Rahul Gandhi's special musical request with Chhole Bhature on the side at Kwality
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi loves chhole bhature. He has been vocal about his love for this North Indian delicacy. In fact, his recent jibe at the all-vegetarian menu at the BRICS Summit also featured a mention of this North Indian dish.
But that’s not all we know about Gandhi’s love for chhole bhature. He is also particularly fond of relishing the dish at Delhi’s Kwality Restaurant.
In December 2024, Gandhi visited the restaurant with his family members, including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for a Sunday lunch. He later even shared photos from the outing on social media and recommended the restaurant to his followers, writing: “Family lunch at the iconic Kwality restaurant. Try the Chhole Bhature if you go.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rahul Gandhi (@rahulgandhi)
So, when we were chatting with the iconic restaurant’s pianist, Mujeeb ur Rehman - the musician behind Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim’s viral Hindi song moment at the BRICS Summit - there was, of course, a mention of Rahul Gandhi.
Pianist Rehman has met Rahul Gandhi twice since joining the establishment in late 2022. Recalling his second meeting with the politician, Rehman said Gandhi remembered him playing the Raj Kapoor classic Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisar during their first encounter and requested him to play the song again. Rahul Gandhi with pianist Mujeeb ur Rehman. It was during their second encounter that Rehman managed to get a picture with the Congress leader.
“Once, Priyanka Gandhi also once stopped by before leaving the restaurant,” Rehman recalls. “
Instead of going straight, she took a turn and came over to me. She said, ‘You play very well. We really enjoy the music here. I also tried to learn music when I was a child, but I couldn’t learn much.’”
Over the years, performing at high-profile venues like The Ashok, Kwality and Le Meridien has placed Rehman in the orbit of cultural icons. Yet, it is often their humble nature that leaves the biggest impression.
Recalling a chance encounter with Jagjit Singh, Rehman admits he didn't recognise the ghazal maestro at first. “Jagjit Singh ji was very much like an ordinary man. He was sitting there nearby, and I couldn’t guess it was him.” Once he realised who was listening, Rehman worked Singh's own compositions into his set, earning a warm blessing from the legend.
Playback singer Kumar Sanu once walked up behind Rehman mid-performance just to compliment his key work. Years earlier, around 2009, Lucky Ali struck up a conversation with striking informality. “He was just talking to me as if he knew me, as if we knew each other,” Rehman says.
Despite playing for global leaders and musical icons, Rehman remains practical about his craft.
“This is a job and I look at it like that,” he says. Still, the quiet recognition keeps him going. At the end of a long shift, a single genuine compliment from someone - famous or not - is enough to send him home satisfied.- EndsPublished By: Medha ChawlaPublished On: Sep 18, 2026 08:59 IST
