A political summit usually means formal speeches and serious discussions. But Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim added a lighthearted touch to his trip to India when he sang a classic Bollywood song during an evening event. Attending the 18th BRICS Summit hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Malaysian leader delighted the audience at a gala dinner in New Delhi by singing Kishore Kumar's timeless 1965 hit, Khwaab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat, from the movie Teen Devian. Accompanied by a live pianist, PM Anwar Ibrahim sang the romantic track, which was composed by SD Burman and written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. The performance quickly caught the room's attention, turning a night of diplomacy and politics into a warm cultural exchange.
The Malaysian leader shared a clip of his performance on social media. In the caption, he wrote, "Guru mintak izin nyanyi kejap ok!". It roughly translates to 'Teacher, may I sing for a moment?' The video quickly went viral, drawing warm responses from fans.
"U sang really well sir; hope you had a great time in India," one user wrote in the comment section of his post.
"From Yemen to Malaysia - this country has become my second home. Grateful for every memory, every opportunity, and every beautiful moment. Terima kasih, Malaysia," another user added.
"Wow, didn't know Mr Anwar is so Melodious...loving this. Lots of Love from an expat Indian from Malaysia," a third user noted.
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Watch the video here:
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PM Anwar Ibrahim's love for Indian songs
This was not the first time he expressed his admiration for Indians songs. The Malaysian leader has long spoken about his genuine love for Indian cinema and music, as during an earlier visit to India, he sang this exact same Kishore Kumar track during a media interaction and performed Mukesh's classic Dost Dost Na Raha at an event in Delhi in 2024.
It was a pleasure to witness Honorable Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim showcasing his love for Bollywood music during his farewell ceremony at the iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi.@anwaribrahim @PMOIndia @TajHotels pic.twitter.com/oZyrMXiMRk
— Taj Mahal, New Delhi (@TajMahalHotel) August 22, 2024
His interest goes beyond Hindi cinema. During bilateral exchanges, PM Modi has previously pointed out Anwar's appreciation for iconic South Indian cinema figures like M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and old Tamil film tracks.
As Malaysia took part as a BRICS partner country, the summit covered major global issues, economic relations, and trade initiatives. Side meetings between India and Malaysia focused on expanding cooperation in fields like digital technology and tourism.
He also highlighted PM Modi's global standing, telling reporters that he had received countless messages from people back home asking him to pass along their warm regards to the Indian leader.
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