Mahesh Bhatt Remembers Arijit Singh: “Some Artists Move Away from the Noise”

Renowned filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has shared his reflections on playback singer Arijit Singh’s recent announcement of retirement, recalling the early days of Arijit’s career.

A philosophical perspective on retirement
Arijit Singh rose to fame 13 years ago with the iconic song “Tum Hi Ho” from Mahesh Bhatt’s film Aashiqui 2. Following Arijit’s decision to step away from playback singing, Bhatt commented that some artists deliberately withdraw from the limelight. “After reaching the pinnacle of their craft, some artists move away from the noise. They choose solitude, silence, and truth over constant performance,” he said.

First encounter with a humble Arijit
Recalling his first meeting with Arijit during the making of Aashiqui 2, Bhatt said, *“When I learned about Arijit’s decision to stop singing for others, I was reminded of that afternoon at Super Sound Services in Khar (the old T-Series building), where the real journey of *Aashiqui 2* began. We were about to release the songs, and Arijit was called to record ‘Tum Hi Ho’. A shy and humble young man stepped onto the stage and sang a song that quietly mesmerized the entire world. That moment marked the beginning of a career that would never be the same again.”*

The song that changed his life
“Tum Hi Ho” catapulted Arijit to the top of the music charts, becoming a career-defining hit. He had earlier sung “Phir Mohabbat” for Murder 2, but it was “Tum Hi Ho” that truly established him as a superstar.

Retirement announcement
Two days ago, Arijit Singh announced that he would be retiring from playback singing and would no longer take up new assignments. Bhatt’s words celebrate both the artist’s humility and his conscious choice to embrace solitude and artistic freedom.