'Would Have Liked To Record Songs With Arijit Singh'

'I am definite his intention is to improve his singing and to reach even greater heights as an artiste.'

Arijit Singh, indisputably the number one male playback singer today, has sent seismic shock waves through the Hindi film industry.

He baffled his legions of fans with his latest Instagram post, which read: 'I am happy to announce that I am not gonna be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on.' Leaving no room for doubt, he clearly added, 'I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey.'

While various theories were being propagated, Dinesh Raheja asks music composer Anu Mallik to share his take.

'Many Anu Malik songs will go unsung by Arijit in the future'

After the success of Border 2 and witnessing how Sandese Aate Hai is once again on everyone's lips, I am being told that it is the re-emergence of Anu Malik.

At such a time, I would have liked to record new songs with Arijit Singh because he is a very good singer and a sorted person. But because of his decision to quit playback singing for Hindi films, many Anu Malik songs will go unsung by Arijit in the future.

If you, I and the world are discussing why Arijit quit playback singing for Hindi films, he must have debated this with himself 100 times before he took this decision. So he knows what he is doing, we have to accept this is what he wants.

'If Arijit has indeed decided to leave Bollywood, I wish him all the best'

I had recorded a song Murshida with him in Begum Jaan, which as you know, went on to be a huge hit.

Usually, Arijit sends his recorded track by WhatsApp to the music director, but I told him that I would like to meet him. So we spent four hours together, and recording the song. For those four hours, he diligently complemented my style of working.

In the recording room with Arijit, the musical atmosphere was just great -- he would ask for one more take, then I would ask for another and then he would ask for a third... it went on like that till he had perfected his rendition to both our satisfactions.

He is a singer who aims for perfection. After all, he is a classically trained singer.

If Arijit has indeed decided to leave Bollywood, I wish him all the best.

I am definite his intention is to improve his singing and to reach even greater heights as an artiste, and to further extend his art.

Photograph curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff