Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, 41, is emotional, sensitive and romantic. He is loyal with a clean heart, but he prefers to remain diplomatic as he doesn't want to hurt anyone. He is always smiling and is extremely naughty and childlike. He is shy with a lot of self-respect and like his mother always told him, he has a lot of hausla. Prior to 2011, there was a time when almost every Bollywood film had to have a song by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. But post his Customs case, his singing for Bollywood reduced substantially and so, now his fans wait for any song that Rahat may land up singing. And therefore, it comes as no surprise that his latest song Mere Naina Kafir Ho Gaye from Arbaaz Khan's romantic comedy Dolly Ki Doli has become a hit. In an exclusive conversation, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan opens upto Bombay Times and for the first time, talks about his unfortunate Customs episode, his near fatal accident in the US and why he still cries remembering his mentor Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Excerpts:

How did you come into singing?
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab used to always tell me that I have a great memory. I remember as a child, I listening to my dada singing some qawaalis would touch me so much that I would go to the washroom and cry. That was the only place in the house where I could be alone. I could not understand the meaning of the words or the raags, but just the sur touched me and would make me cry. I started singing at the age of 5. After a little practice, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab (I was his younger brother's son) heard me and he started teaching me and I performed for the first time on my dada's barsi at the age of 7. I can never play the harmonium like my father, but I learnt to play it from him and try and follow him.

How did Bollywood happen?
I grew up listening to songs of Lataji, Ashaji, Kishore da and Mohammed Rafiji. I would love their singing and always thought in my heart how great they were. Nusrat sahab died in 1997. After his death, I composed and sung songs in an album, but unfortunately the owner of the music company died and so, it could not be released. A few years later in 2002, Pooja Bhatt visited Pakistan and she heard it and loved the song Mann Ki Lagan and took the rights for her film. That was my first song in Bollywood.

Who are you emotionally most attached to?
He is not in this world now, but it is was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab. Kya bataoon ki woh kis tarah ke insaan the. I still cry till today remembering him and some of his compositions. He could not bear lies and would neither speak lies nor listen to it. He was always working towards building a name for his family. He was not interested in any worldly things or issues and was only into his harmonium and his music. He had one quality that always surprised me. Even though there was no net at that time, I would hear his song one day and can you imagine within a week of its release, it would have become a superhit in Pakistan. I don't know how people would find out and listen to it, but it would be on everyone's lips. He loved his family, be it his wife or daughter and me. He was a very pyaara insaan and was very sincere. He was a pure artist, who was not commercial. He was the most respected from our family. He was suffering from diabetes and in his last few months, he was on dialysis. I still remember when I got that call in the afternoon in Pakistan telling me that he had passed away. It was morning in London, when he had died there in the hospital. When I practise a raag he taught me and remember his phrases, I miss him and that's the time I realise that he is physically no more with me. Right from my childhood, I would be glued to him and I don't remember talking to him about anything else, but about music. I was like his kid and he would always compliment me for my memory that once he taught me any thing, I would never forget it. He must be listening from up there on what the world says about me today.

What was your lowest period in life?
I get very emotional when it comes to Khan sahab or my mother. First, Khan sahab died in 1997. Then in 2003, I lost my father. In 2005, my mother was ill and needed treatment. I had no money to get her treated. But somehow, I arranged the money from somewhere. She knew that I had no money and was so not ready to go to the hospital for treat ment. I went home to pick her up, but saw that she was not ready only. 'Aap ready hi nahi huye?,' I told her, 'We have to go to the doctor.' She said,' Kaise jayenge?' I said, 'Why are you thinking about that? The doctor knew papa and he said that he will look after everything.' She knew I was lying and said, 'Speak the truth. Your face is not speaking what you are saying by your mouth.' She started getting ready and just before leaving the house she gave me dua and said, 'Tumhe uparwala bahut dega.' That was the last time she went to the hosipital and she died there. That was the biggest setback for me in life, but due to her dua, my career took off post her death in 2006 and I started singing so many songs in Bollywood and got so much love for it. A mother never leaves you and I can never forget her.