In a little over the month that lapses between July 22, July 31, August 4 and August 27, fans of Hindi film music go through the historical markers for the three legendary singers.

And inevitably, comparisons between them get drawn. How many times, how assertively and how ad nauseam have we heard statements like-?

· Mohammed Rafi was sidelined after 1969. He may as well have retired.
· Kishore Kumar's songs were no-brainers, artistically. Easy, light songs were his boundary.
· Mukesh was very limited in his range. Best only for sad songs. Perfect for Raj Kapoor

Well, well, well !

Even if these statements were true, even if hundreds of examples are cited to support them and even if the pundits said it, they are, in spirit, completely false, display the most careless of stereotyping and laziness in checking the facts

What is worse, in my opinion, is that they are artificial notions created largely by the herd mentality of all these individual on-line forums, which in turn leads to a narrow view of a given singer and an exaggerated sense of another. Ever heard roosters in the early morning hours, each in their own farmyard, trying to announce the sun?

I'm not here to change your preferences. Everyone has their favorite, and why not? But I do think that the Hindi film music listener who focuses more or less on one singer or one music director is like Narcissus, fixated on one image and missing the rest of the pond and its beauties.

So, for example, 

· How many 'Kishore fans' are aware that Rafi sang only about 250 songs less in the five years after Aradhana as the five years before them? Or about 4 less songs per month. That is a spit in the bucket for a singer who racked up over 4,000 songs in his Hindi film career. 

· How many 'Rafi fans' realize that the vast majority of Mukesh's songs are NOT sad songs and in fact, they are love ballads? And that at most, around a hundred of his songs were for Raj Kapoor ?

· How many 'Mukesh fans' know that Kishore has rendered controversial, but timeless classics in a category known as 'Rabindra-sangeet?'

And some more -

· How many ‘Kishore fans’ have heard Mukesh’s non-film ghazals or a song like ‘kisey yaad rakhoon, kise bhool jaon’, in a movie where he was also the music-director? Or that there is a legendary song in which he sang not for, but to Raj Kapoor?! Yes, Mukesh the singer par excellence also had a small acting role in this inspired-from-Devdas scene.

· How many 'Rafi fans' have heard of an unreleased movie called Suhana Geet, in which Kishore sang some…. yes, he knew how!……. some classical masterpieces? Or the fascinating story behind the 'Mehbooba' song?

· How many 'Mukesh fans' know of the great controversy of 1964 and its significance?

One can go on and on…. The point being that there is a world of listening out there and no matter who your favorite is, take time to listen to, and try enjoy the others!

And so, on August 4, the birthday of Mr. Versatile, the Michael Jordan of the industry, I say to the high priests and common listeners of Rafi and Mukesh (and I'm one of you) - get a hold of these songs, in case you have not heard them before -

· Mere dil mein utar jaana, ahista, ahista - proof that if Nadeem-Shravan had another year with Kishore Kumar, Sanu would be selling insurance policies. Song was a Pakistani-rip but Kishore's singing would make the locals happy, I assure you.

· Maine, tumse, kuch nahin maanga - a heart-rending masterpiece from an obscure music director, picturised on Naseeruddin Shah. (umm… outside the 'light and easy' boundary…quite outside, I say)

· Mere liye soona soona - yet another scenic stop along the Silk Route, in the kingdom of Pancham, in a movie where Abhijeet fulfilled his life's ambition - singing alongside his mentor.

· In raaton ki bhor - just one classic out of the hundreds of his sentimental songs.

· Ek ritu aaye, ek ritu jaye - Kishore, LP and Bakshi meeting for the first time in a Subhash Ghai movie - a song in the super-heavyweight category.

· Jeevan mein humsafar - one made for him by the son of Asha Bhonsle. Listen closely to how he sings 'humdum wo h saathi, mere dil-jigar ke, kaha chhup gaye, mujhko awaara kar ke'.

· Liye sapne nigahon mein - another, by her brother, no better song ever made expressing the sheer joy of living, imo.

· Tera chehra mujhe - say what? A semi-classical song ? By Anu Malik??!

· Man mera, udaa jaaye - amongst the last of the best, by the best of them - Dada Burman.

That's a small beginning, and I'll give you one more -

'Khilte hai gul yahan' - my personal preference as the 'single best song ever made' - tune, lyrics, finesse and philosophy…Hero didn't look too bad either….

I have another thousand and more like these for you on August 4, if you want to pay attention, on this day, to the man who said - 

'Mai jab chhedunga dil ka tarana, toofan sa aa jaye ga, hulchul si, hone lagi…..

Kishore Kumar !! Happy Birthday, Guru….….Your greatest fan….…..Robin