Rafi, whose nickname was Pheeko, began singing by imitating the chants of a fakir in the streets of his native village Kotla Sultan Singh where his family lived. Rafi's father moved to Lahore in 1935, where he ran a men's salon in Noor Mohalla in Bhati Gate. Rafi learnt classical music from Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo and Firoze Nizami. His first public performance came at the age of 13, when he sang in Lahore featuring K. L. Saigal. In 1941, Rafi, under Shyam Sundar, made his debut in Lahore as a playback singer in the duet "Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee" with Zeenat Begum in the Punjabi film Gul Baloch (released in 1944) under music director Shyam Sunder. In that same year, Rafi was invited by All India Radio Lahore station to sing for them. He made his Hindi film debut in Gaon Ki Gori in 1945.
In 1944, Rafi moved to Mumbai. Poet Tanvir Naqvi introduced him to film producers including Abdur Rashid Kardar, Mehboob Khan and actor-director Nazeer. Shyam Sunder was in Mumbai and provided the opportunity to Rafi to sing a duet with G. M. Durrani, "Aji dil ho kaabu mein to dildar ki aisi taisi...," for Gaon Ki Gori, which became Rafi's first recorded song in a Hindi film. Other songs followed.
Rafi's first song with Naushad was "Hindustan Ke Hum Hain" with Shyam Kumar, Alauddin and others, from A. R. Kardar's Pehle Aap (1944). Rafi appeared in two movies. In 1945, he appeared on the screen for the song "Tera Jalwa Jis Ne Dekha" in the film Laila Majnu. He sang a number of songs for Naushad as part of the chorus, including "Mere Sapnon Ki Rani, Roohi Roohi" with K. L. Saigal, from the film Shahjahan (1946). Rafi sang "Tera Khilona Toota Balak" from Mehboob Khan's Anmol Ghadi (1946) and a duet with Noor Jehan in the 1947 film Jugnu, "Yahan Badla Wafa Ka". After partition, Rafi decided to stay back in India and had the rest of his family flown to Mumbai. Noor Jehan migrated to Pakistan and made a pair with playback singer Ahmed Rushdi. In 1949, Rafi was given solo songs by music directors such as Naushad (Chandni Raat, Dillagi and Dulari) Shyam Sunder (Bazaar) and Husnalal Bhagatram (Meena Bazaar).
In his early career, Rafi associated with many contemporary music directors, most notably Naushad Ali. In the late 1950s and 1960s, he worked with other composers of the era such as O. P. Nayyar, Shankar Jaikishan, S.D. Burman and Roshan.
Rafi associated with several of his contemporaries , singing duets with them and sometimes for them (as in case of Kishore Kumar who was also an actor). Rafi sang the highest number of duets with Asha Bhonsle (female), Manna Dey (male) and Lata Mangeshkar (female).
In the song "Humko Tumse Ho Gaya Hai Pyaar Kya Karein" (Amar Akbar Anthony), Rafi sang one song with Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh, the most legendary singers in Bollywood. This was probably the only time that all of them rendered their voices for one song.
During a brief period in the early 1970s, Rafi recorded fewer songs because of ill health and the Hajj pilgrimage, and Kishore Kumar became a leading playback singer. While Rafi's musical output was relatively lower during this period, he did sing several songs. Some of Rafi's hit songs of the early 1970s were with music directors like Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Madan Mohan, R.D. Burman and S.D. Burman. These include "Tum Mujhe Yun Bhula Na Paoge" (a signature song of Rafi in 1971), from Pagla Kahin Ka; "Yeh Duniya Yeh Mehfil" from Heer Ranjha (1970); "Kaan Mein Jhumka" from Sawan Bhadon; "Jhilmil Sitaron ka" from Jeevan Mrityu (a duet with Lata Mangeshkar, 1970); "Gulabi Aankhen" from The Train (1970); "Yunhi Tum Mujhse Baat" from Sachaa Jhutha; "Yeh Jo Chilman Hain" and "Itna to Yaad Hain Mujhe" from Mehboob Ki Mehndi (1971); "Mera Mann Tera Pyasa" from Gambler; "Chadti Jawani" and "Kitna pyara wada" from Caravan (1971); "Chalo Dildar Chalo" from Pakeezah (1972); "Chura Liya Hai Tumne" from Yaadon Ki Baarat (a duet with Asha Bhosle, 1973); "Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye" from Dilip Kumar's movie Dastan (1973); "Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho" from Hanste Zakhm (1973); "Teri Bindiya Re", fromAbhimaan (1973) and "Aaj Mausam Bada Beimaan Hai" from Loafer (1973).
Rafi made a comeback as the leading singer in mid 1970s. In 1974 he won the Film World magazine Best Singer Award for the song "Teree Galiyon Mein Na Rakhenge Qadam Aaj Ke Baad" (Hawas, 1974) composed by Usha Khanna. In 1976, Rafi sang all the songs for Rishi Kapoor in the hit film Laila Majnu. Rafi went on to sing many more songs for Rishi Kapoor in the subsequent hit films, including Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977). In 1977, he won both Filmfare Award and the National Award for the song "Kya Hua Tera Wada" from the movie Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, composed by R.D. Burman. He was nominated as the best singer at the Filmfare Awards for the qawwali "Pardah Hai Pardah" from Amar Akbar Anthony (1977).
Rafi sang for several other successful films in the late 1970s and the early 1980s, including Bairaag (1976), Apnapan (1978), Ganga Ki Saugandh (1978), Suhaag (1979), Sargam(1979), Qurbani, Dostana (1980), Karz (1980), The Burning Train (1980), Naseeb (1981), Abdullah (1980), Shaan (1980), Aasha (1980), Aap To Aise Na The (1980), and Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai (1982). In 1978, Rafi gave a performance at the Royal Albert Hall and in 1980 he performed at the Wembley conference centre. From 1970 until his death he toured around the world extensively giving concert performances to packed halls.
Mohammed Rafi died at 10:25 pm on 31 July 1980, following a massive heart attack, aged just 55. His last song was for the movie Aas Paas, which he had recorded with Laxmikant-Pyarelal. The last song of Rafi was "Shaam Phir Kyun Udaas Hai Dost / Tu Kahin Aas Paas Hai Dost", recorded just hours before his death.
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