Sonu Nigam plays Rafi's harmonium at Rafi Mansion with Sachin, Salim Merchant
Synopsis
Sonu Nigam sat down at Mohammed Rafi's personal harmonium inside Rafi Mansion and sang 'Deewana Hua Badal' — with Sachin Tendulkar listening from beside him. The visit, also attended by Salim Merchant, shines a light on a quietly extraordinary museum in Bandra preserving Rafi's harmonium, tanpura, telephone, crockery, and his Padma Shri — tended by his youngest son Shahid Rafi.
Key Takeaways
Sonu Nigam , Sachin Tendulkar , and Salim Merchant visited Rafi Mansion in Bandra, Mumbai as a tribute to Mohammed Rafi .
Nigam played Rafi's personal harmonium and sang 'Deewana Hua Badal' (1964, Kashmir Ki Kali ), composed by O.P.
A section of the mansion is a museum preserving Rafi's harmonium, tanpura, telephone, crockery, photographs, and awards .
The museum houses Rafi's Padma Shri (1967) and National Film Award (1977) for 'Kya Hua Tera Wada'.
The trio met Shahid Rafi , the youngest of Mohammed Rafi's seven children and a singer himself, who maintains the legacy.
Nigam shared a social media reel of the visit, captioning it as 'Our musical pilgrimage at Rafi mansion!'
Singer Sonu Nigam, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, and music composer Salim Merchant recently paid a tribute visit to Rafi Mansion in Bandra, Mumbai — the former home of playback icon Mohammed Rafi — immersing themselves in the musical legend's preserved personal world. The visit, described by Nigam as 'Our musical pilgrimage at Rafi mansion!', offered the celebrated trio an intimate encounter with artefacts spanning Rafi's six-decade career.
Sonu Nigam at the Harmonium
The emotional centrepiece of the visit was Nigam playing Rafi Saab's personal harmonium and singing the evergreen classic 'Deewana Hua Badal' — originally recorded by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle for the 1964 film 'Kashmir Ki Kali', composed by O.P. Nayyar. Tendulkar stood beside Nigam and listened intently as the performance unfolded, with Merchant also present for the intimate musical moment. Nigam, who has long spoken of his deep admiration for Rafi, shared a reel of the visit on social media.
What the Mansion Preserves
A section of the Bandra mansion has been converted into a museum housing an extraordinary collection of Rafi's personal belongings. Among the items on display are his harmonium, tanpura, crockery, photographs, trophies, mementoes, and his old landline telephone — through which he is said to have discussed music and professional matters in his lifetime. Even the glass from which he drank his favourite cold drink has been carefully preserved.
Meeting Shahid Rafi
The trio also met Shahid Rafi, the youngest of Mohammed Rafi's seven children and a singer himself, who has dedicated considerable effort to preserving and celebrating his father's legacy. Shahid has been a consistent voice keeping Rafi's memory alive through interviews, events, and the upkeep of the mansion museum.
Rafi's Enduring Legacy
The museum also houses Mohammed Rafi's Padma Shri, awarded by the Government of India in 1967, and the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer, which he received in 1977 for 'Kya Hua Tera Wada' from the film 'Hum Kisise Kum Naheen'. Rafi's career spanned more than three decades and produced thousands of recordings across Hindi and multiple Indian languages. Among his most remembered songs are 'Bahaaron Phool Barsaao', 'Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho', 'Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar', 'Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe', and 'Aaj Mausam Bada Beimaan Hai'. He passed away on 31 July 1980, but his voice — and now his home — continue to draw generations of admirers. The visit by Nigam, Tendulkar, and Merchant is the latest reminder that Rafi Mansion remains one of Indian music's most quietly significant pilgrimage sites.
Point of View
From a crockery glass to a Padma Shri, fills a gap that official cultural institutions have largely left open. That it takes a Sonu Nigam reel to bring Rafi Mansion into public conversation in 2024 says something about how selectively Indian popular culture curates its own history. The mansion deserves more than viral moments — it deserves a permanent place in the country's cultural tourism map.
NationPress
3 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened during the Rafi Mansion visit by Sonu Nigam and Sachin Tendulkar?
Sonu Nigam, Sachin Tendulkar, and Salim Merchant visited Rafi Mansion in Bandra, Mumbai, where Nigam played Mohammed Rafi's personal harmonium and sang 'Deewana Hua Badal'. The trio also met Shahid Rafi, Mohammed Rafi's youngest son, and explored the mansion's museum of preserved personal belongings.
What is Rafi Mansion in Mumbai?
Rafi Mansion is the former Bandra residence of legendary playback singer Mohammed Rafi. A section of it has been converted into a museum preserving his personal artefacts — including his harmonium, tanpura, old landline telephone, crockery, photographs, and awards such as his Padma Shri and National Film Award.
Which song did Sonu Nigam sing at Rafi Mansion?
Sonu Nigam sang 'Deewana Hua Badal', originally recorded by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle for the 1964 film 'Kashmir Ki Kali', composed by O.P. Nayyar. He performed it on Rafi's personal harmonium during the visit.
What awards of Mohammed Rafi are preserved at Rafi Mansion?
The mansion museum houses Rafi's Padma Shri, awarded by the Government of India in 1967, and his National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer received in 1977 for 'Kya Hua Tera Wada' from 'Hum Kisise Kum Naheen'.
