Mukesh sang for Dilip Kumar while Mohd Rafi sang for Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor, in Andaaz, Mukesh’s songs went on Dilip Kumar while Mohd. Rafi sang for Raj Kapoor.
Andaaz is a musical triumph for Naushad. Each and every song in the film was a raging hit – Tu Kahe Agar, Jhoom Jhoom ke Nacho Aaj, Tootena Dil Tootena, Hum Aaj Kahin Dil Kho Bhaithe, Uthaye Ja Unke Situm, Tod Diya Dil Mera are among the finest songs that Naushad has composed. The last two sung by Lata Mangeshkar represent her early singing work in the year when she finally broke through to become India’s leading playback artist and it is interesting to see her initial singing style highly reminiscent of the great Noorjehan. Further, Naushad uses Mohd. Rafi to sing for Raj Kapoor and Mukesh for Dilip Kumar in a total reversal of singing roles. But again at this state of their careers the Raj-Mukesh and Dilip-Rafi were yet to be solidly established and in fact Mukesh had scored heavily under Naushad’s baton singing for Dilip Kumar in Mela (1948), just the previous year.
The partnership with Raj Kapoor started with Aag (1948) where Raj’s feelings of despondency and despair were vividly caught by Mukesh in Ram Ganguly’s composition Zinda Hoon Is Tarah, and ended with R.D. Burman’s Ek Din Bik Jaayega in the film Dharam Karam (1975). In its course was an endless list of hits. Among them are the evergreen songs of Awaara (1951), Shri 420 (1955), Parvarish (1958), Anadi (1959), Sangam (1964), Mera Naam Joker (1970).
The inimitable team of Mukesh-Raj Kapoor-Shankar-Jaikishen-Shailendra-Hasrat Jaipuri was responsible for producing one memorable hit after another for almost two and a half decades starting from Barsaat in 1949. From Mera Joota Hai Japani (Shree 420) to Kisi ki Muskurahaton pe ho Nissar (Anadi), from Dost, Dost na Raha (Sangam) to Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Din (Mera Naam Joker), the emotions conveyed by the depth and intonation of the voice of this master-singer was unparalleled.