A TRIBUTE: MOHD RAFI
SaReGaMa; Rs 100 and
CD Rs 250 (2-Vol. packs)

What’s 25 years, an eternity may come and go, gods may come and go, but this God’s own man of music will live forever. The only misery caused by nostalgia being the thought of, what if he could be singing some of the ‘hit’ songs of today. But then the Ganjawalas and Atifs, the Shaans and KKs and other poor souls also have to live yaa’, so let ’em be, guys.

Perhaps, for just that nostalgia reason SaReGaMa have timed this special release (the 25th death anniversary of Mohd Rafi), digitally remastered, and in a beautifully stark white inlay, simply stating, A Tribute.

It’s a compilation of 27 gems, Vol. 1 beginning on, personally speaking, a false note, Hum aur tum aur yeh sama (Dil Deke Dekho) and ending with Tum jo milgaye ho (Hanste Zakhm). And Vol. 2 bouncing in with Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai (Loafer) and coming to a silvery rest with Chaand mera dil (Hum Kissi Se Kum Nahin). But wish it was not wrongly printed as ‘Oye’ (instead of ‘Ai’) gulbadan (Professor).

The rest is a personal choice, really, and hardly an enviable task. There are Khoya khoya chaand (Kala Bazar), Chhoo lene do nazuk (Kaajal), Dil ka bhanwar kare pukaar (Tere Ghar Ke Saamne), Pukaarta chala hoon main (Mere Sanam), Man re tu kaahe na dheer dhare (Chirtralekha). And end up doing Yahoo! (Junglee)...

Anil Grover