Sheeran has lent his voice to Tu Mil Jaaye, a song featured in the much-anticipated action film. The project marks his first contribution to an Indian movie, opening an exciting new chapter in his musical career.

The British musician recently shared a video from a recording studio on social media, offering fans an insight into how the collaboration came about. In the video, he discussed his friendship with Shah Rukh Khan and recalled how an informal conversation eventually led to his involvement in the film.

The story dates back to Sheeran’s visit to India, when his friendship with the Bollywood superstar grew closer. During the visit, the singer went to Mannat to film a special sequence for his song Sapphire. It was there that Khan introduced him to Sachin-Jigar, the popular Indian music composer duo.

According to Sheeran, Khan had expressed an interest in featuring his voice in one of his future films during their first meeting. What began as a friendly suggestion eventually developed into a professional musical collaboration.

Recalling the experience, Sheeran explained that his friendship with Khan had developed over several years. During his previous visit to Mannat, while filming the special sequence for Sapphire, the actor introduced him to Sachin-Jigar. Later that same evening, Sheeran wrote the lyrics for his portion of Tu Mil Jaaye and recorded his vocals.

The song also features Indian playback singer Arijit Singh, bringing together two distinctive voices from different musical backgrounds. Sheeran expressed particular excitement about working alongside Arijit, describing the opportunity to share a track with one of India’s most popular singers as a memorable experience.

The combination of Sheeran’s internationally recognised pop sound and Arijit’s established presence in Indian film music has given the collaboration additional appeal. Their participation has also attracted attention from fans of both artists, bringing together audiences with different musical tastes.

Shah Rukh Khan was equally delighted with the project. After Sheeran shared the recording studio video, the actor reposted it on his Instagram account and publicly thanked his friend for contributing to the film.

Khan specifically appreciated Sheeran’s efforts in singing the Hindi portions of the track. Expressing his gratitude and affection, he wrote: “Thank you so much, my friend, for doing this song. Especially the Hindi parts. Love you.”

The exchange offered fans a glimpse into the friendship behind the musical partnership. Sheeran’s willingness to sing in Hindi has also made the project particularly noteworthy, as it represents his first experience recording a song for Indian cinema.

Tu Mil Jaaye was released on 2 November to mark Shah Rukh Khan’s 61st birthday. The song attracted considerable attention immediately after its release, generating millions of views across digital platforms within its first 24 hours.

According to reported figures, the track received approximately 60 million views across various platforms during its opening day. On YouTube alone, it recorded more than 36.3 million views and over 430,000 likes within the same period.

The achievement saw Tu Mil Jaaye surpass the first-day viewership record of Zinda Banda, another popular song from Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster film Jawan. The new track consequently established a fresh benchmark for the opening-day performance of an Indian film song.

Sheeran’s involvement has been a major talking point surrounding the release. His collaboration with Arijit Singh has added an international dimension to the soundtrack, while Khan’s personal connection with the British musician has made the story behind the song equally appealing.

Meanwhile, anticipation continues to build around King, Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming action film, which is scheduled for release on 24 December.

The film features an ensemble cast, with Shah Rukh Khan joined by his daughter Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi and Raghav Juyal. Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Deepika Padukone are also expected to appear in special roles.

The combination of a prominent cast, an action-driven storyline and an international musical collaboration has placed King among the films attracting considerable attention ahead of its release.

For Sheeran, the project represents an opportunity to explore a new musical environment and connect with Indian audiences through cinema. His participation also highlights the growing potential for collaborations between international recording artists and India’s established film music industry.

What began with a simple invitation at Mannat has now resulted in Sheeran’s first Bollywood song. With Tu Mil Jaaye already setting impressive opening-day viewing figures, the collaboration has given audiences another reason to look forward to the release of King.