Jasleen Royal’s ‘Sahiba’: An Old-Fashioned Love Story

Among her most ambitious projects since the song “Heeriye,” pop artist Jasleen Royal’s new song “Sahiba” delves on a period-drama love story, with the production and composition also recalling traditional styles like qawwali.

Where Royal had previously enlisted star power like singer Arijit Singh and actor Dulquer Salman for “Heeriye” in 2023, “Sahiba” and its music video sees Royal assemble another formidable team. She’s joined by artist Stebin Ben on vocals, with lyrics written by Priya Saraiya and Aditya Sharma and arranging/production by Siddharth Amit Bhavsar. Royal enlists actors Vijay Deverakonda and Radhikka Madan as the protagonists in the regal video, directed, edited and written by Sudhanshu Saria.

Described in a press release as Royal’s “magnum opus,” the song and video detail a love story that unfolds between a photographer and a woman who “comes from an upper class family.” Royal adds in a statement, “This is my most ambitious project and working with Vijay and Radhikka was incredible. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, and they truly brought the characters to life.”

Madan says about being part of the video, “Working on ‘Sahiba’ was a truly magical experience. The music, the visuals, the emotions – it all came together beautifully. I’m so grateful to be a part of this project.” Deverakonda adds in his statement, “It was a joy to collaborate with Jasleen and the entire team on ‘Sahiba’. The music video is visually stunning and emotionally powerful and I can’t wait for the audience to experience it.”

Giving the romantic tale a nostalgic sheen, filmmaker Saria says the project pushed “the boundaries of creativity.” He adds, “We’ve combined music, storytelling, and cinematography to create a truly immersive experience.”

The song follows Royal’s synth-pop project “Assi Sajna,” which released in May this year. She told Rolling Stone India, “Subconsciously or consciously, I just strive to keep exploring different musical directions. I tend to get bored doing similar stuff repeatedly.”

Watch the video for “Sahiba” below