Sun Sohniye by Ranjit Bawa, Nimrat Khaira, Arjan Dhillon, Jaidev Kumar

Released as part of Afsar, Sun Sohniye announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. Credit goes to Jaidev Kumar 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 Sun Sohniye, Ranjit Bawa, Nimrat Khaira, Arjan Dhillon, Jaidev Kumar 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 2018, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

The concision of Sun Sohniye — just 2:38 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Sun Sohniye endures because it was built on feeling rather than formula — and that is the one thing streaming numbers cannot manufacture.