~By Hafizur Rahman

Had he been alive today, the legendary singer Mohammad Rafi would have stepped into his 102nd year. He left us on July 31, 1980, at the young age of 56. His departure came just a week after the passing of the great Uttam Kumar. Before fans could recover from one blow, a second tragedy struck the world of cinema. Forty-five years have passed, yet the film industry has found no substitute for Rafi—and it is doubtful if it ever will.

December 24th remains a momentous day for music lovers across the Indian subcontinent, for it was on this day that we were gifted the “Kohinoor” of playback singers. His career began as a substitute. At an event where the legendary K.L. Saigal was the lead performer, a sudden power outage led Saigal to return to his hotel to rest. To pacify the restless crowd, a twelve-year-old boy was forcibly pushed onto the stage. That young boy mesmerized the agitated audience with song after song. When the lights returned, Saigal blessed him. That was the beginning. That boy hadn’t even dreamt of music as a profession then, but Bombay followed, and the rest is history.

The composer Naushad mentored Rafi, helping him shed his Punjabi accent and focusing on pure Urdu diction to refine his playback skills. The song “Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki” from the film Dulari proved to be the turning point of his career. From the mid-1940s to the mid-60s, Rafi was peerless—unbeatable and untouchable. However, his career faced its first setback in 1967, for which Rafi himself was indirectly responsible.

During the filming of Shakti Samanta’s Aradhana, Rafi went on a pilgrimage (Hajj). There, someone advised him that music was ‘haram’ (forbidden). Being a God-fearing man, Rafi left Bombay and moved to London to stay with his sons. The film industry soon felt the void, but Rafi continued to turn down offers. Finally, Naushad stepped in as the problem-solver; he convinced Rafi to return to singing. By then, however, Kishore Kumar had stepped into the shoes Rafi had left behind. The “Rajesh Khanna storm” was blowing through the industry, sweeping everything away like straw.

Amidst this, Dharmendra remained an exception. Following the advice of his mentor Dilip Kumar, Dharmendra shifted his focus from romantic films to action and comedy. Rafi began playback for Dharmendra, and hits like “Aaj Mausam Bada Beimaan” from Loafer followed. With the cult song “Main Jatt Yamla Pagla Deewana,” Rafi reclaimed his territory.

Rafi’s biggest fan, director Manmohan Desai, helped him win back the audience’s hearts with a string of hits in Amar Akbar Anthony. Another notable incident—better late than never—involved the film Laila Majnu. Rishi Kapoor initially wanted Kishore Kumar to be his voice, while music director Jaidev insisted on Rafi. To resolve the clash of egos, Shammi Kapoor intervened. Rishi could not refuse Shammi’s request, and the results were historic. Following the success of Laila Majnu, Rishi Kapoor became a devoted fan of Rafi. Subsequently, Rafi provided the voice for Rishi Kapoor alongside Kishore Kumar. It is also worth noting that Manmohan Desai ignored all outside opinions to cast Rafi for Rishi Kapoor in Amar Akbar Anthony, resulting in the intoxicating magic of their collaboration. The journey didn’t end there; his song “Kya Hua Tera Wada” from Nasir Hussain’s Hum Kisise Kum Naheen won a National Award, proving that Rafi was far from finished.

According to Manna Dey, “Rafi is number one; the count for the rest of us begins from number four.” I once had the privilege of speaking with Manna Dey at his villa, ‘Anandam’ in Juhu. His words are a testament to the immense respect a great artist can have for a peer.

Many have received the Bharat Ratna, but Rafi has not. Fans often complain about this, but personally, I don’t give it much weight because the Bharat Ratna has lost some of its gravity. Nowadays, the award is often linked to lobbying and political alignment. The second reason is Kishore Kumar; surprisingly, even Kishore Kumar never received any state honors. Therefore, there is no room for regret. In a market where “wheat and chaff” are valued the same, expecting true recognition is a waste of time.

What do you think? To me, Rafi is not just a ‘Bharat Ratna’ (Jewel of India), but a ‘Vishwa Ratna’ (Jewel of the World). I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Just 14 days before his 90th birthday, which was due on December 8, Dharmendra passed away.

He was admitted to the hospital because he was having difficulty breathing. The ‘Godi Media’ (mainstream media) enthusiastically declared his death prematurely. His sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol, were annoyed and condemned the press for proclaiming a living person dead in their over-enthusiasm. When the actual event occurred, Dharmendra’s final rites were carried out silently and secretly, before anyone could know. Although Bollywood covers many things, I never had the opportunity to witness a celebrity’s death, so I lack experience in this matter. However, in films, when a star dies, the focus shifts more to the over-enthusiasm to capture photos of who attends the funeral rather than the death itself.

Bobby and Sunny did not want their father’s death to become a spectacle, so they boycotted the ‘Godi Media’.

Dharmendra’s entry into the world of cinema is like a film story itself. As a teenager, Dharmendra watched his first film, featuring Dilip Kumar’s Shaheed. That film influenced the young Dharmendra so much that he decided to become a film star. He would look into the mirror and question himself if he would become Dilip Kumar in the future.

The young man was not focused on studies. His father was a teacher, so he confided his secret wish to his mother. Not wanting to break her son’s heart, his mother silently gave him her saved money. Soon, an opportunity arose for acting in Bombay. There was a competition. Dharmendra went to his friend’s studio, took some photos, filled out the form, and sent it to Bombay.

He received a call from Bombay. There, Eklavya Dharmendra, taking inspiration from his guru Dilip Kumar, auditioned and secured the number one position, leaving all other competitors from the country behind. Thus began his film journey in 1958.

Initially, he did not achieve much success, but then he got the opportunity to act opposite the famous actress Meena Kumari. It was through her that he received an opportunity to act, following Dilip Kumar’s suggestion. Their film, Phool Aur Patthar, was a massive hit. His shirt-off image in that film instantly made him the ‘He-Man’. And those who had advised him to quit acting and pursue wrestling were forced to accept his acting career. Meena Kumari also helped the newcomer actor secure roles in several films. From that point on, Dharmendra gifted one hit after another, cementing his place in the film industry.

Because he remained grounded, he was not swept away by the Rajesh Khanna wave of the seventies. Instead, he delivered back-to-back hits. He changed his strategy from romantic films and successfully captivated the audience by acting in action and comedy genres.

Despite acting for nearly six decades, luck was not in his favor regarding awards. He received a Filmfare trophy towards the end of his life, from the hands of his idol, Dilip Kumar. Dilip Kumar was very affectionate towards Dharmendra, and once said that if God sent Adam with a physique like Dharmendra’s, he would have been happy. 25th November, the poster for his upcoming film Ikkis was released. Unfortunately, he did not get to see it. Director Sriram Raghavan announced that Ikkis will be released during the upcoming Christmas holiday. Besides this, two other films are awaiting release.

As far as I know, there are about three more films that have been pending for a long time. Now, they might be released to capitalize on people’s emotions.

With a heavy heart, I will conclude without saying much more, using a line from his film Black Mail:

“Pal pal dil ke paas tum rehti ho, jeevan meethi pyaas yeh kehti ho…”

I had the unique opportunity to interview him back in Mumbai when he gave his very first interview there. I’ve been following his trajectory since he first landed in Bombay from Delhi. I was always sure this newcomer would make it big in Tinseltown, but where he has actually positioned himself is beyond my wildest imagination.

The Global Icon and the Billionaire Club

Recently, he officially became the wealthiest star in the world, surpassing Hollywood giants like Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio. His staggering worth is now pegged at over ₹12,000 crores (as per a recent Hurun report). He is an icon not just in India, but his success has catapulted him into a true global star.

When Barack Obama visited India, he famously praised Shah Rukh and even quoted a dialogue from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ). Even the controversial American president, who has a love-hate relationship with India, lauded him in his speech.

His international accolades are immense: he’s received the highest civilian honors from countries like France (the Legion of Honour) and Malaysia (the title of ‘Datuk’). He has also been conferred with multiple honorary doctorate degrees by various universities worldwide. Today, he is frequently invited to deliver lectures at leading business schools globally, essentially acting as a global ambassador for our country. He is more than just our pride; his charisma mesmerizes the entire world.

If he has his grand residence ‘Mannat’ in Mumbai, he also acquired a villa, ‘Jannat,’ gifted by the ruler of Dubai at the posh Palm Jumeirah. He also reportedly owns properties in London and the USA.

Analysing the Secret of His Success

What is the secret to his unbelievable success? Hopefully, you’ll find this analysis compelling, as few can provide these behind-the-scenes details.

Shah Rukh is now the owner of the film production and distribution company Red Chillies Entertainment. He initially co-founded ‘Dreams Unlimited’ with Aziz Mirza and Juhi Chawla, but after three consecutive box-office bombs, the company suffered heavy losses. While anyone else might have crumbled, not Shah Rukh. He closed that loss-bearing venture and opened Red Chillies, this time choosing his better half, Gauri Khan, as his partner.

The next stumbling block was finance. A man of his stature could easily procure a loan, but Shah Rukh Khan is different. He knows that loans have destroyed many producers—take the recent case of Vashu Bhagnani, whose film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff) tanked, forcing him to repay ₹200 crores, reportedly by selling his property. Boney Kapoor and Jeetendra faced similar financial ruin after major flops.
Shah Rukh is not naïve. He smartly arranges his finances by pulling advance payments from his advertisers for future events and appearances. This creates a win-win situation: he doesn’t need to procure high-interest loans, and the advertisers secure him for their future campaigns.

We know Shah Rukh has a sports background (remember Chak De! India?). He purchased the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for around ₹300 crores. It was the brainchild of Lalit Modi, who coaxed Shah Rukh to join. Modi, with his Marwari ‘Bania’ business mind, foresaw the rosy picture: Shah Rukh would bring glamour, turning the cricket league into a carnival and filling the coffers.

Shah Rukh, on the other hand, showed the daring of a Miyan Bhai, believing ‘Fortune favours the brave.’ Today, KKR is reportedly valued at a staggering ₹9,000 crores plus, a testament to his sheer business acumen.

Let me also disclose a little-known fact: Mannat was originally a Parsi villa. He purchased it from the advance payments he received for acting in films, paying only around ₹13 crores for the sea-facing bungalow. It is now valued at well over ₹200 crores.

This is how he became the richest star in the world. Recently, at the success party for Aryan Khan’s record-breaking OTT series Bads of Bollywood, Shah Rukh committed that he is now relieved because his son has become a man and will run the family business. He says he will now only act when he truly feels like it.
He is only 60, and he still has “miles to go before he sleeps.”

If you enjoyed this detailed look into Shah Rukh Khan’s journey, please feel free to share your thoughts with us! This feedback truly boosts our morale.