'Dil To Pagal Hai' To 'Chale Chalo': Malaysian PM's Post-BRICS Bollywood Playlist Is Viral

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has turned his social media posts from his India visit into an unexpected Bollywood playlist, using popular Hindi film songs to accompany photographs and videos from the BRICS Summit and his meetings with world leaders. Anwar's posts featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin have drawn attention online because of the Bollywood tracks selected for them.

For a video showing Modi welcoming Anwar at Bharat Mandapam, the Malaysian prime minister used “Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jana Sanam” from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. In another post featuring Modi, he used “Dil To Pagal Hai”, the title song from the 1997 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer. The Bollywood references continued across Anwar's BRICS-related posts. A post linked to his participation in the summit featured “Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega”, while another post showing his departure from India used “Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe” from Lakshya.

Anwar also used Bollywood music for his meetings with opposition leaders. Photographs from his interaction with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were accompanied by “Aisa Des Hai Mera” from Veer-Zaara. For his meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Anwar selected “Saathi Haath Badhana” from the 1957 film Naya Daur. The song's theme of cooperation and working together also resonated with the broader diplomatic setting of the BRICS gathering. A photograph with Russian President Vladimir Putin was paired with “Chale Chalo” from Aamir Khan's Lagaan, another song associated with collective effort and moving forward together.

The Malaysian leader's connection with Hindi music was not limited to his social media posts. During a BRICS-related gala dinner in New Delhi, Anwar himself sang “Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat”, the Kishore Kumar classic from the 1965 film Teen Deviyan. Videos of his performance subsequently circulated on social media. Anwar has previously used Bollywood music in posts involving India. During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Malaysia earlier in 2026, the Malaysian leader used “Bole Chudiyan” from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in a video highlighting the visit.

The latest playlist has therefore added a cultural dimension to Anwar's coverage of his India trip. While the BRICS Summit focused on diplomacy, global affairs and economic cooperation, the Malaysian prime minister's choice of familiar Hindi songs gave his social-media updates a distinctly informal and India-focused touch.

The posts have also highlighted the reach of Bollywood beyond India's borders, with well-known Hindi songs continuing to serve as a cultural link between India and international audiences. With Anwar's Bollywood selections ranging from classic Kishore Kumar songs to popular Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan tracks, his post-BRICS social-media activity has become a talking point in its own right.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.