Not Murder 2 but Saawariya had to mark Arijit Singh's singing debut in Bollywood, but what happened?

New Delhi:

Long before becoming one of India’s most celebrated playback singers, Arijit Singh got an early break from filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The director had reportedly noticed the young singer after his appearance on the reality show Fame Gurukul in 2005 and offered him a song for the 2007 film Saawariya. Arijit recorded the track Yun Shabnami for the Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor starrer, but the version eventually did not make it to the final cut of the film.

At the time, Arijit was still a newcomer trying to find his place in the music industry. Although this was not considered to be the first time he performed as a playback singer, this was certainly an indication of the recognition he had already received due to his musical abilities by some of the most prominent film directors and music composers of the time.

Arijit's debut on TV

Arijit initially got recognized through Fame Gurukul, a well-known television show for singers that featured Arijit and allowed him to showcase his musical talents in front of the audience and judges. Despite not winning in the television show, the singing platform provided him the necessary exposure in the entertainment industry. After that, Arijit worked hard in the background for some time as a music programmer and assistant.

Breakthrough for Arijit Singh

The first time Arijit made an entry in the film industry was in 2011 when he sang a song titled Phir Mohabbat in the film Murder 2. However, it was Tum Hi Ho from the movie Aashiqui 2 released in 2013 that brought fame and success to Arijit. The romantic ballad instantly made headlines and became the most popular song of the decade. Thereafter, the artist kept performing and singing chartbusters like Channa Mereya, Raabta, Kesariya, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Gerua and more.

When Arijit Singh announced his retirement

The National award-winning singer announced his retirement on January 27, 2026 and stated that he won't be taking any more singing job from that on. It is significant to note that previously sung songs by the singers are been released now.

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