‘He smiled, started singing’: Delhi pianist recalls playing for Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim
A Delhi Pianist’s Musical Welcome for Malaysia’s Prime Minister
Bharatmorningnews.com – A familiar hotel-lobby piano in central Delhi became the setting for an unexpected musical exchange on September 12, when Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joined pianist Mujeeb ur Rehman in singing beloved Hindi film songs. Ibrahim was in the capital for the BRICS summit, and the brief performance soon travelled far beyond the hotel through a video shared online by the visiting leader.
Rehman, 45, performs at the lobby of Le Meridien in Delhi. Earlier that day, hotel management had told him that Ibrahim, known to enjoy Hindi music, could visit the lobby. The advance information gave the pianist time to prepare a fitting welcome.
He looked into the Malaysian prime minister’s musical preferences and found two songs in particular: Dost Dost Na Raha, sung by Mukesh in Raj Kapoor’s 1964 film Sangam, and Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat, Kishore Kumar’s romantic number from the 1965 Dev Anand film Teen Deviyan.
From a planned melody to a viral moment
When Ibrahim arrived in the lobby later that evening, Rehman began with Dost Dost Na Raha. It was his personal musical greeting for the prime minister. Ibrahim responded immediately, smiling as he approached the piano and began to sing.
“He smiled, walked towards me, and started singing. He then requested the other song, Khwab ho tum ya koi haqeeqat and that’s the video that has gone viral. It was a wonderful experience meeting him, playing with him.”
The prime minister posted the clip on X on September 12. In the video, Ibrahim sings along while Rehman accompanies him on piano. The post quickly drew attention, reaching 1.5 million views and 18,000 likes.
The moment highlighted the enduring reach of Hindi film music across borders. Both selections came from an era that remains especially recognisable to audiences who grew up with the work of performers such as Mukesh and Kishore Kumar. For Rehman, though, adapting to a listener’s choice is part of the daily craft of playing in public spaces.
A career shaped by hotel lobbies and live requests
Rehman’s professional journey in Delhi began in 2004, when he started playing at the sixth-floor lounge of The Ashok Hotel. A year later, he moved to the hotel’s lobby. He left that role in 2011 and worked independently, taking on corporate engagements, private functions, solo performances and piano lessons for aspiring musicians.
In 2014, he joined Le Meridien, where he has continued to perform nightly except on Tuesdays. His work expanded again in 2022, when he began playing during the lunch shift at Kwality, the well-known Connaught Place restaurant.
Years of performing in these settings have placed Rehman before a varied audience: diners, hotel guests, children celebrating birthdays, regular patrons and visiting public figures. His repertoire must change quickly with the room. If staff carry a birthday cake toward a table, he can move into “Happy Birthday” in the middle of another piece. Requests can range from Lakdi Ki Kathi for younger listeners to a Mohammed Rafi song for an older guest, or The Beatles’ “Yesterday” for a patron revisiting a favourite classic.
That flexibility has also led to encounters with political leaders, artists and international visitors. Rehman said he has played for Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sushil Kumar Shinde, tennis player Leander Paes, singer Lucky Ali and sitar maestro Ustad Shahid Parvez, among others.
“Once Rahul Gandhi was at Kwality with his sister and requested Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisar for her. Priyanka Gandhi also likes Raj Kapoor’s songs. I once played Jagjit Singh’s ghazals when he was sitting in the lobby at The Ashok Hotel…This is a job and I look at it like that but sometimes, I also meet patrons, who appreciate me, give me feedback, and I go back home satisfied.”
A family tradition carried forward
Music was part of Rehman’s home life long before he began performing professionally. He grew up in a family of musicians. His father sang and played the dilruba, a bowed instrument related in appearance to the sitar. Rehman’s maternal grandfather, who was also his father’s ustad, played the same instrument. His father’s younger brother played sitar, as did Rehman’s elder brother.
“I grew up surrounded by musicians. My father was a singer and played the dilruba, a bowed sitar-like instrument, so did my maternal grandfather, who was also his ustad. My father’s younger brother played the sitar, and so did my elder brother.”
The family’s musical line is now continuing into another generation. Rehman said his 10-year-old son has started learning the piano as well.
For guests passing through a hotel or settling in for a meal, lobby music may often seem like a quiet part of the atmosphere. Rehman’s experience shows how quickly it can become the centre of a room: a requested film song, a birthday tune timed to a cake’s arrival, or a shared performance between a Delhi pianist and a foreign head of government.
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