Something must have “snapped” within Arijit Singh, prompting him to take a stand and retire from playback singing at the peak of his fame, singer Lucky Ali said in a recent interview.
Ali, who is famous for his independent singing career, expressed support for Singh’s choice to express himself outside the restrictions of the Bollywood music industry.
“You've got to go stand in the musician's shoes to understand what he's really feeling. And if he's taken a step to that effect, something must have snapped within him. I totally agree with Arijit when he made the stand. And it's not a loss,” Ali told news agency PTI.
Arijit’s retirement from playback singing came as a shocker for fans and industry colleagues, with many, including filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, requesting him to reconsider his decision.
Ali, also known for popular bollywood songs like Ek Pal Ka Jeena and Na Tum Jano Na Hum, has recently released a new romantic single, Tu Jaane Hai Kahan, written by Kausar Munir and released under Tips Music.
“He's definitely going to sing, and he's going to express himself, but he's not going to do it with the circumstances that were there before. You've got to make your own road like how we've done; we made our own road,” the 67-year-old singer said.
Singh’s retirement has led to speculation about his reasons. Reflecting on his own experience, Ali said every newcomer faces challenges. “Nothing is offered to you on a plate; you have to present your case in the best way possible and be convinced about what you're doing. Once you do that and once you've crossed that hurdle, it's a bit easier. But it doesn't necessarily mean that the road is easy. It's easier to just go ahead and then do more work in that sense,” he said.
Arijit shot to overnight fame with Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2 (2013), a song that cemented his status as the voice of a new generation of Bollywood romance.
The success of the track opened the floodgates to a string of chartbusters, including Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (title track), Hawayein, Apna Bana Le, Ve Maahi, Sajni, Gehra Hua and Kesariya, among many others.
The 38-year-old singer launched his independent label Oriyon Music in July 2020.