वाहेगुरु

Waheguru (वाहेगुरु), styled on official release as 'Waheguru "Ik Onkar" A Rendition by Ajay Bijli,' is a devotional track from Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki (2023), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu. Composed by Shekhar Ravjiani and performed by Ajay Bijli (chairman of PVR Cinemas, credited here as a vocalist), the track sets Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Mool Mantar and the Waheguru chant to a contemporary devotional arrangement. Released by T-Series alongside the rest of the Dunki soundtrack in December 2023, the track is positioned within the film not as a conventional song sequence but as a spiritual, tribute-toned interlude, distinct from Dunki's other tracks like Lutt Putt Gaya and O Maahi.

Shekhar Ravjiani sets the traditional Mool Mantar and Waheguru chant to a restrained, largely vocal-forward arrangement, letting Ajay Bijli's rendition carry the devotional weight without heavy production layering — a deliberate departure from the pop-forward, hook-driven treatment of Dunki's other Pritam-composed tracks. As one of the few Dunki songs not composed by Pritam, Waheguru stands apart musically within the soundtrack, built to function as a solemn tribute piece rather than a chart-oriented single.

The lyric draws directly on Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Mool Mantar — 'Ik Onkar Satnaam Karta Purakh, Nirbhau Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajooni Saibhang, Gur Prasad' — the foundational opening verse of the Guru Granth Sahib, composed during Guru Nanak's third Udasi (spiritual journey) through Asia between 1514 and 1518. Rather than original film lyrics, the track channels centuries-old Gurbani text, giving Dunki's soundtrack a rare moment of scripture-rooted devotional continuity.

Dunki, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, follows a group of friends from Punjab — played by Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani and Vikram Kochhar — attempting to emigrate to the UK via illegal 'donkey routes.' Given the film's Punjab setting and themes of longing, sacrifice and homeland, Waheguru functions as a spiritual grounding piece; the track is also described in promotional material as commemorating Guru Nanak's third Udasi and the martyrdom of the younger Sahibzaade (the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji), tying the devotional rendition to broader Sikh historical remembrance rather than a specific film scene. The film, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Rajkumar Hirani Films, released theatrically on 21 December 2023.

The official T-Series video of Waheguru 'Ik Onkar' has drawn over 10 million YouTube views, a notable figure for a devotional interlude rather than a lead single — reflecting sustained listener engagement with the track as a standalone spiritual piece independent of the film's commercial promotion. Its unusual credit — a rendition performed by PVR Cinemas chairman Ajay Bijli rather than a professional playback singer — has itself been a recurring point of media and fan discussion.