Malaysian PM uses Bollywood songs in BRICS Summit posts
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim used Hindi film songs as background music in his social media posts from the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He chose 'Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jana Sanam' for a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming him at Bharat Mandapam, 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' for pictures with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, 'Chale Chalo' for a photo with Vladimir Putin and 'Saathi Haath Badhana' for his meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He also shared a video singing a Kishore Kumar song at Modi's gala dinner.
Source
Hindustan Times — India · read the original report ↗
Desk check · compared with the source
What the desk checked (5)
- Anwar Ibrahim used Hindi film songs in his social media posts from the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. — Attributed in source to his Instagram updates; specific songs and films are listed in the text.
- He used 'Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jana Sanam' for a video of Modi welcoming him at Bharat Mandapam. — Figure/detail appears in source; no independent verification possible.
- He met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and used 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' for those pictures. — Stated in source; also referenced in a linked report mentioned in the text.
- He sang Kishore Kumar's 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' from the 1965 film Teen Devian at the BRICS gala dinner hosted by Modi. — Source cites a video shared on his Instagram account.
- India described the 18th BRICS Summit as a success despite geopolitical divisions. — Unattributed general statement in source; no named official cited.
Analysts’ view opinion
అన్వర్ ఇబ్రహీం బాలీవుడ్ పాటల ఎంపిక కేవలం సరదా కాదు — ఇది ఖర్చు తక్కువ, ప్రభావం ఎక్కువ ఉన్న 'సాఫ్ట్ పవర్' దౌత్యం. మోదీతో ఉన్న ఫొటోకు స్నేహ గీతం, పుతిన్, పెజెష్కియాన్‌లతో 'కలిసి సాగుదాం' అనే భావనున్న పాటలు, రాహుల్-ప్రియాంకలతో భేటీకి భారత వైవిధ్యాన్ని కీర్తించే పాట — ఈ ఎంపికల్లో ఒక సమతూక సందేశం కనిపిస్తుంది: భారత్‌తో సంబంధం ఒక పార్టీతో కాదు, దేశంతో. అధికార పక్షానికీ, ప్రతిపక్షానికీ ఇద్దరికీ ఇందులో చెప్పుకోదగినది ఉండటమే ఈ వ్యూహం తెలివి.
- ఒక విదేశీ నేత భారత సినిమా సంగీతాన్ని దౌత్య భాషగా మార్చడం — భారత ప్రేక్షకుల్లో సద్భావన సంపాదించే చౌక, ఫలప్రద మార్గం.
- భారత్ మండపం, గాలా విందు దృశ్యాలు వైరల్ కావడం ఆతిథ్య దేశానికి — అంటే మోదీ ప్రభుత్వానికి — సదస్సు విజయవంతమైందన్న ప్రచార బలాన్ని ఇస్తాయి.
- అదే పర్యటనలో రాహుల్, ప్రియాంక గాంధీలతో భేటీని కూడా అదే ఉత్సాహంతో పోస్ట్ చేయడం, ప్రతిపక్షానికి 'అంతర్జాతీయ గుర్తింపు' అనే కథనానికి ఆధారమవుతుంది.
- పుతిన్, ఇరాన్ అధ్యక్షుడితో ఫొటోలకు 'కలిసి నడుద్దాం' తరహా పాటలు ఎంచుకోవడం — భౌగోళిక రాజకీయ విభజనల మధ్య తటస్థ, అనుసంధాన స్వరాన్ని ప్రదర్శించే ప్రయత్నంగా చదవవచ్చు.
- ఇబ్రహీంకు దేశీయంగానూ లాభం: బహుళ సాంస్కృతిక మలేసియా నేతగా, భారత మూలాల ఓటర్ల పట్ల సానుకూల సంకేతం ఇస్తూనే అంతర్జాతీయ వేదికపై వ్యక్తిగత బ్రాండ్‌ను పెంచుకోవడం.
What to watch — ఈ సాంస్కృతిక సద్భావన వాణిజ్యం, ఆసియాన్-భారత్ సహకారం లేదా బ్రిక్స్ విస్తరణ వంటి నిర్దిష్ట విధాన ఫలితాల్లోకి అనువదిస్తుందా, లేక వైరల్ క్షణంగానే మిగిలిపోతుందా అన్నది చూడాలి.
ఈ పోస్టుల వెనుక ఏదైనా రాజకీయ ఉద్దేశం ఉందని కథనం నిరూపించలేదు; పాటల ఎంపికపై ఇబ్రహీం వివరణ, భారత అధికార-ప్రతిపక్ష పార్టీల అధికారిక ప్రతిస్పందనలు, లేదా భేటీల్లో చర్చించిన అంశాలు ఇందులో లేవు.
Deep dive
Research brief · 8 facts · 5 dates · exam-readyThe brief
Context
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attended the 18th BRICS Summit hosted by India in New Delhi, and used popular Hindi film songs as background music in his Instagram posts from the visit. The songs accompanied posts featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He also posted a video of himself singing a Kishore Kumar song at the BRICS gala dinner hosted by Modi. The episode is an instance of cultural diplomacy or soft power at a summit that India described as a success despite surrounding geopolitical divisions.
Key facts
- Anwar Ibrahim posted social media updates from the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi using Hindi film songs as background music.
- For a video of PM Narendra Modi welcoming him at Bharat Mandapam, he used 'Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jana Sanam' from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol).
- For another picture with Modi he used 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai' from the film Dil To Pagal Hai (Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor).
- For pictures of his address to the summit he chose 'Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega', the title track of the 2000 Salman Khan, Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta film.
- For his meeting with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi he used 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' from Veer-Zaara, a song celebrating India's cultural diversity.
- For a picture with Russian President Vladimir Putin he used 'Chale Chalo' from Aamir Khan's Lagaan; for his meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, 'Saathi Haath Badhana' from the 1957 film Naya Daur.
- For a video of his departure from India he selected 'Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe' from Lakshya.
- He shared an Instagram video of himself singing Kishore Kumar's 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' from the 1965 film Teen Devian, alongside a pianist, at the BRICS gala dinner hosted by Modi.
Timeline
- During the 18th BRICS Summit, New Delhi (date not stated in the source)Modi welcomes Anwar Ibrahim at Bharat Mandapam; Ibrahim posts the video with 'Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jana Sanam'.
- During the summitIbrahim addresses the summit and meets Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian; posts accompanied by 'Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega', 'Chale Chalo' and 'Saathi Haath Badhana'.
- During the summitIbrahim meets Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi; posts pictures with 'Aisa Des Hai Mera'.
- At the BRICS gala dinner hosted by ModiIbrahim sings Kishore Kumar's 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' with a pianist and shares the video on Instagram.
- On departure from IndiaIbrahim posts a video with 'Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe' from Lakshya.
Who has a stake
- Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia — Uses Indian film music to project warmth toward India; has previously spoken of his admiration for Indian culture.
- PM Narendra Modi and the Indian government — Hosts of the 18th BRICS Summit and the gala dinner; India described the summit as a success despite geopolitical divisions.
- Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi (Congress) — Opposition leaders who met the visiting Malaysian PM, featured in his social media posts.
- Vladimir Putin (Russia) and Masoud Pezeshkian (Iran) — BRICS-linked leaders whose meetings with Ibrahim were showcased with songs on themes of collective effort.
- Indian film and music industry — Bollywood songs function as an instrument of India's cultural outreach at a multilateral summit.
Why it matters
The episode shows how popular culture works as diplomatic currency: a visiting head of government used Hindi film songs about friendship, unity and togetherness to frame his bilateral and multilateral meetings in New Delhi. It underlines the reach of Indian cinema and music as soft power, and offers a lighter public register alongside the formal business of a summit that unfolded amid geopolitical divisions.
UPSC angle
Prelims pointers
- The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi, with the venue Bharat Mandapam featuring in the Malaysian PM's posts.
- Anwar Ibrahim is the Prime Minister of Malaysia; Masoud Pezeshkian is the President of Iran; Vladimir Putin is the President of Russia.
- 'Saathi Haath Badhana' is from the 1957 film Naya Daur; 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' is from the 1965 film Teen Devian, sung by Kishore Kumar.
- 'Chale Chalo' is from Aamir Khan's Lagaan; 'Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe' is from Lakshya; 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' is from Veer-Zaara.
- The 18th BRICS Summit brought together leaders and delegations from member states, partner countries and international organisations.
- India described the summit as a success despite the geopolitical divisions surrounding the gathering.
Mains framing
Cultural affinity is increasingly an operative part of diplomacy, and the Malaysian Prime Minister's use of Hindi film songs to caption his BRICS Summit engagements in New Delhi illustrates the point. The song choices were not random: numbers on friendship, joining hands and moving forward together ('Saathi Haath Badhana', 'Chale Chalo', 'Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe') accompanied meetings with the Russian and Iranian presidents and his departure, while 'Aisa Des Hai Mera', a song about India's cultural diversity, framed his meeting with Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Two implications follow. First, Indian cinema and music travel far beyond the diaspora and give visiting leaders a ready vocabulary for signalling goodwill, which reinforces India's soft-power assets alongside formal negotiation. Second, such personal, social-media-first gestures humanise multilateral gatherings that are otherwise defined by division, as this summit was; they cannot substitute for substantive outcomes but can widen public interest in them. The way forward, as the source allows, lies in recognising cultural exchange as a durable channel of people-to-people contact that complements, rather than replaces, institutional diplomacy.
Key terms
- BRICS
- Grouping whose 18th Summit was held in New Delhi, attended by leaders and delegations of member states, partner countries and international organisations.
- Bharat Mandapam
- New Delhi venue where PM Modi welcomed Anwar Ibrahim, as shown in the Malaysian PM's video post.
- Soft power / cultural diplomacy
- Influence exercised through culture, here Hindi film music used by a foreign leader to signal warmth toward India.
- Gala dinner
- Summit banquet hosted by PM Modi, where Anwar Ibrahim sang a Kishore Kumar song with a pianist.
- Kishore Kumar
- Legendary Hindi playback singer; his 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' from Teen Devian (1965) was sung by Ibrahim.
Practice questions
- Examine the role of popular culture, particularly cinema and music, as an instrument of India's soft power in multilateral diplomacy, using recent examples.
- The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi was held amid geopolitical divisions. Discuss how host nations use cultural and informal engagements to build atmosphere at such summits.
- Visiting foreign leaders often meet Opposition leaders alongside the government. What does this practice signify for India's foreign policy communication?
Grounded only in the source report — figures and dates are the source's, not inferred.