Shahid Rafi, son of the legendary singer Mohammed Rafi, has made startling accusations against renowned singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, alleging that they sabotaged his father's career due to jealousy and insecurity. In a recent interview, Shahid directly accused the sisters of actively trying to harm his father's reputation and career.

Shahid stated that his father had no issues with his male counterparts but that the "women were jealous that Rafi saab was on top of them; they wanted everyone to be below". He claimed that Lata Mangeshkar even intervened when Mohammed Rafi was about to receive an honor from the Guinness Book of World Records. According to Shahid, his father let the matter go when Lata Mangeshkar received the honor instead.

Addressing Asha Bhosle's alleged comments about Mohammed Rafi lacking range, Shahid expressed his dismay, saying, "You are a learned person; have some shame. Not at this age. Put this! I'm telling her directly. Upar waala baitha hai. Mere baap ke baare mein koi kuch bolega toh mere se bardaasht nahi hota (God is seeing everything. I can't tolerate anyone speaking ill of my father)". He added, "You've gone old, talk about yourself".

Shahid also revealed that his father and Lata Mangeshkar never spoke personally again after a major feud, although Mohammed Rafi forgave her on the advice of Nargis and Jaikishan. They did perform a show together after patching up but never had a personal relationship again.

This isn't the first time Shahid Rafi has spoken out against Lata Mangeshkar. In 2012, he refuted claims made by Mangeshkar in a newspaper interview that Mohammed Rafi had apologized to her in writing. Shahid demanded that she produce the letter, calling her claims a "publicity stunt" fueled by insecurity over his father's enduring fan base. He even contemplated legal action if she failed to provide the letter. In another instance, Shahid challenged Lata Mangeshkar to prove the existence of the apology letter, stating that if she could furnish it, he would personally apologize to her.

The dispute between Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over royalty rights. According to Shahid, Lata Mangeshkar and some other singers sought a cut from producers and directors, while his father believed that singers should not be greedy and that their job was to sing and get paid for it. This difference in opinion led to a fight, and Mohammed Rafi decided to stop singing duets with her.

Mohammed Rafi, honored with the Padma Shri in 1967, passed away in 1980 at the age of 55 due to diabetes and heart ailments. His legacy as one of the greatest playback singers in Indian cinema remains strong, with countless fans still cherishing his timeless songs.