Malaysia’s Youthful Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Sings an Old Romantic Hindi Song

New Delhi, Sep 13. A summit of world leaders is usually a setting for carefully worded speeches, intense negotiations and serious discussions on global affairs. But Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim brought an unexpected dose of music and nostalgia to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, charming guests with a rendition of a beloved Bollywood classic.

At a gala dinner hosted during the summit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 12, Anwar took to the microphone and sang Kishore Kumar’s evergreen 1965 hit, ‘Khwaab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat’, from the film Teen Devian.

With a pianist accompanying him, the Malaysian leader delivered the romantic number, composed by SD Burman with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. For a few minutes, the formal atmosphere of high-level diplomacy gave way to the familiar magic of Bollywood music, turning the evening into an intimate celebration of India’s rich popular culture.

The performance immediately captured the attention of those gathered, offering a lighter and more personal moment amid the intense diplomatic engagements of the BRICS Summit.

Anwar later shared a video of his performance on social media, adding a playful caption in Malay: “Guru mintak izin nyanyi kejap ok!” – roughly translated as, “Teacher, may I sing for a moment?”

The clip soon made its way across social media, attracting enthusiastic reactions and adding a distinctly musical note to a summit otherwise dominated by discussions on geopolitics, global economic challenges and cooperation among BRICS nations.

Anwar’s impromptu performance also offered a reminder that diplomacy is not always conducted across negotiating tables. Sometimes, a familiar melody, shared cultural affection and a few minutes of music can bring leaders and people closer together.