Arijit Singh's Playback Exit Ignites Industry-Wide Debate on Singer Exploitation
The recent announcement by playback singing legend Arijit Singh that he will no longer accept new assignments has sent shockwaves through the Hindi film industry and beyond. This decision has not only left millions of fans heartbroken but has also forcefully reignited long-standing, critical questions about how singers are treated, compensated, and valued within the complex ecosystem of Indian cinema.
The Ripple Effect: Beyond the Loss of a Legendary Voice
While the industry grapples with the loss of one of its most influential and beloved voices, a more profound concern has surfaced. The spotlight has shifted to the fate of countless other artists who possess far less power, visibility, and bargaining clout than a superstar like Singh. This moment has become a catalyst for examining systemic issues that have persisted for decades.
Against this charged backdrop, singer Abhijeet Sawant has offered a rare, candid, and unflinching look into the realities of remuneration, royalties, and what he describes as systemic exploitation faced by playback vocalists.
"People Don't Want Singers to Become Bigger Than the Film"
In a revealing interview on the Pentarise Studios YouTube channel, Abhijeet Sawant was directly questioned about the opaque payment structures in film music. After initial hesitation, he delved into the core philosophy that, according to him, underpins the industry's approach.
"People don't want the singers to become bigger than the film itself. That's why they are paid a certain, limited amount," Sawant explained. He highlighted a critical disparity: while musicians and composers in the Western music industry often earn lifelong royalties, this practice is virtually non-existent for playback singers in Indian films.
He illustrated this with a powerful example: "So Biddu, who worked on 'Lafzon Mein,' also did a couple of songs in the West, and he gets so much royalty payment from those two songs that he can survive his whole life on that money. We don't even get enough money to sustain our livelihood from our work here."
A Cycle of Exploitation and Fear of Missing Out
Abhijeet Sawant went further to describe a self-perpetuating system that thrives on the insecurity and ambition of artists themselves. He argued that many singers, driven by the desire for visibility and the dream of a breakthrough, willingly accept unfair financial terms.
"They have created a system like that. Singers are themselves greedy for opportunities," he stated bluntly. "They know that 'if this song gets released in my voice, with some big star lip-syncing, then I can use this song for my entire life as a portfolio piece.' Singers themselves often prioritize the opportunity over the money, just to sing the song or work with a certain producer."
This fear of losing out, he contends, leads to widespread exploitation. "We accept whatever amount we get, because if we don't do it, someone else will. We get exploited a lot," Sawant lamented, painting a picture of an industry where supply vastly outweighs demand, keeping fees suppressed.
Arijit Singh's Shocking Announcement
The entire debate was triggered by Arijit Singh's unexpected New Year announcement on Instagram. The singer, known for his soulful renditions, wrote: "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 gonna be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey."
While Singh has not explicitly cited payment issues as his reason for stepping back, his departure from the playback scene—where he reportedly commanded fees as high as ₹2 crore per live show, as revealed by composer Monty Sharma—has forced a moment of reckoning. It raises the question: if an artist at the very pinnacle of success chooses to exit, what does it say about the environment for those still climbing the ladder?
The conversation started by Arijit Singh's exit and amplified by voices like Abhijeet Sawant's suggests that the Indian film music industry may be at a crossroads, needing to address fundamental issues of artist dignity, fair compensation, and the long-term value of the voices that bring its stories to life.
