Khayal by Jugraj Sandhu, Hey Crush

Khayal is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Credit goes to for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Khayal, Jugraj Sandhu, Hey Crush clearly belongs in the second group. The connection between a talented ensemble cast and this song is part of what makes it resonate beyond the film itself.

The song dates from 2024, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. Khayal is the song for the end of a long day when you want music that understands something without being asked to explain it.

The 3:34 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. For anyone yet to hear Khayal, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.