FOREVER: MOHD RAFI
Rafi was aware of the fickleness of the industry and when he was eclipsed by the Kishore Kumar euphoria following the Aradhana days in the early 1970s, he did not show his hurt. That was the time when every musical director and star ran after Kishore Kumar. But Rafi was unperturbed and his dedication remained the same. Once while running a high temperature he recorded five songs in a day for Laxmikant-Pyarelal! Recalls Pyarelal, "He would bring thermos jugs filled with special tea spiced with almond, pista and elaichi, and pour out cups for us during recording. I never saw him in a bad mood."
The gentleman that he was, he conveniently `forgot' to remind producers for dues when a film did not do well. Rafi did not want his sons in the show business because he knew that singing talent cannot be inherited. He must have witnessed the struggles of Nitin Mukesh or Khalid Mahmood, sons of his colleagues Mukesh and Talat Mahmood. He gave his sons a sound education and set them up in business enterprises.
Thirty one years after his death, some of his best songs continue to haunt music rasikas.