Playback singers are here to stay, says Ayushmann Khurrana

Actor-singer Ayushmann Khurrana says playback singers are an "indispensable" part of Bollywood, and have no danger from the ongoing trend of actors turning into singers.

Actors like Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha and Alia Bhatt have gone behind the mic and crooned for their films.

"To be honest, a purist singer will always remain that. We cannot replace a singer. Of course it is great that actors are lending their voice to their characters, but playback singers like Arijit Singh and Sonu Nigam are indispensable," Ayushmann told IANS over phone.

After exploring realms of reality shows and even hosting shows on small screen, Ayushmann turned to Bollywood in 2012 with "Vicky Donor". He not only made a mark as an actor, but emerged as a singer with popular songs like "Pani da rang", "O heeriye" and "Mitti di khusboo" to his credit.

The "Nautanki Saala!" star asserted that he is passionate about singing and considers himself as a "professional singer".

He said: "I think it is great that everybody is singing. I also love to compose and write my own songs. I'm not a part time singer, but a professional one".

On the film front, Ayushmann, who is busy with upcoming single "Yahin hun main", will team up with his "Dum Laga Ke Haisha" co-star Bhumi Pednekar in "Manmarziyan".