BJP spokesperson by day, rockstar by night: Nalin Kohli leaves crowd grooving
BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli swapped TV debates for rock 'n' roll at Delhi's The Piano Man, performing alongside sister Vandana. Rooted in their Kolkata upbringing and Rabindra Sangeet training, the duo's high-energy act surprised audiences and sparked buzz online, with one viral reaction on X calling him "pravakta (spokesperson) by day, rockstar by night."
Nalin Kohli, best known as one of the BJP’s most recognisable faces on primetime television debates, slipped into an entirely different avatar over the weekend. Sporting a classic grey beret, an unbuttoned shirt over a tee and blue trousers, Kohli turned the spotlight away from politics and onto rock ’n’ roll at Delhi’s famed jazz venue, The Piano Man.
Opening with the iconic “Born to Be Wild” alongside his sister Vandana, Kohli transported the audience into the spirit of late-sixties rock before switching gears to the retro Bollywood favourite “Monica O My Darling.”
It was not just the music that grabbed attention, but also the energy. Between courtroom arguments and television sound-bites, the senior advocate seemed completely at ease on stage, moving the crowd with animated gestures, dance moves and a performance steeped in nostalgia.
Calling it his “fourth gig”, Kohli described music as something deeply embedded in his life. He and Vandana, inspired by sibling duo Nazia Hassan and Zoheb Hassan, have been performing together since the 1980s. From singing Rabindra Sangeet while growing up in Kolkata to forming their own band “Sourdough” two-and-a-half years ago, the weekend performance was less a hobby and more the latest chapter in a decades-long musical journey.
Speaking to India Today online, Kohli said music had been part of his life for decades, recalling how he and his sister Vandana performed together through the 1980s and 1990s. Inspired by sibling duo Nazia Hassan and Zoheb Hassan, the two eventually formed their band, “Sourdough”, around two-and-a-half years ago.
“We grew up in Kolkata, learning Rabindra Sangeet and other Bengali music between 1980 and 1985. Going to Tollygunge Club, singing Rabindra Sangeet at functions...the talent came very young and Bengal played an important role,” Kohli told India Today online, crediting Bengal’s cultural atmosphere for shaping his musical journey.
Calling the performance a “welcome change,” Kohli said many people were pleasantly surprised to see “someone from the BJP doing rock and roll in English.” Referring to reactions online, he said someone from Punjab with 3.5 lakh followers had tweeted: “Din mein pravakta, shaam mein yeh jalwa.”
The reactions online were filled with awe and surprise. Renowned author Gautam Chikermane did not hide his excitement, writing, “Knew Nalin Kohli as a soft-spoken senior advocate and BJP spokesperson. But last night he unleashed his ‘wild’ side with the talented Sourdough the Band. The 18–80 year olds at @TPMcafes went absolutely ballistic.”
Responding to the post on X, Nalin Kohli wrote, “Next gig, I’m jamming with you!”
Kohli told India Today online that his first major public performance came in November 2024 to celebrate his designation as a senior advocate. “Someone told me after the show that fifties is the new thirties,” he recalled.
The BJP spokesperson added that he was now eyeing performances in eastern and northeastern India after receiving encouraging feedback, especially from the Northeast. “People from the North East called me and said this is what we like and want to see,” he said.
According to Kohli, he and Vandana have been performing together for nearly 40 years, often at family gatherings and friends’ homes, before finally deciding to “give more expression to the stage”. He also said some of the music performed at the event included original compositions written by the siblings themselves.
Nalin Kohli, best known as one of the BJP’s most recognisable faces on primetime television debates, slipped into an entirely different avatar over the weekend. Sporting a classic grey beret, an unbuttoned shirt over a tee and blue trousers, Kohli turned the spotlight away from politics and onto rock ’n’ roll at Delhi’s famed jazz venue, The Piano Man.
Opening with the iconic “Born to Be Wild” alongside his sister Vandana, Kohli transported the audience into the spirit of late-sixties rock before switching gears to the retro Bollywood favourite “Monica O My Darling.”
It was not just the music that grabbed attention, but also the energy. Between courtroom arguments and television sound-bites, the senior advocate seemed completely at ease on stage, moving the crowd with animated gestures, dance moves and a performance steeped in nostalgia.
Calling it his “fourth gig”, Kohli described music as something deeply embedded in his life. He and Vandana, inspired by sibling duo Nazia Hassan and Zoheb Hassan, have been performing together since the 1980s. From singing Rabindra Sangeet while growing up in Kolkata to forming their own band “Sourdough” two-and-a-half years ago, the weekend performance was less a hobby and more the latest chapter in a decades-long musical journey.
Speaking to India Today online, Kohli said music had been part of his life for decades, recalling how he and his sister Vandana performed together through the 1980s and 1990s. Inspired by sibling duo Nazia Hassan and Zoheb Hassan, the two eventually formed their band, “Sourdough”, around two-and-a-half years ago.
“We grew up in Kolkata, learning Rabindra Sangeet and other Bengali music between 1980 and 1985. Going to Tollygunge Club, singing Rabindra Sangeet at functions...the talent came very young and Bengal played an important role,” Kohli told India Today online, crediting Bengal’s cultural atmosphere for shaping his musical journey.
Calling the performance a “welcome change,” Kohli said many people were pleasantly surprised to see “someone from the BJP doing rock and roll in English.” Referring to reactions online, he said someone from Punjab with 3.5 lakh followers had tweeted: “Din mein pravakta, shaam mein yeh jalwa.”
The reactions online were filled with awe and surprise. Renowned author Gautam Chikermane did not hide his excitement, writing, “Knew Nalin Kohli as a soft-spoken senior advocate and BJP spokesperson. But last night he unleashed his ‘wild’ side with the talented Sourdough the Band. The 18–80 year olds at @TPMcafes went absolutely ballistic.”
Responding to the post on X, Nalin Kohli wrote, “Next gig, I’m jamming with you!”
Kohli told India Today online that his first major public performance came in November 2024 to celebrate his designation as a senior advocate. “Someone told me after the show that fifties is the new thirties,” he recalled.
The BJP spokesperson added that he was now eyeing performances in eastern and northeastern India after receiving encouraging feedback, especially from the Northeast. “People from the North East called me and said this is what we like and want to see,” he said.
According to Kohli, he and Vandana have been performing together for nearly 40 years, often at family gatherings and friends’ homes, before finally deciding to “give more expression to the stage”. He also said some of the music performed at the event included original compositions written by the siblings themselves.
