As his directorial Aashiqui 2 clocked in 13 years on (April 26), Mohit Suri revisited the journey of the film that lives in the heart of the audiences.

Getting emotional about this milestone, Mohit told Mumbai Mirror, “I think the reason this film has resonated for so many years is because all of us who worked on this film — Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapoor, the music directors and me — we all were at that stage of our careers where we were not chasing success but we had something to say emotionally. We had seen failure. Mithoon (singer-composer) and I had success with Murder 2, but Aditya and Shraddha wanted to prove themselves as they had not seen success despite being part of big films. Ankit Tiwari, who was new, sang the song Sun Raha Hai Na Tu. Jeet Ganguly (singer) was trying to do something outside his comfort zone.”

Reflecting on the phase they were all in at that time, Mohit said, “All of us went out with the intention of doing something we had never done. The pressure of the success of Aashiqui 1 was upon us, but we all went out to make a good film. Success was the cherry on the cake. I believe that when you say something with your heart, the world listens.”

He further added, “Every year no matter what happens and where she is, Shraddha always messages me on this day. We might miss our birthdays by a day or two, but we never miss this day and we thank each other for where we are today.”

“I don’t think my romantic films fit into the quintessential romantic mould,” says Mohit Suri, distancing himself from the song-and-dance template often associated with Hindi love stories. “Some of my biggest songs, like Tum Hi Ho, aren’t lip-synced. I don’t have dance numbers either. I don’t know where I fit in – it’s just my way of expressing love.”

Yet films like Saiyyara (2025), which left youngsters teary-eyed in cinemas last year, have revived the mainstream appetite for intense love stories. During his recent visit to Delhi, where he received the All India Management Association (AIMA) award for Director of the Year, he decoded love stories in a chat with us.

​Ask what he felt as a director when he saw reels coming in showing youngsters crying after watching Saiyyara, and he shares, “I’ve never been able to analyse it. I don’t know what I have or what I did that made people cry.”

After a pause, he reflects, “But I remember Pooja Bhatt telling me this very early in my career – that if anyone has been able to touch my heart, other than my father, in the films he makes, it’s you. You’ve that in you, and it’s very rare. Mahesh Bhatt also told me that.”

He elaborates, “I never went out to shoot a scene thinking, ‘In this scene, I will make you cry.’ I’ve never been able to do that. And I am not that kind of filmmaker who knows how the audience is going to react.”

​A clip went viral from a round-table discussion when everyone was talking about when they last watched a film in a cinema hall, and he turned around to his fellows and asked, “Don’t you guys go to the theatre?”

He says it was more of a surprise to him, adding, “My TV is huge. I have about a 100-inch TV at home. It’s a great experience. I’ve got great sound. Even in my office, I have a theatre, but it’s still not the theatre, because I don’t have 100 more people watching the film with me together. Humans like to watch entertainment in groups.”

He explains, “Look at cricket. Why do stadiums still get filled? Maybe not so much for a Test match, but for T20. So theatres will still get full. It’s just that the game is no longer a Test match – it’s more like T20. So the kind of content we put in theatres has to change. We can complain that people are not going to theatres, or we can get up and do something about it.”

​Are there any particular elements for a good love story? Suri explains, “In a basic love story, I think what essentially has to work is – it’s not about what’s on the page. It’s about what magic you bring about on the set. Because a love story is very simple on the page. They don’t have the thrill of lots of twists and turns or action. So it’s like — there is nothing on the page; it’s just written: he looks at her. But the way he looks at her — that is the magic.”

Citing a scene from Saiyaara, Mohit says, “Nobody reacted when I told them she takes Mahesh’s name. They were just like, ‘Oh, that’s sad.’ But the way they reacted in the theatres – people burst out crying. More than that, moviegoers cried in the last scene when they got married. And that’s a happy scene. Why were they crying there? It is because they felt validated that this girl who had left had come back. So I think that’s the magic you create on the set.” Suri believes that for love stories, “we just have to live the emotion.”

He elaborates, “That’s the only thing. You have to live with the actors; they’re living with the characters. In thrillers, you can cheat – you can use a different camera angle but in love stories, you have to bring out an emotion.”

At 38, Arijit Singh recently stunned fans and the Hindi film industry by announcing his retirement from playback singing. While several have expressed what they feel about Arijit’s choice, we spoke to Mohit Suri, whose films have consistently featured quintessential Arijit Singh songs, dating back to Aashiqui 2 and the iconic Tum Hi Ho. Composed by Mithoon, the song launched Arijit into stardom 13 years ago and defined his voice as synonymous with love and heartbreak. Suri last worked with him on Dhun from Saiyaara.

​On Arijit’s retirement from playback singing, Mohit said the decision didn’t surprise him. “I sensed it. He had reached a stage where he wanted to do more and not box himself into just one identity. You can’t limit his creativity. He doesn’t want to be remembered only as Arijit, the singer,” he said.

On a personal note, Mohit admits he is deeply disappointed, saying that a part of him feels like it has ended with the announcement.

He explains, “I don’t think Indian music can exist without Arijit. People see this as a full stop, but he’s not done yet. I’ve known him since he was Pritam da’s assistant. People think he was just fortunate, but that’s not true. He didn’t let himself break, and success was actually delayed for him. He’s an artiste who will never stop creating. Even if Arijit the singer slows down, he’ll be far more valuable to music and cinema. Once he sets his mind to something, he achieves it.”

​As Arijit dominated Bollywood music for over a decade, speculation grew about sidelined singers, alleged monopolies and his association with “sad songs.” Mohit, however, says Arijit’s biggest strength became a limitation imposed by others.

“Your best work often becomes the monkey on your back. Arijit sang all kinds of songs — we chose to highlight his heartbreak numbers,” he says, pointing to upbeat tracks like Ullu Ka Pattha and Galti Se Mistake from Jagga Jasoos as proof of his range. “We boxed him into Tum Hi Ho or Channa Mereya kind of songs.”

Dismissing favouritism and lobbying claims, Mohit is categorical. “Arijit never insisted on singing a song. In fact, he often pushed for the scratch singer to be retained, saying the song didn’t need him. That’s how secure he is — and many singers got breaks because of that.”

​On a parting note, we ask if Arijit’s voice could ever be replaced. “Everyone is special. I was deeply attached to KK sir, but while making Aashiqui 2, I realized I couldn’t use the same voice I associated with Emraan Hashmi for Aditya Roy Kapur. We found a new voice and that was Arijit.”

He adds that with Saiyaara, he introduced Faheem Abdullah for Ahaan Panday, showing that every generation finds its own voice. “That’s the way life works. New singers must find their space, just as Arijit once did. There cannot be another Arijit Singh. We depend on him emotionally, knowing he will nail it — but if he doesn’t make way, new talent won’t emerge. He is truly one of a kind. And yes, I’ll speak to him once he reads this.”

“There can be no music without Arijit Singh," an emotional Mohit Suri told mid-day, reacting to news that sent Indian music lovers into collective shock. On Tuesday night, in an Instagram post, the two-time National Award-winning singer announced his retirement from playback singing. "There is not one reason behind this. I have been trying to do this since a long time. Finally, I have gathered the right courage. One of the reasons were simple, I get bored pretty quick, that’s why I keep changing arrangements of the same songs and perform them on stage," he wrote.

For more than a decade, Arijit was Bollywood's go-to guy for any track in any genre. When a film needed longing, his voice delivered it. When a love story or heartbreak had to feel intimate, his timbre did the work before the lyrics even began. By the mid-2010s, Bollywood leaned heavily on Arijit. Across Hindi and multiple regional industries — including Bengali, Marathi and Telugu — he has recorded over 800 songs, including alternate versions and live-session recordings. Few playback singers in recent decades have occupied that much sonic space.

His dominance carried serious commercial weight. Industry experts estimate his net worth in the range of Rs. 414 crore (roughly $50 million), built on recording fees, tours, streaming royalties and brand associations. Annual earnings reportedly touched Rs. 70 crore in recent years.

Days before announcing his exit, Arijit released Maatrubhumi for Salman Khan’s Battle Of Galwan. A stunned Himesh Reshammiya, who composed the song, told mid-day, "I have always said that Arijit Singh understands the soul of the music composer and the melody; he is fabulous. I wish he changes his stand on not singing for films, love him both as an artiste and a human being."

While he may not take up fresh playback gigs, Arijit still has a few recorded songs lined up for 2026. One of them is Hum Toh Tere Hi Liye The from O'Romeo, composed by Vishal Bhardwaj with lyrics by Gulzar. Another is Sunhari Kirne from Gandhi Talks, composed by AR Rahman.

While he might not be taking up any fresh playback gigs, Singh still has a few recorded songs set to release in 2026. One of them is Hum Toh Tere Hi Liye The from O’Romeo, composed by Vishal Bhardwaj with lyrics by Gulzar, a romantic track filmed on Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri. Another is “Sunhari Kirne” from Gandhi Talks, composed by A.R. Rahman, which is one of the year’s most musically anticipated soundtracks.

A top suit at Sony Music, tells mid-day, on condition of anonymity, “This changes the ground beneath us more than people realize. For years, when a film album came in and there was one song, the one the trailer would lean on the one streaming platforms would push and the first question in the room was always, ‘Can we get Arijit?’ I speak for producers and insiders when I say there was built-in trust. People outside think this is just about replacing one voice with another. It’s not that simple because that's a once-in-a-generation artist. He became the sound of modern Hindi film. When that disappears, you’re filling a big void. And that’s scary when crores are riding on streaming numbers. There’s also habit to undo. Directors, actors, even lyricists were subconsciously writing for how his voice would feel. Without that anchor, the room will be quieter. Everyone second-guesses more. We’ll discover new singers, of course. But it will be hard to replace that voice.”

Industry veterans understand Singh's decision. Mahesh Bhatt, with whom Singh did a large volume of his early work, told mid-day, "I remember the first time I saw Arijit Singh very clearly. It was at the music launch of Aashiqui 2 at Super Sound in Khar—the old place, full of dust, wires, and hope. His name was announced and he was called to the stage to sing Tum Hi Ho. A shy, self-effacing young man walked up, almost apologetically, with no sense of entitlement. He didn’t claim the song; he offered it. And in that moment, something entered the bloodstream of the nation. That song didn’t just become popular, it became personal. What made Arijit Arijit was never just his voice. It was his refusal to perform himself. His singing carried no ego, no demand to be noticed. He stepped aside and let emotion speak.  So when someone asks me if I would miss his voice, life has taught me to answer this way: I have learned to say goodbye to people I love without removing them from my heart. Chaplin once said something to that effect, and it has stayed with me. Even if Arijit chooses silence, his voice will not leave us. And I don’t believe he is turning away from music—only from noise. If he sings only for himself now, that is not withdrawal. That is an artist exercising his deepest privilege. Voices like his don’t vanish. They remain long after the song ends."

Aashiqui 2 director Suri, with whose words we started, gave us an insight into his long-time collaborator's psyche. Singh first fame with the film he made and even in his last hit Saiyaara, Singh had a large role to play Suri tells us.

"I don't remember a time when he wasn't creating something. Before playback, he was an assistant. In some early music sessions of my career, I remember Arijit clicking pictures of Pritam and me at the studio. He would spend a lot of money buying a expensive camera and then tell us, these pictures are for us to remember history. Of course, I am going to miss him a lot but that said, I also understand his decision.

We all evolve as creative people in our journey and step up to find the next phase of our lives and careers. This isn't a man who will be content with himself. He has the itch of an artist. Anyone who has worked with him tell you he would give different iterations, will sit and understand the story of the film and fit his voice to suit the story. I remember during Hamari Adhuri Kahani, we did three versions of the title track. He asked me how does it end and I told him, it ends tragically. He said there needs to be defeat in the voice then. He was such an important collaborator for any director or music composer. But even at that, he was still working on someone else's vision.

May be he wants to create his own vision for himself. He is also such an immensely secure artist, pure artist as they say. There have been times he has been called in to sing a song, he has heard the scratch and said, 'Please retain what you have, I can't do what they've done'. We did Saiyaara's songs across timezones - I was in Japan and he was in Murshidabad. But after the film, his response for the movie was such an honest take. He loved the film more than Aashiqui 2 which gave him his big break. He has evolved into an artist who values the art more than himself. Wherever he goes from here and whatever he does, he will create music because for the close to two decades I have known him, I have never known him without music. That bond will be inseparable."

Of course, rumours are rife that Singh has moved to filmmaking and is currently shooting a movie in Shantiniketan that he and his wife Koel have written. The jungle-adventure project features Shora Siddiqui and Arijit’s son, with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Lyricists Siddharth-Garima, who have collaborated with Singh on several hit numbers, are working on his upcoming directorial. Garima tells mid day that they weren’t shocked by Singh’s decision.

“We met him multiple times in the last one year. We saw it coming because there is a very different kind of burnout that an artist can suffer from in the Hindi film industry,” Garima says, adding that when an artiste is made to repeat his or her previous work, it takes a toll.

“When people repetitively ask you to do the same things or sing similar things, it could get to you. We were seeing that point somewhere. He sings with a lot of sincerity even now. We've seen him record and he would take 100 takes for a line in a song. His process is something else. I'm sure that process tires him out. A burnout is very easy in this industry because you have to work tirelessly and endlessly.”

To Garima, there’s also an expectation from the industry that every song should be sung by Singh. He has enjoyed a monopoly of sorts in Bollywood playback singing for over 15 years now. But it’s not something that the sits right with the singer himself, “When Alia Bhatt just came in, everyone was thinking of scripts in which Alia would play the lead. That's how it is here. Everyone makes songs here, mostly thinking, ‘Arijit gaayega’. The first time you make a really melodious number, you are already imagining how it would sound in Arijit's voice? But the kind of person that he is, he comes from a very just background. He's not the kind of person who will think, ‘Sirf main hi main hoon.’ He thinks this shouldn’t happen and there should be more people who should get a chance,” Garima says, to which Siddharth adds that Singh is “a very secure artiste”.

“People talking about him creating a monopoly has never bothered him. In fact, that is a fuel. He's enabling diversity with this decision. We have that equation with him where we make him listen to every song that we record,” the lyricist says.

Singh has lent his voice to several songs written by Siddharth-Garima, including the chartbusters Yeh Laal Ishq (Goliyon Ki Raas Leela: Ram Leela) and Satranga (Animal). Naturally, it’s a huge loss for them as collaborators.

“Sanjay Leela Bhansali always says that he values a written word and believes a singer's job is to communicate to the listener the voice in those words. that voice. When I say, ‘Yeh laal ishq, yeh malaal ishq,’ how does that line reach you? It's a singer's job entirely. And more often than not, we notice in recording rooms, singers are not really singing, not feeling the line enough. Arijit will take it to that point. That's what his contribution has been. He brings his own imagination to the song.”

So, what does Hindi film music look like without his voice, we ask the duo. “The songs that he's already sung are there as his legacy. But the music scene in Bollywood would change. And it would be a huge change. Of course, it comes as a shock to many people. But I feel this is a natural progression. There’s always space for new people. There won’t be another Arijit but there will be more people, who will get a chance. People will start thinking imaginatively,” she says. And this is something even Singh wants from the industry, shares the lyricist.

“What really irritates him is the fact that people are not thinking imaginatively enough. They are just relying on a set pattern that if we have Arijit, we will get X number of listeners. I think that has put him off from the entire scenario that oh, you want a guarantee hit song, you want him to sing that song. What about experimenting? What about thinking outside the box? It’s great for an artiste to take a step back and take into account that what’s happening around him is not okay. There was no reason for him to say that I'm not going to sing Bollywood songs anymore, but he's an extremely honest and honest person to have taken that step,” Garima shares.

But even as fans express their disappointment over the singer’s decision, Garima is sure Singh will make a comeback sometime in future. “I feel there will at some point be a comeback, like how Sonu (Nigam) ji was ruling the charts in the 90s. And then of course, there was a phase in which he faded out and then now he's back fully. So I feel before that would happen, Arijit has taken the wise call of saying, ‘Okay. Let me not create a monotony with my voice right now.’ Let people yearn for it and then probably he'll make a comeback. I'm hoping he would someday,” she smiles.

But there won’t be dearth of Singh’s music, as he is set to launch his own label. “He is going to keep making independent music. So we are going to hear him a lot more on, his own label and all of that. And not many people know but he is a very m good composer. We've written to some of his compositions. You will see him in a different light,” Siddharth says.

“I am calling it off, it was a wonderful journey,” said Arijit Singh on Tuesday, announcing that he will not be taking up any new assignments as a playback singer, a decision that sent shockwaves across the industry and his fan base alike.

In a message shared on his social media pages, Singh said he has decided to step away from playback singing, a move that comes at the peak of his career as one of the most popular and indemand voices in Hindi cinema. “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,” he wrote.

The 38-year-old, however, clarified that he would continue to make music independently and complete existing commitments. “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 must 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,” he added.

The announcement was met with disbelief. “Too soon sir, can't be real,” wrote one user. Another said, “This cannot be true.”

Singh's rise in the Indian music industry has been nothing short of meteoric. He started out as a contestant on reality show “Fame Gurukul” in 2005 and made his playback debut in 2011 with “Phir Mohabbat” from the Emraan Hashmi-starrer Murder 2.

He broke into the big league with the soulful hit “Tum Hi Ho” from “Aashiqui 2” in 2013. The success of the song made him a household name. After that, Singh quickly became the voice of many moods, be it love, heartbreak or happiness. He went on to deliver a string of chartbusters such as “Channa Mereya”, “Agar Tum Saath Ho”, “Raabta”, “Kesariya”, “Gerua”, “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” and “Chaleya”. Over the years, he has lent his voice to nearly all of Hindi cinema's leading stars – from superstars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan to actors like Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh.

Singh recorded songs in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi, and collaborated with leading composers and filmmakers. His work earned him numerous Filmfare Awards, including multiple Best Male Playback Singer honours. In July, Singh edged past global pop stars Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran to emerge the most followed artist on music streaming platform Spotify with 151 million followers.

Music director-composer Mithoon, an introvert, admits performing on stage isn’t easy despite a 20-year career. “I’ve never been much of a stage artiste. I’ve been making music for 20 years but never been comfortable on stage,” he says.

“Only recently have I developed a specific sound for my band, and I’m not competing with any artiste. When the audience sees an artiste live, it’s an intimate experience, that’s the vision I want to give them.”

When asked if India’s booming live music scene influenced him, Mithoon says, “No. It’s more of an internal journey of being prepared that happened to coincide with the boom, but I’m happy live music is being celebrated in the country.”

He adds, “The audience understands, and many introverts present in the audience enjoy the music along with me. What they appreciate is honesty. It’s ‘main jaisa hoon, aapka hoon.”

Mithoon says he and wife, singer Palak Muchhal, keep work talk out of their home. “She’s a busy professional herself. We do riyaz together and discuss some musicality, but we keep work sanctified.” 

Calling himself her biggest critic, he adds, “Since the time she sang the female version of ‘Meri Aashiqui Tum Hi Ho’ (Aashiqui 2), I’ve always believed in her potential and have been demanding of the level I expect from her,” Mithoon says.

Praising her, he adds, “There’s an unsaid legacy led by Lata ji (Mangeshkar), Kavita ji (Krishnamurthy), Alka ji (Yagnik), Shreya (Ghoshal), Palak belongs there on her own merit, she is the torchbearer of the music industry’s legacy.”

Meanwhile, brother-in law Palaash is currently making news for taking the legal route to deal with a cheating and financial fraud case initiated by former fiancee and cricketer Smriti Mandhana’s friend, Vidnyan Mane. Mithoon however chooses to steer clear of the controversial subject.

Following the success of Saiyaara, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, anticipation has been high around director Mohit Suri’s next project. Over the past month, speculation has been rife that the filmmaker would reunite with his Aashiqui 2 (2013) star Aditya Roy Kapur. However, there was buzz doing the rounds suggesting that the actor opted out of the film after multiple discussions and script readings, prompting the makers to search for a new male lead.

Putting an end to the rumours, Mohit addressed the casting speculation exclusively with Bombay Times. Clarifying the situation surrounding his upcoming YRF-backed project, the director said, “I meet Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shaad Randhawa to play cricket. We hang out together.”

Mohit said, “Aditya is a close friend of mine, but we haven’t met for work at all. The script that I am working on is not even ready, and no discussions have happened on the same. The script that I am writing isn’t for Aditya Roy Kapur. I will reveal everything once my script and cast is in place.”

When we reached out to Aditya, he laughed and said, “The only place Mohit and I have been meeting is on the cricket field where I’ve been getting him clean bowled! So, no role is going to be coming my way from there. The news of me opting out of his film is totally false.”

Saiyaara has broken global records and won hearts over the past two weeks. The craze reached unprecedented levels, with people thronging the theatres, and the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda-starrer transitioned from being a young love story to a phenomenon. On The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra this week, we got the captain of the ship, director Mohit Suri, to decode the film:

It feels good to receive this love. I have been spending time with my wife (Uditaa Goswami; actor) after the release, she’s been asking me to do household things (laughs). But I take some time for myself daily from 6.30 pm to 9 pm, as I get calls from all over the country. I’ve told her to just let me feel the love. It’s taken me 20 years to be here.

He has known me since I was a child, assisting on the sets of (Awara Paagal Deewana; 2002) with Vikram Bhatt (filmmaker). We tried to work together a couple of times, but things never fell into place. Even when Aashiqui 2 (2013) and Ek Villain (2014) had done well [he encouraged me]. He never lost faith in me. For him to come out there publicly... It’s something very few people do. What else can I ask for?

We were shooting the piano scene, when Vaani (Aneet’s character) gets Krish’s (Ahaan’s character) name wrong. The way Ahaan gave that shot, and the way Aneet spoke... that was the day. I turned to our creative producer (Sumana Ghosh) and said, “I don’t know about the fate of this film, but I know we are making a great one”. When Adi sir (Aditya Chopra, producer) saw the movie in its loosest form, he said, “No matter how much this opens at, it’s going to do at least Rs. 100 crore”. I was in class eight when I saw his movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) in the theatre. I said, “This is the kind of film I want to make someday”. For him to say this... that’s what an experienced producer should do. That’s when we felt we were making something special. While the collections are most welcome, this love is something I really wanted.

It’s been 35 years since Aashiqui (1990) hit the screens and became a cult classic, turning lead actors Anu Aggarwal and Rahul Roy into overnight stars. As the film marks this milestone today, Anu revisits the whirlwind fame that followed.

“I still remember the call from Mahesh Bhatt saying, ‘Aashiqui is a hit!’ It felt like a 1000-watt lightning bolt struck me. There were hundreds of fans outside my house, guys writing ‘I love you Anu’ on the walls! It was crazy,” she recalls.

Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, Aashiqui’s massive success led to a 2013 reboot starring Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, directed by Mohit Suri. Kartik Aaryan and Anurag Basu’s Aashiqui 3 was dropped following legal troubles, but the two are collaborating on a new project. Does she think the remakes do justice to the original?

“Let’s be honest, remakes often try to be like the original, but they can never be the same. There will always be differences. Whether they do justice or not, I don’t judge. Everyone’s trying to express art in their own way, and I think it’s unfair to compare.”

Ask Anu how she feels about younger actors carrying the franchise forward, and she reflects, “Our tagline was ‘Love makes life live’ — and love, especially in Hindi cinema, has always been a driving force. Every generation expresses love differently. So an Aashiqui made 35 years ago, one made 10 years ago, and one being made today will each reflect their time and emotional language.”

For a filmmaker, few things are as fulfilling as seeing one’s protégé follow in their footsteps. Mahesh Bhatt, who launched director and his nephew Mohit Suri with Zeher (2005) two decades ago, is proud that the latter’s film Saiyaara is reminding viewers of his blockbuster Aashiqui (1990). Just like the 1990 romantic drama had given Bollywood two new faces in Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal, the July 18 release will serve as the launchpad for Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. The similarities don’t end there — both films are musicals.

“When I made Aashiqui, I did it with a lot of purity. I was fortunate that people connected to it and made the two newcomers into overnight stars,” recalls Bhatt. The senior filmmaker expects nothing less from Suri. 

“I expect Mohit to do the same with Saiyaara. It’s amazing to see that people have the nostalgia of Aashiqui when they are seeing Saiyaara, but I can tell you that it will rewrite the rules of what a romantic film should be in today’s time. Every new generation must surpass the earlier one. Mohit is my protégé, and I couldn’t be happier if he surpasses me in every way possible.”

In 2013, Bhatt trusted Mohit Suri to take the Aashiqui franchise forward with Aashiqui 2. As Suri has crafted another love story, the veteran filmmaker reveals that he always pushed him to take a punt on newcomers. “I’m thrilled to see him take the plunge with two talented actors. Saiyaara [feels] like a breath of fresh air. That only happens with newcomers,” states Bhatt.

Filmmaker Mohit Suri has put an end to speculations about working with actor Shraddha Kapoor again, confirming that there are no plans for a reunion. Mohit, who previously directed Shraddha in Aashiqui 2 (2013), Ek Villain (2014) and Half Girlfriend (2017), revealed that he hasn’t “even spoken to Shraddha in months”.

“There is no collaboration. Not with me, for sure,” says the 43-year-old director, addressing the buzz around a possible Aashiqui cast reunion.

Currently immersed in the post-production of his upcoming project, Mohit also clarifies that while Shraddha is reportedly working on a new project under producer Ektaa R Kapoor’s banner, he is not involved in it: “I’m not directing it,” Mohit concludes.

Over 19 years since the inception of Koffee with Karan, host Karan Johar has been giving audiences a peek into the lives of their favourite celebrities. The eighth season of the popular chat show continues to keep viewers hooked with the guests’ frank speak on the couch. The latest episode of the Disney+ Hotstar show sees Aditya Roy Kapur and Arjun Kapoor speak candidly on several subjects of their lives.

Considering that Kapur remains most memorable for his performance as Rahul Jaykar in Aashiqui 2, Johar asked him about Kartik Aaryan being cast in the third instalment of the musical romance, in the latest episode. 

“I think he is the perfect person to take the baton forward,” Kapur promptly replied, without any hint of insecurity. He explained, “There was no chance I could be in this, because in the second part my character went for a long swim, from which he is not returning.”

At that, Kapoor couldn’t help quipping, “Then he became the night manager after that,” alluding to Kapur’s hit series that also impressed Hollywood actor Tom Hiddleston, who essayed the titular role in the original international show.

Mithoon, known for hits like Tum Hi Ho, Sanam Re and Tujhe Kitna Chahne Lage, is happy with the success of his music for Gadar 2, despite the controversy (music composer Uttam Singh had accused the film’s makers of using his work without permission).

He says, “I can only speak about my process of working on the movie’s music and adding my own element to it. I am happy with how the tracks turned out. As a kid, I always wanted to make music for films like this,” he says.

In a chat, the music composer and singer talks about his career milestones, equation with his wife (singer Palak Muchhal) and more.

I always wanted to be like my father (music director Naresh Sharma) and dreamt of becoming a composer. Madan Mohan, R D Burman and A R Rahman have been my heroes. As a 19-year-old commerce student, I got to record the song Woh Lamhe (Zeher), which became an overnight chartbuster and I never looked back after that. I followed it up with Tere Bin (Bas Ek Pal) and Maula Mere (Anwar), which are considered iconic today. But I feel like I’ve only begun.

When I entered the music scene, so many platforms did not exist. But I would have chosen to take the film route even if I were to debut today because I am a fan of films. I never wanted to make music just to become popular or for glamour. I was always a fan of Indian cinema. I get a lot of non-film offers from various labels, but I’m focusing more on film music.

I have explored playback singing and songwriting as well, but primarily, I love being a music composer. I love discovering new voices and feel proud that Atif Aslam, Arijit Singh, Mohammed Irfan and Shilpa Rao, some of the best singers that we have today, sang their first song with me.

Tum Hi Ho has really struck a chord with the audience in India and even outside the country, people still remember it. The song meant a lot to me emotionally because it was a tribute to my father, who was the music arranger for the first film of the Aashiqui franchise (in 1990). It was a special moment in my career.

Palak and I keep very busy and when we get some time together, we don’t talk about music. We talk about everything else. Ours was an arranged marriage, and we didn’t really date before our wedding. So, we are really catching up on our personal space now.

I love Hindustani classical music and listening to greats like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Kumar Gandharva, Jagjit Singh ji. I feel a sense of fulfilment whenever I listen to them sing. There’s something so divine about the way they went about their music.

Considered one of Bollywood’s most eligible bachelors, Aditya Roy Kapur is among the fittest actors of his generation. And while he enjoys all the attention he gets from the ladies, he admits that it isn’t easy to maintain that level of fitness, what we’d call ‘hotness quotient’. In a quick tête-à-tête, the actor reveals what goes into looking the way he does, the appreciation he got for his OTT debut and more. Excerpts...

While he’s undeniably good-looking and loves the compliments coming his way from fans, Aditya confesses that he’s quite critical about his own self. “We are all so critical of ourselves and we constantly feel... oh, I am fat, oh, I am this, I am that, when actually others feel that you are looking just fine. So, it is all about perspective, right? I am like anybody else. I have my days when I don’t feel good about myself or feel unattractive. I don’t have a six-pack all the time! Also, because I am tall, everything else gets distributed (on my body). I might appear very fit, but I am not that fit all the time. I am constantly feeling like I need to lose weight. I have self-doubts like anyone else has. Having said that, the compliments I get are flattering. At least all the hard work and the dieting has some upside to it (laughs)!”

Ask Aditya, if there’s anything he would like to change about his body and pat comes his reply, “I want to change my metabolism. There are some people who are blessed where they can eat whatever they want, and they don’t put on weight. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with me. If I eat, I put on weight instantly. It is tough to stay in shape, especially for someone who’s a foodie. I have to be extremely disciplined if I have to be in shape. If I lose track and cheat for 3-4 days in a row, I try and get back in shape in the next 10 days. Earlier, I used to put on 15 kilos and then get busy losing those 15 kilos. But as you get older, more than physically, it is mentally taxing to be that extreme. So, it’s better to keep a watch on my food intake.”

As an actor, you are always under pressure to look good, but if a character demands that I have to look overweight or not flaunt a chiselled body, I am absolutely okay with it. In fact, in my repertoire of movies, I have done films that did not focus on my physical attributes like Kalank, Ludo, Daawat-e-Ishq and I definitely want to continue to do that, otherwise, I will get bored looking a certain type all the time.”

The actor won a lot of praise for his OTT debut, The Night Manager, in fact, with the series he has grabbed more eyeballs than ever before. “I don’t know if it’s ‘the most’ (I’ve been appreciated), but I definitely feel appreciated. The appreciation and acclaim have been heartwarming. I feel at various junctures in your career a project comes along which cuts across and crosses over. Back in the day, a project that changed things for me was Aashiqui 2. I won a lot of love and appreciation for that film. I feel Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani was quite special too. So yes, I have had such special projects in my career, and it is really nice to savour these as an actor,” he says.

Mithoon’s father, Naresh Sharma, was responsible for the sound arrangement for the 1990 hit Aashiqui. Destiny played its part, and 23 years later, Sharma’s son, music composer Mithoon, came on board to work on the music of Aashiqui 2.

Mithoon initially did not tell his father about his involvement in the project. “That gave me a lot of space to work [on my own and not feel any more pressure than what I was already feeling] to recreate the magic with the second instalment. When the basic idea of the song was ready, I went up to him and told him about the news.”

So what did his father say? Mithoon shares his father “gave a very understated reaction”: “That’s because he is also my guru, and I can’t get very pally with him. However, after a few days, when he heard the final version of Tum Hi Ho as well as the instrumentals in the film, he called up Mohit Suri (director), who was in South Africa at that time, and said, ‘What my son has done for your film is better than the work of my entire career’.”

Mithoon says it was an extremely emotional moment, not just for him but also for Suri, as the entire team needed that pat on the back from someone as experienced as his father.

Tum Hi Ho went on to become a massive hit, with its popularity enduring to this day. When asked what makes the melody timeless, the composer says, “It’s the intention to not create history. All I tried was to work on an emotion I connected to.”

Mithoon, who is often requested to perform the song during his live shows, calls it the “most honest moment with his audience.”

“When all the barriers between me and my audience are broken and we are one, that’s when I perform Aashiqui. I never see it as a mere presentation to impress people. This song is beyond streaming numbers and awards for me, and when I perform it, I let people know that I am sharing a piece of my life with them,” he ends.

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Ankit Tiwari was recently in Lucknow. Charting a successful journey from Kanpur to Mumbai, in an exclusive chat with us, the Sun Raha Hai Na Tu singer reminisced about the festival of Holi and the wild celebrations they have in his hometown Kanpur.

Ankit shared, “We used to have a big aluminium tub where we would mix all the different colours and anyone who used to pass from our lane had to stop and take a dip in that tub. Chahe jo bhi insaan ho. Kanpur’s Holi has a different whole vibe and colour to it.”

Ankit went on to add, “Back when we used to play Holi in Kanpur, we would rub black colour on our teeth and our friends’ too which used to be so much fun.”

Ankit has lived in Mumbai for the past 15–16 years. When asked how it feels to celebrate Holi in Mumbai, the Tu Hai Ki Nahi singer shared, “The celebrations are almost the same everywhere. Even in Mumbai we go for Holika dehen. But in UP the festival doesn’t end, it goes on and on. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, there is a time till which people play Holi, and then the post-Holi party starts but for UP, yahan hoti hai huddang wali Holi. Holi ka mazaa UP mein hi aata hai!”

Talking about his journey so far, Ankit shared about the moment when he felt he had finally carved his name in the music industry. “Everybody began to know me after Aashiqui 2. I remember eating pani puri on the streets of Mumbai after the release of Aashiqui 2, where I was standing along with a group of girls and boys. They were talking in front of me about the songs from the movie and saying ‘Bahot achha gaan hai. Kaun hai ye jisne gaya hai, etc’. And I was hearing them praise my compositions and really enjoyed that moment.”

Known for his romantic songs , Ankit said he is now experimenting with other genres in his compositions and singing. “Ab toh saare genre tootenge. Now I am going to try different genres in my own compositions.”

Ankit Tiwari, popularly known as the Sunn Raha Hai Tu music composer and singer from Aashiqui 2, has struggled to make a name for himself in the music world. Post Aashiqui 2, Tiwari has been known for his love songs in films such as Ek Villain and Roy. He says, “If my name is associated with love songs, I am proud of it, because to get associated with a genre is an achievement in the Indian music world. Having said that, I do want to explore other genres and have around 100 different songs in my bank.”

He adds, “A few years ago, I sang a song called Dil Cheez Tujhe Dedi from Airlift, but people were not ready to believe that it was my composition. They felt it belonged to Pritam Chakraborty. It was much later that people realised that I had composed it. The image of being a composer of love songs has stuck and I am happy about it now.”

Ankit is currently seen as a mentor for one of the teams in the music reality show Indian Pro Music League. He says, “I am junior to all the singers, who are participating in the show. Kailash Kher, Shaan, Sajid Khan and Mika Singh are all my seniors and have done a huge amount of work on television. I can never compete with them. I am new in this arena and learning my way around here.”

Ankit also had a music band, which unfortunately had to split up due to the lockdown. He says, “We are living in very uncertain times. I had some talented musicians in my band, but they had to relocate to their hometowns because there was not much work happening due to the pandemic. We are hoping for things to get better soon. If you are alive and healthy, then I consider it a blessing during these times.”

Though she began her career in South Indian films, language was a creative barrier for Preetika Rao, who “decided to quit them for good in 2012”. The actor then shifted to Mumbai and chose to work in TV shows rather than films.

She says, “People are surprised that I gave Bollywood a skip for television! I had plum offers like Aashiqui 2, and from director Pradeep Sarkar, producers Vashu Bhagnani and Kumar Taurani, but due to my sister Amrita (Rao; actor), I had first-hand insight into Bollywood. Donning a bikini and kissing were mandatory in most A-list projects, and I chose not to compromise on my comfort. Television shows are not only family-friendly but also have a much wider reach than a theatrical release. Fortunately, my first show, Beintehaa, had international success. Even today, it gets me the adulation that only Bollywood movies can get.”

However, life seems to have come full circle for Rao, as she recently signed a Kannada film. “When my director friend Shreyas Sudhindra narrated the script, I couldn’t refuse. My Konkani grandparents spoke fluent Kannada as our roots are from Karwar (Karnataka).”

Content with her career graph, she shares, “I can afford to choose my work. It no longer matters which platform you work on, as long as the content is interesting, as everything eventually lands up on the web. I am looking forward to the release of my web series, Love Sorries, and my single as a vocalist very soon.”