'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai': How Bollywood song symbolised Indonesia's love for Indian music during PM Modi's visit
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai': How Bollywood song symbolised Indonesia's love for Indian music during PM Modi's visit")
Indian PM Narendra Modi during his visit to Indonesia Photograph: (Others)
From Narendra Modi's remarks on Kuch Kuch Hota Hai song, to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto saying he had Indian DNA as he moves to Indian songs, the love for Bollywood and Indian music was on full display during the Indian leader's visit to Indonesia. A recap
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Indonesia earlier this week was also the story of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. During his visit, the melody of the popular song from the 1998 Bollywood film of the same name starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji, was played at the venue. President Prabowo said he had "Indian DNA", and that he and his aides love to sing or dance to Indian music.
"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" and the Indonesian President's 'Indian DNA'
Prime Minister Modi and President Prabowo Subianto together played the traditional Indonesian musical instrument, the angklung, drawing smiles from those present. The angklung is made of bamboo tubes that produce sound when shaken. This joint performance symbolised the cultural harmony between the two nations and delighted the audience. The melody of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai played at the venue of Modi's engagements.
President Prabowo said he had done a genome sequencing and found he had "Indian DNA". “So whenever I hear Indian music, I find my body moving,” he added. He revealed that many of his ministers and military generals also enjoy singing or dancing to Indian songs.
Later, at a community event with the Indian diaspora in Jakarta, Modi noted the popularity of Bollywood in Indonesia. Speaking in Hindi, he specifically referred to the song Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and told President Prabowo Subianto that when India and Indonesia come together, it goes far beyond "kuch kuch hota hai" (a little happens) to "bahut kuch hota hai" (a lot happens).
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Popularity of Bollywood and Indian Songs in Indonesia
These exchanges should be seen in the context of the enduring popularity of Bollywood films and Indian songs in Indonesia.
Indian films and music have been embedded in the Southeast Asian nation's cultural fabric for decades, owing to historical ties and shared mythological traditions such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Bollywood films and their soundtracks have been screened and broadcast in Indonesia since the mid-20th century.
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Generations of Indonesians have grown up watching Bollywood films, with fans remembering classics from the 1950s to the 1990s as well as modern hits. Shah Rukh Khan's films, and songs from movies such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Kal Ho Naa Ho, remain perennial favourites and are frequently played at weddings, parties and community events across Indonesia.
Songs by A.R. Rahman, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and contemporary Indian artists often go viral on TikTok and other local social media platforms. Indonesians enthusiastically perform cover versions of these songs and create TikTok videos dancing to them, reflecting the continued popularity of Indian music and cinema in the country.
