When Virat Kohli called himself Arijit Singh's 'biggest fan': "Mesmerized by his talent"

As fans grapple with this sad revelation, an old tweet by former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has resurfaced, highlighting his admiration for the Tum Hi Ho singer.

• Arijit Singh retires from playback singing, shocking fans and industry.
• Virat Kohli's old tweets praising Arijit Singh go viral after the announcement.
• Arijit will finish pending commitments; some songs will still release this year.

Did our AI summary help?

The sudden announcement of ace singer Arijit Singh's retirement has sent shockwaves across fans and industry insiders alike. On Tuesday, he made a post and said that he would not be taking on any future assignments, a decision he shared on his social media accounts.

The news has left his fanbase stunned and is expected to create a massive headache for film directors who have long relied on his voice.

As fans grapple with this sad revelation, an old tweet by former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has resurfaced, highlighting his admiration for the Tum Hi Ho singer.

For those unaware, Arijit Singh shared his decision on Tuesday evening, announcing that he would be stepping away from playback singing. This move comes at the peak of his career, when he is considered one of the most in-demand and popular voices in Hindi cinema. The announcement has even drawn comparisons to Virat Kohli’s unexpected retirement from Test cricket.

Now an earlier tweet by noted cricketer Virat Kohli has now gone viral on social media. On January 26, 2016, he had written on X expressing his admiration for Arijit, saying, “I am probably one of the biggest fans of Arijit Singh. Mesmerized by his talent and soulful voice. I am short of words actually.”

This is not the only instance where Virat Kohli has publicly shared his admiration for the singer. In another post on X the following year, Virat shared a picture with Arijit and wrote in the caption, "Pure fanboy moment for me. What an amazing person he is. No one has captivated me with their voice like this man. God bless you Arijit."

Pure fanboy moment for me. What an amazing person he is. No one has captivated me with their voice like this man. God bless you Arijit. 🙏😊 pic.twitter.com/aQMeGjQP8y

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 17, 2017

In the photo, he is visibly happy and smiling alongside his favourite singer, showcasing the love and respect Arijit has earned over the years in the industry. This affection underscores the lasting impact of his music, which continues to resonate with listeners.

Arijit Singh’s own post on Tuesday read, “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 going to be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey.”

Also read: Arijit Singh's Net Worth: Inside Tum Hi Ho singer's Rs 414 Cr estate amid his retirement announcement

He further added, “God has been really kind to me. I am a fan of good music and in future will be learning more and do more on my own as a small little artist. Thanks again for all your support. I still have to finish some pending commitments, will finish them. So you might get some releases this year. Just to be clear that I won’t stop making music.”

Providing some relief to his fans, reports indicate that Arijit Singh’s upcoming songs from 2026 films are expected to be released as planned. Among these, the song Maatrubhumi is said to be his final song as a playback vocalist, marking the end of an era in Hindi cinema.