Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan has opened up about why superstar singer Arijit Singh stepped away from playback singing, attributing the decision to a lack of musical variety and creative exhaustion. Speaking on Komal Nahta's podcast 'Game Changers: The Music Series', Anjaan offered a candid critique of the current state of Hindi film music.

What Sameer Anjaan Said

During the conversation, Anjaan reflected on the industry's tendency to over-rely on a single voice. 'What is happening to the new artists? People gave multiple opportunities to them. We had one Arijit Singh, but he got so exhausted that he left the industry. We keep hearing the same monotonous songs, with constant repetition. Every song sounds the same,' he said.

He elaborated further: 'Arijit understood that if he continued doing this for longer, he would become monotonous. He wasn't getting a variety of songs, they were tailored to his singing style. All the new singers after him kept singing in the same style. In the previous generation, when we had Udit Narayan and others, there was such variety in music. Nowadays, we don't have that. That is why every sensible person in this line will eventually leave.'

Arijit Singh's Retirement Announcement

Arijit Singh announced his exit from playback singing on 27 January 2026, stating he would no longer accept new playback singing assignments. He clarified, however, that he would continue to create music independently — drawing a distinction between commercial film assignments and his broader artistic pursuits.

The Monotony Problem in Hindi Film Music

Anjaan's remarks point to a structural issue that industry insiders have long whispered about: Bollywood's music ecosystem has grown increasingly formulaic, funnelling composers toward a narrow sonic template built around a single dominant vocal style. This, critics argue, stifles diversity and ultimately burns out the very artists who define an era.

Notably, the homogenisation Anjaan describes mirrors a broader global trend where streaming algorithms reward consistency over variety — incentivising labels and composers to replicate what already works rather than experiment. For a singer of Arijit Singh's calibre, that dynamic reportedly became untenable.

About Sameer Anjaan

Sameer Anjaan holds a Guinness World Record for writing the highest number of film songs and is widely regarded as one of Hindi cinema's most prolific lyricists. A dominant force through the 1990s, he has collaborated with the industry's biggest composers and singers, earning multiple Filmfare Awards for his work. His songwriting — known for emotional depth and accessible romanticism — remains a benchmark in the craft.

The podcast 'Game Changers: The Music Series' is available on YouTube.