‘OP Nayyar had a huge ego, was offended when Shammi Kapoor interfered in their most famous song’: Rafi’s son recalls feud

Singer Mohammed Rafi had to play mediator between feuding actor Shammi Kapoor and music director OP Nayyar. Rafi's son described Nayyar as a man with a massive ego.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | Updated: September 4, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Actor Shammi Kapoor and music director OP Nayyar. Express Archive

Singer Mohammed Rafi was synonymous with actor Shammi Kapoor, for whom his voice was considered a perfect match. He stepped in to resolve tensions between the star and music director OP Nayyar when they had a falling out over the song “Tareef Karoon Kya Uski.” According to Rafi’s son, Shahid, the actor wanted the song to end with the central hook being repeated several times, so that he could perform a different dance step each time. But Nayyar vehemently opposed the idea, saying that it would ruin his song. When the two reached a stalemate, Rafi stepped in.

In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Rafi’s son said that he heard this story from Shammi Kapoor himself. He narrated, “You’ll remember that the song ‘Tareef Karoon Kya Uski’ ends with a repetition of the same line. Shammi uncle wanted the repetition because he wanted to showcase different dance moves, but Nayyar saab didn’t like the idea and put his foot down. He became upset.”

Also read – ‘Allah aapko maaf nahi karega’: Md Rafi thought he was committing a sin by singing, secretly retired after maulana accused him of ‘gunaah’

Shahid said that Shammi Kapoor would attend all his music recordings, and it was during one such recording session that he told Rafi what was happening between him and Nayyar. “Nayyar saab was hugely respected at the time, and this was when music directors and lyricists were put on a pedestal. When Shammi uncle told my father that he wants the last line to be repeated, my father said, ‘So what’s the problem?’ He told him that Nayyar saab wasn’t agreeable.” Rafi told Shammi Kapoor not to worry, and that he would sing different variations. He also spoke to OP Nayyar about the disagreement, and told him that they could remove the bit if it doesn’t work, but that there was no harm in listening to Shammi as the song would be picturised on him.

Film star Shammi Kapoor and music director OP Nayyar. Express archive photo

Shahid described Nayyar as a man with a massive ego, and added, “It was a big deal for someone to go against Nayyar saab. He had a huge ego.” Shahid confirmed the story that OP Nayyar turned his father away from the studio because he’d arrived a few minutes late, but he said that the rumours of them not working together for years is untrue. “They sorted things out a few days later,” he said, adding that he doesn’t know if his father apologised, but that they started working again shortly afterwards.

Nayyar turned his back on the film industry in his final years, and began living as a paying guest at a fan’s house outside Mumbai. The fan, Rani, said that Nayyar had also severed ties with his family and had forbidden them from attending his funeral. “He never talked of his family except in the beginning when he told us about his children. We never asked him anything again because it used to pain him to talk about the past,” she said in an interview with OPNayyar.org. Recalling his death, Rani continued, “I couldn’t believe he was no more—no last words, nothing. He was okay one moment and gone the other… He had told us not to inform his family on his death. We performed his last rites.”

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