A Delhi Pianist’s Evening With Malaysia’s Prime Minister
Bharatmorning.com – A familiar hotel-lobby performance in New Delhi became an unexpected musical exchange on September 12, when Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joined pianist Mujeeb ur Rehman in singing Hindi film songs during his visit for the BRICS summit.
Rehman, 45, performs regularly in the lobby of Le Meridien in Delhi. Before Ibrahim arrived, hotel management alerted him that the visiting leader enjoyed Hindi music. With only a short time to prepare, Rehman looked up the prime minister’s preferred songs and selected two well-known classics: Mukesh’s Dost Dost Na Raha from Raj Kapoor’s 1964 film Sangam, and Kishore Kumar’s Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat from the 1965 Dev Anand film Teen Deviyan.
When Ibrahim entered the lobby later that evening, Rehman welcomed him with the opening notes of Dost Dost Na Raha. The response, he said, was immediate and warm.
“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,” Rehman said.
Ibrahim later posted a clip of the performance on his X account. The video, shared on September 12, showed the prime minister singing alongside Rehman’s piano accompaniment. It rapidly attracted attention online, receiving 1.5 million views and 18,000 likes.
A Career Built Around Live Requests
The viral moment was part of a much longer career spent playing for diners, travellers, officials and music lovers in Delhi’s public spaces. Rehman began working as a pianist in 2004 at the sixth-floor lounge of The Ashok Hotel. A year later, he moved to the hotel’s lobby.
He left that position in 2011 and worked independently, taking on corporate events, private functions, solo appearances and piano lessons. In 2014, he joined Le Meridien, where he still performs nightly except on Tuesdays. Since 2022, he has also played during lunch hours at Kwality restaurant in Connaught Place.
His sets move easily between Hindi cinema favourites, ghazals, Western classics and songs requested by guests. A birthday celebration can prompt an immediate switch to “Happy Birthday” when a cake appears at a table. Children may ask for Lakdi Ki Kathi, while older visitors might request a Mohammed Rafi song or The Beatles’ “Yesterday.”
That flexibility is central to the work of a pianist in a lobby or restaurant: the music must complement the room, but it must also be ready to respond to a spontaneous moment. In Rehman’s case, it has enabled personal interactions with public figures and visitors from around the world.
Encounters Across Delhi’s Hotels and Restaurants
Over the years, Rehman has performed for politicians, actors, athletes, musicians and foreign dignitaries. Among those he has encountered are Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sushil Kumar Shinde, tennis player Leander Paes, singer Lucky Ali and sitar player Ustad Shahid Parvez.
He recalled one occasion at Kwality when Rahul Gandhi was dining with his sister and requested Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisar for her. Rehman said Priyanka Gandhi also enjoys songs associated with Raj Kapoor. At The Ashok Hotel, he once played Jagjit Singh ghazals while the singer was seated in the lobby.
“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,” Rehman said.
The meeting with Ibrahim highlighted the enduring reach of Hindi film music beyond India. Both songs chosen for the visit belong to an era whose melodies continue to travel across generations and borders. Their emotional appeal also makes them particularly suited to an informal performance, where recognition matters as much as technical precision.
A Musical Family Legacy
Rehman’s connection with music began at home. He grew up in a family of musicians: his father sang and played the dilruba, a bowed instrument resembling a sitar. His maternal grandfather, who was also his father’s ustad, played it as well. Rehman’s paternal uncle played the sitar, as did his 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,” he said.
The family tradition is now being carried into another generation. Rehman said his 10-year-old son has started learning the piano.
For Rehman, the encounter with Malaysia’s prime minister was a rare public moment in a profession often heard more than seen. Yet it reflected the everyday character of his work: a pianist listening closely to a room, recognising the mood of a guest and finding the right song at the right time.
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