Daijiworld Media Network - Jiaganj

Jiaganj, Jan 30: When Arijit Singh announced that he was stepping away from playback singing, the news sent shockwaves across the music industry and left millions of fans stunned. But in Jiaganj, the small West Bengal town where the singer grew up, the reaction was deeply emotional and personal.

For the people of Jiaganj, Arijit is not a global icon but their familiar “dada”. Despite international fame, residents say his lifestyle has remained unchanged. Locals often spot him riding a scooter through narrow lanes, shopping at the local market, dropping his children at school and spending long hours practising in his studio.

Though Arijit now lives in a newly built three-storey house near his father’s old home, the neighbourhood he grew up in continues to shape his identity.

Neighbour Tandra Ghosh said Arijit blends seamlessly into everyday life. “My daughter studies in the same school as his child. Despite being so famous, he meets everyone normally, just like one of us. In fact, my home address has now become ‘near Arijit Singh’s house’ as a landmark,” he told.

For families who have known him since childhood, the retirement announcement felt unreal. Paromita Dutta, who shares a decades-old bond with his family, said the town still sees him as ‘Shomu’. “Arijit Singh is for the world. For us, he is still Shomu. There is an Arijit song for every relationship, and a relationship with every song,” she said.

Among younger residents, the news has been met with disbelief. Student Arnab Saha said many grew up with Arijit’s voice and never imagined a time without his playback songs. “We felt very sad. I realised I have been listening to him for so many years, and now I won’t hear new songs from him as a playback singer,” he said.

What locals admire most, however, is his simplicity. Holding back tears, Shiny Majumdar said, “He is such a big singer, yet lives so normally among us. I tell my children to look and learn from him. It is a matter of great pride for us.” She added that his journey inspires people from small towns to believe in unconventional paths like music.

While the announcement has shocked Jiaganj, many believe this may not be the end of his creative journey. “He will surely do something very big and very good,” Paromita Dutta said, echoing the town’s collective hope.

Arijit Singh announced his decision on January 27 through a heartfelt Instagram post, thanking listeners and saying he would not take up new playback assignments after a “wonderful journey”. Screenshots from what is believed to be his private X account later surfaced, where he cited multiple reasons for the decision, including creative boredom.

Arijit first rose to public attention as a contestant on the 2005 reality show Fame Gurukul. He made his playback debut in 2010 and went on to sing hundreds of songs across languages, winning two National Film Awards and receiving the Padma Shri in 2025.