Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar fell out on royalty issue: book

"During the programme, the electricity went off. Without the loudspeaker, Saigal's fans were unable to hear him sing and grew restive. It was then that somebody sent the young Rafi up on stage. He had been waiting for such an opportunity, and he grabbed it with both hands.

"In his powerful voice, without the microphone, he sang a Punjabi folk song.

As he began to sing the noisy crowd was wonderstruck, and moments later it was listening in pin-drop silence. Nobody stirred. The unknown Rafi became the man of the moment. The auditorium echoed with the crowd's applause. Saigal too was impressed. Patting young Rafi's head appreciatively, he said, 'One day you'll be a great singer'," the author writes.

Rafi also did small roles in films like "Laila Majnu" and "Samaak Ko Badal Daalo". "Jugnu" was the last film in which Rafi was seen on screen. His daughter-in-law, however, says he never had any ambition as an actor, nor did he enjoy this work but did cameo roles only "because it was the need of the hour".

The book also says that O P Nayyar was the only one in the entire industry with whom Rafi was really friendly.

They both hailed from Lahore and enjoyed each other's company very much, so much so that their conversation even tended to be laced with invectives. Nayyar and Rafi worked together continuously till 1979. Nayyar was of the opinion that anyone other than Rafi would find it difficult to adjust to his particular style.

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