What was the 'feud' between Salman Khan and Arijit Singh that shook netizens in India - a throwback

Arijit Singh has announced that he is stepping away from playback singing, bringing an era-defining chapter in Hindi film music to a close.

Taking to social media, Arijit wrote, “Hello, Happy new year to all. I want to thank you for giving me so much of 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.”

Bollywood has been ablaze with rumours of a fallout between playback singer Arijit Singh and superstar Salman Khan for almost ten years.

The 2014 moment that sparked it all

Arijit was one of the recipients of awards at the 2014 Star Guild Awards, which Salman hosted. Arijit had just gained widespread recognition following Tum Hi Ho's enormous success at the time, and it was said that he was worn out from several performances.

When Salman jokingly asked him, “So gaye the?” (Were you sleeping?), Arijit replied with a smile, “Aap logon ne sula diya yaar” (You guys made me fall asleep). While the exchange appeared light-hearted on stage, it soon became the centre of speculation within the film industry.

Also Read | 'It was a wonderful journey': Arijit Singh announces retirement from playback singing

Songs, replacements and growing speculation

Reports began circulating that Arijit had been replaced in songs from Salman's films, such as Sultan, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and Kick, which started to surface after the awards. The most talked-about example was Jag Ghoomeya, which Rahat Fateh Ali Khan eventually sang in place of Arijit. Rumours of tension between the two were only reinforced by these developments.

In 2016, Arijit publicly responded to the rumours by apologising to Salman on social media, claiming that the incident was a case of misinterpreted humour and bad timing and that there was no intention to offend.

Salman’s clarification on Bigg Boss 19

During a recent episode of Bigg Boss 19, Salman finally put the speculation to rest. The actor said there was never any enmity between them and admitted that the misunderstanding was from his side.

Also Read | Top Arijit Singh songs that make us wish he hadn't retired so soon, all you need to know

“Arijit aur main bahut achhe dost hai. Woh misunderstanding thi aur woh misunderstanding mere side se huyi thi. Uske baad usne gaane bhi kiye mere liye (Arijit and I are very good friends. That misunderstanding had happened from my side. After that, he even sang songs for me),” Salman said.

Arijit Singh’s recent tracks in Salman Khan films

In recent years, Salman Khan and Arijit Singh have continued to collaborate on several high-profile projects. One of their biggest recent hits was Leke Prabhu Ka Naam from Tiger 3. The same film also featured Ruaan, a softer, emotionally driven romantic track sung by Arijit. Adding another layer to their professional association is Maatrubhumi from the upcoming film Battle of Galwan. Most recently, Arijit has also lent his voice to Hum Aapke Bina, a romantic song from Sikandar.