Lucky Ali, who stepped away from Bollywood post ‘badtameezi’, backs Arijit Singh’s retirement decision: ‘Agree with Arijit for taking a stand’ | Bollywood News
4 min readNew DelhiFeb 5, 2026 10:12 PM IST
After AR Rahman’s remarks on communal bias, it is now Arijit Singh’s decision to step away from playback singing that has sent ripples through the film industry. Over the past week, several singers have weighed in on Arijit’s announcement, sharing concern, support and reflection. The latest to react is veteran singer Lucky Ali, who offered a deeply personal take on the matter.
Speaking to PTI, the O Sanam singer said, “You’ve got to stand in the musician’s shoes to understand what he’s really feeling. If he’s taken a step like this, something must have snapped within him. I totally agree with Arijit for taking a stand. And it’s not a loss. He’s definitely going to sing and express himself, but not within the circumstances that existed earlier. You have to make your own road, like we did—we made our own road.”
Reflecting on his own journey in the music industry, Ali added, “Nothing is offered to you on a plate. You have to present your case in the best possible way and be convinced about what you’re doing. Once you cross that hurdle, it gets a little easier. That doesn’t mean the road becomes easy—but it becomes clearer.”
Lucky Ali, who also distanced himself from Bollywood after delivering multiple hits, once told Navbharat Times: “In between, I did films and sang songs, but there came a point when I didn’t know what to do next. I wanted to sing in my own way. O Sanam was the result of that search for freedom. In 2015, I stepped away from the industry. Haan, mere saath badtameezi hui thi, lekin main industry ki toxicity se bhaaga nahi tha—bas oob gaya tha (Yes, I was mistreated, but I didn’t run away from the industry’s toxicity; I was simply fed up).”
Where did it all start?
The conversation around Arijit Singh’s exit began on January 27, when the singer took to Instagram to announce that he would no longer accept new playback assignments.
“Hello. Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you for the love you’ve given me all these years as listeners. I’m happy to announce that I am not going to take any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it quits. It was a wonderful journey,” he wrote.
On his personal X account, Arijit also expressed his intention to return to Indian classical music, further fuelling speculation about his future path.
The announcement drew strong reactions from across the music fraternity. While singers like Shreya Ghoshal expressed excitement about what he might explore next, others described it as the end of an era.
Story continues below this ad
Singer Palash Sen, who has largely remained outside the film music ecosystem, hinted that he understood the reasons behind Arijit Singh’s decision. In an Instagram post, he wrote, “The truth is I know why my bro Arijit is quitting film playback. I was there way back and I chose my own path—the path I know Arijit will now walk on,” suggesting that his presence in Bollywood may have unsettled some.
