WHY LATA DIDI HAD A BIG FIGHT WITH MOHAMMED RAFI?

The most famous argument written about extensively was the one Lata Mangeshkar had with Rafi Sahib. In Nasreen Munni Kabir's book, Lata Mangeshkar In Her Own Voice, published by Niyogi Publishers, the argument with Rafi Sahib was over royalties, and took place sometime in the '60s - Jyothi Venkatesh

Lata felt that singers should be paid a royalty by the record companies. The other singers, including Mukeshji, Talat Mahmood, Kishore Kumar and Manna Dey fought alongside Lata.

Rafi Sahib and Asha (Bhosle) believed that once a song was recorded and the producer had paid us -- that was the end of it. Rafi Sahib didn't think that we should fight for royalties. This created a rift between us.

Believe it or not, from 1963 to 1967, Rafi and Lata did not sing together. Rafi Sahib sent me a letter some time later and said he had spoken in haste.Finally it was S D Burman who brought us together.

According to Lata, at an S D Burman night held at Shanmukhananda Hall in 1967 Rafi Sahib and she met on the stage.

“We were both very pleased to be singing together again and sang the Jewel Thief duet Dil Pukaare.

Nargisji and various music directors introduced Dada's songs and it was even announced that Rafi Sahib and Lata had made up and the audience greeted the news with much excitement!