When Arijit Singh announced his retirement, the news shocked the entire music fraternity. However, fans soon found relief by clarifying that the singer only moved away from playback singing and not music completely. In a post on his private X account (formerly Twitter), Arijit revealed that he now wants to dedicate his time to creating classical music, a revelation that instantly excited his followers. Shortly after, Arijit surprised fans with a special collaboration with Anoushka Shankar. The singer performed at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, where he explored Indian classical music on stage, and later admitted that he felt “nervous” during the performance.
‘Arijit Singh is done with music as a machine’
Since the announcement of Arijit’s retirement, several industry experts have shared their reactions and speculated on the reasons behind his decision. Music producer and entrepreneur Meghdut Roy Chowdhury recently offered his perspective.
Sharing a photo with Arijit from the singer’s house. Calcutta concert, Meghdut wrote: “I met Arijit Singh backstage tonight before his surprise performance with Anoushka Shankar, and I think I realized why he decided to stop playing playback singing and maybe return to his classical roots.”
He added: “He was not in a bubble of fame. He walked in quietly, greeted Pt. Bikram Ghosh with deep humility, touching his feet in true guru-shishya parampara and spoke like someone who is still learning every day. There was no ego, just total devotion to his craft.” Describing the performance, Meghdut noted, “On stage, he sang Maya Bhara Rati, composed by Pt. Ravi Shankar, with Anoushka. No big screens, no fireworks, just him, his guitar and an audience glued to every note.”
Reflecting on Arijit’s decision, he wrote: “Maybe that’s why he walked away from streaming and the whims of labels. He’s not done with music. He’s done with music as a machine. He’s choosing art over algorithms, heart over hustle.” He concluded by saying, “He lives between worlds, sometimes riding a scooter at his home in Jiaganj like any ordinary person, but he carries something that makes millions feel seen. That is the real Arijit.”
Arijit Singh officially announced his retirement from playback singing on January 27, clarifying that he would honor all commitments signed before the announcement. This includes Ek Din, starring Junaid Khan. Sharing an Instagram post from Aamir Khan Productions, Aamir Khan expressed his gratitude to the singer and wrote, “Thank you Arijit for bringing so much heart to Ek Din’s music.”
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Aamir Khan says he tried to convince Arijit not to quit streaming
The post showed a picture of Arijit and Aamir deep in conversation, accompanied by the caption: “Thank you Arijit, for lending your voice to our film Ek Din. The four days we spent with you, your family and your team were magical.”
Aamir Khan was also in the news for meeting Arijit Singh in West Bengal. Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, the actor-producer clarified the reason for his visit. “I was in Murshidabad a few days ago. I was not there to convince Arijit not to stop singing for films. Although I tried my best to make him reconsider his decision, it was in vain. He seems to have made up his mind,” Aamir said.
Elaborating on Arijit’s contribution to Ek Din, he added, “I was there to perform the songs. Since Ek Din was a previous commitment, I wanted to complete it. The film has five songs and he sings all of them. He has absolutely nailed them. What a talent and what a lovely person. It’s sad for the films and for all of us who are his fans.”
Arijit Singh confirms collaboration with Amaal Mallik
Amidst this growing excitement, Arijit gave fans yet another reason to look forward to his future work. He confirmed an upcoming collaboration with composer Amaal Mallik, best known for songs like Jab Tak, Hua Hain Aaj Pehli Baar and several chart-topping romantic songs.
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Since then, a screenshot of Arijit’s private X account, WhoamI, has gone viral. Replying to a fan who asked, “Can we still see the magic of Arijit + Mithoon, Arijit + Mohit Suri, Arijit + Amaal in this life?”, the singer replied, “Yes, but without movies.”
Similarly, when another fan asked, “Do a song with Amaal soon,” Arijit confirmed with a simple yet confident response, “It’s happening.”
After this confirmation, Amaal Malik’s name started trending on X, and fans celebrated the duo’s return. Arijit and Amaal have previously delivered popular songs like Sooraj Dooba Hain, Soch Na Sake, Roke Na Ruke Naina and Salamat.
Independent musicians support Arijit
Earlier, independent artists like Lucky Ali and Palash Sen had also backed Arijit’s decision to retire, hinting at the pressures within Bollywood. Palash once remarked, “Unfortunately, our country does not have a music industry. We have a film industry of which music is a part.”
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Lucky Ali, who distanced himself from Bollywood years ago, had similarly cited the “toxicity” of the industry as a reason for stepping away.