PM spots fellow MGR fan in Malaysian counterpart as lunch features Tamil song
India Today
Sharing a video from the lunch hosted in his honour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim is a "big fan" of MGR, just like "several of us in India".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday found a slice of Tamil cinema nostalgia during his visit to Malaysia, spotting a fellow admirer of legendary actor MG Ramachandran in his counterpart Anwar Ibrahim.
At a lunch hosted in his honour, a song from the 1975 blockbuster Naalai Namadhe was performed, prompting the prime minister to share the moment on social media.
“At the lunch hosted by my friend, PM Anwar Ibrahim, one of the songs sung was Naalai Namathe, from a movie starring the great MGR!” PM Modi wrote. “PM Anwar Ibrahim, like several of us in India, is a big fan of MGR!”
MGR, short for Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran, remains an enduring cultural and political icon in Tamil Nadu. A matinee idol who successfully transitioned into public life, he later founded the AIADMK and served as chief minister of the state. He passed away in 1987, but his popularity continues across generations and beyond India.
The musical tribute came against the backdrop of deep people-to-people links between the two countries and PM Modi’s visit to Malayisa.
Malaysia is home to the world’s second-largest community of people of Indian origin, most of them Tamils, and the language has a visible presence in schools, media and cultural spaces.
Germany's Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann said Europe opposes lifting the price cap on Russian oil, warning that doing so would give Moscow the financial means to prolong its war in Ukraine.
Monalisa Bhonsle, who gained fame during the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela, married Farman Khan in Kerala, triggering a controversy after her father alleged she was a victim of "love jihad" and sought Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav's intervention.
More than 100 policemen were taken ill after consuming food at a mess in the police lines in Bihar's Banka district, prompting their hospitalisation. Officials suspect food poisoning, though authorities said the condition of all the personnel is stable, and an enquiry has been ordered.
A swarm of honeybees attacked residents in Venkataapuram village of Sangareddy district on Friday, injuring several people and triggering panic in the area.
A nine-year-old girl died in Agra after she fell through the broken floor of a moving school bus and was crushed by its wheels.
As missiles and drones are seen flying over the region, the captain says they are awaiting a possible escort from the Indian Navy, while anxious family members in Mumbai appeal for the government's help to bring them home safely.
Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal said the death of his son Agnivesh has strengthened his resolve to continue working for India, urging opportunities for youth and calling for world-class education at home.
A week after the US-Israel strikes on Iran started the war in the Middle East, long queues for LPG cylinders began appearing across India. The Centre maintained that there was no shortage but an LPG crunch is evident. Why are petrol and diesel supplies not affected, given they also come from the same region?
A 25-year-old man in Ujjain was arrested after CCTV footage showed him stealing a married neighbour's undergarments. Police said he confessed to the act, claiming he was obsessed with her.
Maharashtra has introduced the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2025, proposing strict regulations on religious conversions, mandatory notices, and severe penalties for unlawful conversions, including imprisonment and fines, while empowering authorities and family members to monitor compliance.
Sources told India Today that the move was coordinated by Shivakumar after the BJP fielded a candidate for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat. The MLAs are expected to remain in Bengaluru until Monday before they return to Bhubaneswar for voting.
Haryana cops arrest 3 people, recovers 2 kilograms of explosives
The latest deaths have taken the total toll of Indian nationals to five since the Iran war broke out nearly two weeks before. Earlier, three Indian sailors were killed in attacks on merchant ships.