Soon after Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s death in May, we had reported that composers Salim-Sulaiman were looking forward to releasing a single with him in June. Now, the composer duo will drop the song, Jaandi Vaar, on September 2, as a tribute to Moose Wala. “It feels surreal that Sidhu is not around. This song was supposed to release on June 8 and he was assassinated on May 29,” says Salim Merchant.

Sharing how the track worked out, he adds, “In 2021, Afsana Khan (singer) suggested that we work with Sidhu. I had a Punjabi composition, so I went to meet him. When I played the composition, Sidhu said, ‘Sir, mujhe thoda waqt de do. I will definitely sing this, but I need time to prepare’. I figured that Sidhu preferred singing his own lyrics and compositions. I listened to one of his songs and loved it. So, I composed some notes for the female part (sung by Afsana) and the song went on to become Jaandi Vaar.”

Salim took to social media to share that some proceeds from the song’s earnings would go to the late musician’s family. “We connected with his company, which is a platform where you can own a part of the song for a certain amount of money. So, every time the song makes money, we get equity. It was a great way to create a fund that can be given to Sidhu’s family. This is a way for me and Sulaiman to pay respects to his family and to keep Sidhu alive in our hearts forever,” he wraps up.