Ayushmann Reveals Arijit Singh Inspired His First Live Performance

MUMBAI – Ayushmann Khurrana recently opened up about how singer Arijit Singh played a pivotal role in his debut live singing performance, which took place in the U.S. before an audience of over 50,000 people.

Reflecting on the experience, Ayushmann said, “I always saw myself primarily as an actor. Singing was something I did for my films, but the idea of performing live on stage in front of thousands never crossed my mind. I considered myself more of an actor than a singer.”

He credited Arijit for encouraging him to take the leap. “In 2013, after the success of Vicky Donor and winning the Filmfare Award for Best Singer, I got a call from Arijit. He was scheduled to perform at the annual Diwali Mela in Dallas but couldn’t make it due to an emergency. His band was already there, and he requested me to step in and perform instead.”

Initially hesitant, Ayushmann shared, “I told him I’d never considered something like this. I’d only sung casually—either to myself or for friends at parties. But Arijit insisted, and since I’ve always been a fan of his, I eventually agreed.”

Recounting the momentous experience, he said, “When I arrived at the concert, I was stunned. The stadium was packed with nearly 50,000 people! Going from performing in living rooms to a venue like that was a monumental shift. I performed 10 songs with Arijit’s band, and the audience loved it—the response was overwhelming.”

The experience was transformative for Ayushmann, who added, “After that performance, I realized how much I enjoyed live singing. It inspired me to create my own band and pursue live performances. The credit for this goes entirely to Arijit Singh.”

On the work front, Ayushmann’s upcoming projects include Thama, part of Maddock Films’ horror-comedy universe, and an untitled collaboration with Dharma and Sikhya Productions.