Music composer AR Rahman has welcomed veteran singer Sonu Nigam to his studio to record the song 'Oh Tabassum' for the forthcoming period drama Batwara 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The Oscar-winning composer was so moved by Nigam's vocal delivery that he publicly marvelled at the singer's ability to sound romantic.

What Rahman Said

Rahman took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his excitement, writing: 'Thrilled to have #Sonunigam back in our studios to sing #OhTabassum melody from the movie #Batwara1947 Written by @Javedakhtarjadu ..Directed by @RajSantoshi and produced by @AKPPL_Official #Aamirkhan ..Bro..how can you sound so Romantic?' The post underlined the warm creative chemistry between two of India's most decorated musical figures.

About Batwara 1947

The film, formerly titled Lahore 1947, stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Ali Fazal, and Shabana Azmi. It is produced by Aamir Khan's banner AKPPL. Most details around the project remain under wraps. The narrative is reportedly adapted from playwright Asghar Wajahat's acclaimed work 'Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya, O Jamyai Nai', which explores the Partition of 1947 not through sweeping political events but through intimate human relationships torn apart by communal violence and displacement.

The story reportedly centres on a Hindu family forced to flee Lahore for India, who are allotted a haveli vacated by a Muslim family — only to find an elderly Muslim woman still living inside. The film also marks Sunny Deol's reunion with director Santoshi, the duo having previously collaborated on landmark films such as Ghayal and Damini.

Sonu Nigam: A Career in Numbers

Nigam, a National Award-winning singer, has recorded over 6,000 songs across more than 32 languages during a career spanning more than three decades. He began his journey in the early 1990s, with his first film song 'O Aasmanwale' from Aaja Meri Jaan in 1993. He rose to wider recognition through the TV serial song 'Hum To Chhaila Ban Gaye' from Talash, and later with chartbusters such as 'Accha Sila Diya', 'Sandese Aate Hai', and 'Yeh Dil Deewana'.

His 1999 album Deewana became a landmark in Hindi pop. He has demonstrated versatility across classical, devotional, ghazal, qawwali, rock, and pop genres. He made his adult acting debut in 2002 with the fantasy action thriller Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani, directed by Rajkumar Kohli.

What to Watch

With the song written by veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar and composed by Rahman, 'Oh Tabassum' is shaping up as one of the more anticipated musical moments ahead of Batwara 1947's release. An official release date for the film is yet to be announced.