forms of songs.
 Rafi's melodies in such popular films like "Baiju Bawra", "Mughal-e-Azam", "Ann", "Sangam", "Dosti" etc., have made him immortal in the sense that all these songs are still in the lips of the music lovers. Rafi also sang in other languages including Bangla, but as a playback singer of the Hindi and Urdu films, he earned great laurels that remain unparallel and would probably remain so for many years to come. In fact, it is simply inconceivable that any song can beat the enchanting attraction of several Rafi renditions like those in the films "Baiju Bawra" and "Ann", which are considered epic for all times to come.
Kishore Kumar was a Bangalee and was also an actor, who later mingled more with the music and emerged as a very popular singer both in Bengali and Hindi. His screen performance and songs in the film "Lukochuri" - largely a comedy - are still remembered as a fantastic production in which he excelled in both areas. The sweet and romantic songs in that film and many other Hindi films like "Aradhana", "Amanush" and others catapulted Kishore Kumar to the zenith of popularity.
True, the nature of entertainment varies from individual to individual and the taste is also an important factor here. Besides, the age is also a determining feature about the kind of entertainment since what is dear to young people may not be necessarily equally desirable for the relatively elders. Nevertheless, many of these creations are landmark accomplishments. No wonder, the duo lived in what is called a "golden era".
While the print media in Bangladesh observed both the occasions relating to Rafi and Kishore bringing back their memories to countless admirers, the TV channels largely lagged behind. They could have arranged discussions and sessions to the great masters. Hopefully, they would not miss such occasions of great singers and artistes regardless of their nationalities as language and culture have no distinct identities since they all speak of human values, feelings and emotions.
zaglulchowdhury@yahoo.com
Golden voices of a golden era
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury | Published: August 06, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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