Ed Sheeran writes rap for Shah Rukh Khan film King after meeting at Mannat

Famous singer Ed Sheeran has made his Bollywood debut with a rap part in the song 'Tu Mil Jaaye' for Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming movie 'King'. In a behind-the-scenes video, Sheeran shared that Shah Rukh first suggested he make a song for his next film when they met years ago. This idea moved forward during Sheeran's visit to India in March 2024, when he went to Shah Rukh's Mumbai home, Mannat. Sheeran had originally visited to ask Shah Rukh to make a cameo appearance in a music video for a song called 'Sapphire' that he shares with Arijit Singh. During that meeting, Shah Rukh introduced Sheeran to the music composer duo Sachin-Jigar. Sheeran then wrote and recorded his rap for the 'King' song on that exact same night. Arijit Singh is also singing on the track, marking the second time Sheeran and Singh have worked together after 'Sapphire'. 'King' is directed by Siddharth Anand and also features Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Arshad Warsi. The film will release in cinemas worldwide on December 24.

Context

Shah Rukh Khan's oceanfront home, Mannat, is a well-known landmark in Mumbai where the actor frequently hosts international artists and film industry colleagues. Cross-cultural collaborations between global pop stars and Bollywood musicians have become increasingly common in recent years. Major Hindi film releases often use pre-release singles and promotional tracks featuring popular artists to build public interest before hitting theatres.