‘The industry does not let you. But I am so tired’: Pritam on wanting a break from Bollywood music. Music composer discusses retirement plans with Arijit Singh

Pritam Chakraborty, one of Bollywood’s most celebrated music composers, has consistently dominated the Hindi film industry with chart-topping soundtracks across multiple blockbuster films. Known for delivering commercially successful music year after year, Pritam remains one of the busiest creative forces in Indian cinema. However, behind the success, deadlines, and demanding production schedules lies the growing exhaustion of sustaining such relentless momentum. Now, Pritam has candidly revealed his desire to step away temporarily from the pressures of commercial music to prioritize personal well-being, family time, and creative rejuvenation after years of nonstop professional commitments.

Pritam on taking a break after detox trip

Pritam, in an interview with the SCREEN, revealed that a transformative detox retreat played a pivotal role in solidifying his retirement plans. During this period of rest, he experienced a profound sense of physical and emotional relief, describing the break as deeply healing. The composer admitted that after years of meeting relentless deadlines and fulfilling continuous delivery expectations, he now feels genuinely exhausted and ready for a significant pause.




Pritam revealed that while he has attempted temporary retirements before in 2014 and 2017, those breaks lasted only six to eight months. This time, however, he hopes to step away for a much longer period, potentially three to four years, to focus on himself and his family, especially as his children prepare to move to the United States for higher education.

Managing this transition remains challenging due to his extensive list of pending commitments. While several projects are already underway, Pritam has begun requesting exits from ventures that are still in early stages. He plans to complete projects nearing completion while postponing select non-urgent assignments for later.

Pritam on Arijit Singh

The composer also shared lighthearted details about discussing retirement with his close friend, singer Arijit Singh. Pritam revealed that he had frequently spoken to Arijit about his plans, even joking about visiting the singer’s hometown, Jiaganj, after retirement. In a humorous exchange, Arijit once declared he would retire the same day Pritam did, later teasing him by suggesting he may never fully step away.

Despite previously expressing a desire to scale back from mainstream projects during the release of Metro… In Dino, Pritam continued to sign multiple major films, including War 2, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, and Bhooth Bangla, while also maintaining commitments to several upcoming productions. His packed slate reflects not only his industry demand but also the difficulty of stepping away from Bollywood’s fast-moving ecosystem.