Disgraced liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who fled India in 2016 owing billions to Indian banks, continues to live a life of luxury in London even as Indian authorities have recovered Rs 14,000 crore from his seized assets. The former Kingfisher Airlines boss recently broke his nine-year silence in an explosive four-hour interview, offering his version of events while his son Siddharth Mallya has chosen a completely different path away from his father’s controversial legacy.
In his interview on the YouTube podcast “Figuring Out with Raj Shamani,” Mallya defended his business decisions and denied fleeing India intentionally. He claimed to have informed the then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before traveling to London, only to have his passport revoked, leaving him stranded abroad. The Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) pegs his outstanding dues at Rs 6,203 crore including interest, though the government maintains the figure is closer to Rs 9,000 crore.
Mallya’s journey from inheriting the United Breweries Group to becoming India’s most-wanted economic offender reads like a corporate thriller. After taking over the family business following his father Vithal Mallya’s death, he transformed Kingfisher Beer into a market leader with 52% share. His ambitious 2005 venture, Kingfisher Airlines – launched on son Siddharth’s 18th birthday – initially soared as India’s premier carrier before crashing spectacularly due to financial troubles.
The businessman blamed government policies for the airline’s downfall, citing exorbitant aviation fuel costs and restrictive foreign investment rules. His appeals for help to then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee went unanswered, he claimed. Meanwhile, Indian authorities have auctioned off Mallya’s properties, including the Kingfisher House in Mumbai, luxury villas in Goa, and private jets, recovering Rs 14,000 crore so far.
While Vijay Mallya maintains his lavish lifestyle in a £11 million London mansion with partner Pinky Lalwani, his son Siddharth has consciously distanced himself from the family’s tainted legacy. The younger Mallya has reinvented himself as a mental health advocate, authoring two books about his battle with depression. Married last year and settled in London, Siddharth has pursued careers in modeling and acting while working as a marketing manager for Guinness. His estimated $380 million net worth comes from independent ventures rather than his father’s troubled businesses.
The stark contrast between father and son offers a fascinating study in privilege and accountability. Vijay, once dubbed the “King of Good Times,” remains unrepentant about his business failures even as he fights extradition from his London refuge. Siddharth, meanwhile, has channeled his experiences into mental health awareness, hosting shows and writing books like “If I’m Honest: A Memoir of My Mental Health Journey.”
As Indian authorities continue their efforts to recover the remaining dues, the Mallya saga serves as a cautionary tale about corporate excess and the long shadow of financial malfeasance. With Vijay’s extradition appeal still pending in UK courts and his son building a new identity separate from the family’s troubled past, this dramatic story continues to unfold across continents.
