Actor Pankaj Tripathi has come out in strong support of singer Arijit Singh following the latter’s recent decision to step away from playback singing. In a conversation with NDTV, Pankaj highlighted the intense emotional and mental demands of being an artist, emphasising the need to take regular breaks to maintain balance and well-being. He shared that constant creative output can be exhausting, and stepping back at times allows artists to reconnect with themselves and their craft.
The Mirzapur star said, "You need a break to reinvent yourself. It's important to take frequent breaks or slow down, as being an artist is a demanding job. Only then will an artist be able to do something new. We are not factory products."
"We aren't like those 1,000 copies of matchboxes that a factory produces every day. We are artists, not products... Bahut bhaag-daud hai (There's a lot of running around). Every actor has to struggle and sacrifice a lot to reach where they are today. You should be excited to go on set. And the motivation for that excitement keeps changing again and again," added Pankaj.
Arijit Singh recently announced that he is stepping back from playback singing. The actor noted, "Hello, Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you all for giving me so much love all these years as listeners. I am happy to announce that I am not going to be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey."
Following Arijit Singh’s surprising announcement that he would no longer accept new playback singing assignments, the music and film fraternity has been abuzz with reactions. The decision sparked widespread discussion, with several industry colleagues sharing their thoughts on the singer’s unexpected move. Among them, Shreya Ghoshal voiced her support, describing Arijit’s choice as the beginning of a 'new phase' rather than a full stop to his journey.