Outpouring of Support for Arijit Singh as Singer Retires from Playback Career; Directorial Debut On Cards

An outpouring of support, nuance and good vibes from his musical peers has met Arijit Singh's recent decision to retire from playback singing. The 38-year-old sensation shocked legions of fans earlier this week when he announced he was calling it quits as a film vocalist. Considered by many as the leading vocalist of his generation, with more than 700 film credits across industries and languages, Arijit, in a frank and forthright social media post, explained his move, citing creative boredom and restlessness as his primary motives. The singer, however, affirmed his intention to continue his creative journey in other forms, perhaps as a composer, music producer, as per industry speculation, a film director.

What is next for Arijit Singh?

There is no clean exit date for an artist as prolific as Singh. As he reiterated in his post, he has several pending engagements to deliver on, so fans will continue to get new release in the weeks and months to come. Singh has voiced 'Matribhumi', a stirring patriotic number in the forthcoming Battle of Galwan starring Salman Khan. Another track, the soulful, aching 'Hum To Tere Hi Liye The', was recently released, and will feature in Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor's action romance O'Romeo.

Even as Singh intends to return to his indie roots, while also immersing himself in Indian classical music, there are other creative avenues opening up. In 2025, Singh was announced as the director for an upcoming adventure film produced by Mahavir Jain.

According to recent reports, the film, a 'jungle adventure', will star Arijit's own son along with Nawazuddin Siddiqui's daughter Shora Siddiqui, who is 15 and currently studying in London. Arijit's wife, Koel Singh, has co-produced and co-written the film with him. Singh had previously directed the 2018 Bengali film Sa, about a young boy's relationship with music and silence.

Singh stunned the world on January 27 with a social media post revealing that he would no longer accept new assignments as a film playback vocalist, describing his years in the industry as a “wonderful journey” and signalling a shift toward more independent creative pursuits. His Instagram post sparked widespread conversations, with many from the music industry sharing their perspectives on the subject. Several leading musicians shared nuanced and encouraging takes, commending Arijit for his step towards a broader evolution.

Veteran singer Chinmayi Sripaada responded with deep admiration for Arijit’s artistic integrity. On her X (formerly Twitter) account, she reflected on their early collaborations long before 'Tum Hi Ho' made Arijit a household name and described him as one of her favourite musicians and “one of the finest, spiritually evolved human beings” she has worked with. She suggested that his decision to step away from playback singing flows from a “higher calling” — hinting that his future musical directions may be profoundly personal and not merely career-driven.

Shreya Ghoshal framed Arijit’s retirement from playback not as an 'end of an era' but as the beginning of a new artistic chapter. In a comment responding to his social media post, she praised his creativity and expressed excitement about what he might produce next, noting that an artist of his calibre defies being boxed into traditional formats or formulas.

Singer-composer Sona Mohapatra offered one of the most extensive reactions among peers, describing Arijit’s choice as “disruptive in the best way" for the industry. In an Instagram note, she positioned the move toward independence as not just brave but generative — freeing him to explore his own music on his own terms and helping to “create space” in a system often dominated by a narrow set of voices.

"Let's be honest this industry thrives on zero-risk formulas. Producers overuse one voice, don't pay demo singers at all, avoid paying most established ones too with the carrot of 'opportunity' even after two decades of being around, try 10 voices, killing the music director in the exhausting process & then record Arijit and everyone keep an exploitative cycle alive because it's convenient. Not because it's right," Mohapatra wrote, praising Arijit for his bravery and generosity.

Legendary veteran Udit Narayan also welcomed Singh’s decision with warmth and respect, emphasising the vast body of work Arijit has built in a relatively short period. In interviews circulating on social media and in news reports, he noted that although Arijit may be retiring from traditional playback assignments, he is not leaving music — and that his songs will remain “etched in people’s hearts.”

Composer Toshi Sabri also commented on his retirement, saying that his decision has come as a shock, and is a massive disappointment for composers. "Many composers often create something keeping Arijit’s vocals in their minds," said Sabri. "Some songs are such that they cannot be big without Arijit’s voice." The sibling duo Sharib-Toshi has composed many of Singh's hits, such as 'Bandeya' and 'Saanson Ko'.