On February 8, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is a “big fan” of Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran, better known as MGR. This came during a lunch hosted by Anwar Ibrahim where a song from MGR's 1975 blockbuster movie 'Naalai Namadhe' was played. "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!" Modi posted on X. He added, "PM Anwar Ibrahim, like several of us in India, is a big fan of MGR!" MGR was a famous Indian actor and politician who founded Tamil Nadu's AIADMK party and served as the state's Chief Minister until his death in 1987. Malaysia has the world's second-largest Indian-origin community, mostly Tamils. Earlier, addressing the Tamil community in Kuala Lumpur, Modi praised their role in society and highlighted the long history of Tamil presence in Malaysia. He also announced that India set up the Thiruvalluvar Chair at the University of Malaya and will establish a Thiruvalluvar centre to deepen shared cultural ties.