There never will be another Rafi, because God doesn’t duplicate.” Salim Khan.
Perhaps the veteran script writer’s words aptly mirror the feelings of millions of fans for whom Mohammad Rafi remains, simply irreplaceable. A voice that has captured the collective imagination, generations after generations, belonged to a singer who was also known for his modesty. Beyond that, very little is known about Rafi, the man .Hence when a casual browsing of the shelves, revealed a yellow cover page with the title Mohammad Rafi – My Abba –A Memoir by Yasmin Khalid Rafi, it naturally aroused a certain curiosity.
Yasmin happens to be Rafi’s eldest son Khalid’s wife; through the book she opens a personal window of memories that strike an emotional chord with the reader. “Abba fiercely guarded his privacy and made sure the family too maintained a distance from the limelight. He firmly adhered to the belief that work and personal life should remain two separate entities,’’ she says. The silence was exchanged with words, as Yasmin finally relented to the persuasion of her children, who insisted that the legend’s countless admirers deserve to know the person behind the persona.
“My children encouraged me to write about my life and times with Abba, initially as a family heirloom as they would often hear stories and anecdotes, so they wanted me to document them. I too realised, it was long overdue. The book is about my experiences and memories of growing up as a fan and then entering the Rafi household as a young bride. They embraced me whole-heartedly and the last four decades has been a treasure trove of memories,” the London based author reveals.
While the book is her personal trip down memory lane, it also offers his admirers, a chance to embark on an interesting journey of discovery about a singer who through his voice has achieved the status of immortality. Yet in many ways, turning the pages of life was an emotionally laden indulgence for her.
“In the beginning it was not easy and made me very sentimental. I was not even sure if I would be able to complete this project. But revisiting old times is a two-fold exercise, while it brims with nostalgia; it also makes us smile as well. For me, it eventually turned out to be a wonderful experience. In fact, it is such a pleasure to rekindle old memories and appreciate what was. Not only that, writing about a certain incident would sometimes jog my memory even further and I would recall things that I had completely forgotten about,” she admits.
Written over a period of two years, Yasmin begins the memoir by recollecting the memories that eventually lead to that fateful day of 31 July 1980, when Rafi suffered a fatal heart attack “It was the month of Ramzan and a usual day until the phone call shattered the calm. A family member broke the news about my father in law suddenly falling ill. A few hours later, it was revealed that he has passed away at a Mumbai hospital. We were in London and being far away, added to our misery. Even though we made travel arrangements to fly to India at the earliest, unfortunately we could not make it for his funeral. The missed chance of saying a final good bye to a loved one, makes a tragedy even more unbearable,” the pain still evident in her voice.
“Although financially, all his children were well settled, the emotional void of his death was not easy to over come. Especially for my mother in law who never fully recovered from the loss,” she adds.
After sharing the family’ grief in the initial chapter, the book takes a flashback into the making of a legend. It provides rare glimpses of Rafi’s early life in Lahore, his blossoming as an exceptional talent since a young age and his family’s reluctant permission to allow him to travel to Bombay in search of greater acceptance, the struggle to find a foothold and finally scripting a remarkable story of success and humility.
“Few people know about Abba’s love for fancy cars and flying kites. Or for instance, one of his most cherished memories was rendering Lehraao Tiranga Lehraao at the Red Fort on 15 August 1947. He would fondly recall, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru extending a spontaneous hug and inviting him to sing at Teen Murti Bhavan. The artiste who had a successful career span of 35 years, never made it mandatory on any his off springs to follow his footstep. He believed creativity is not strictly hereditary and gave them the freedom to pursue their own interest, ” reveals the writer.
The book filled with interesting anecdotes, narrates many significant and memorable moments from his life. The readers also have access to quite a few photographs from the family album.
The warmth clearly visible in her words, Yasmin’s effort is a straight from the heart affair. “I feel very proud that Abba’s legacy continues and that he is loved and remembered by so many fans worldwide. I guess, this book can be considered as a small gift to the millions of fans and generations to come,” she concludes. As this interview is being given a finale shape, a Rafi song plays on, somewhere in the neighbourhood. Truly legends never they die!
Published by Tranquebar Press by Westland Ltd
Price: Rs 250
Pages: 190