Anurag Basu on Arijit Singh's retirement: "Not surprised at all"
Filmmaker Anurag Basu isn't shocked by Arijit Singh's decision to step away from playback singing.
Sharing his thoughts with BBC Hindi, Basu said, "The world was in shock after learning about Arijit Singh's decision, but I was not at all surprised or shocked."
He explained that he's known Singh for years and always felt the singer wanted to explore more than just music.
Why did Arijit call it quits?
Earlier this week in January 2026 Arijit announced his retirement on Instagram, thanking fans for their support and calling his career "wonderful."
He admitted he was bored of doing the same thing repeatedly and now wants to focus on independent music, saying he will not be taking on any new assignments in 2026.
More than just a singer
Basu also shared that even during the filming of Barfi!, Arijit showed interest in filmmaking—he actually asked to assist behind the scenes.
Their collaborations over the years have included movies like Metro... In Dino, hinting at Arijit's creative ambitions beyond singing.