Vijay Mallya speaks about loneliest day of his life on Raj Shamani podcast: ‘Frenzy of the past doesn’t last forever’

“In nine years, what was the loneliest day of your life?” asked Raj Shamani in the now-viral interview of Vijay Mallya.

Mallya, articulate throughout the four-hour exchange, paused for a moment, let out a sigh and appeared momentarily lost for words.

“I’ve always had something to do. I haven’t been sitting… alone. I told you… my interests keep me occupied. My pace of life has slowed down dramatically. My pace of life now is probably one of semi-retirement, to be honest,” Vijay Mallya said with a faint smile that flickered briefly before fading away.

“But, that’s what happens when you reach retirement age, isn’t it? So, the frenzy of the past doesn’t last forever. And, I’m in that phase. But, I have enough and more interest to keep me occupied,” he added.

In 2016, Vijay Mallya was declared a “proclaimed offender” by a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. It came after a request by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Mallya, accused of defaulting on bank loans worth over ₹9,000 crore, fled India in the same year. The fugitive business mogul told Raj Shamani that he was ready to return if promised a fair trial.

“If I am assured, Absolutely I will. I will think about it seriously,” Mallya said.

However, he was quick to add his human rights concerns. He points out that. in other extradition cases, the UK High Court of Appeal has ruled that Indian prison conditions violate the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

"They just lock you up and throw away the key. That's not justice," the UK-based business tycoon said.

When asked what conditions would make him feel safe to return and face trial in India, Mallya avoided giving specifics and instead shifted focus to the reputation of Indian investigating agencies. He implied that the CBI and ED had treated others unfairly. Therefore, he lacked confidence in receiving justice from them.

“In India, sadly, a business failure is compared or is equivalent to a fraud,” he added.

‘King of Good Times’

Vijay Mallya, once celebrated as the flamboyant “King of Good Times”, saw a dramatic downfall after defaulting on loans linked to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. Lavish parties, RCB ownership and his luxury lifestyle masked deep financial troubles.

In 2016, Mallya fled India amid mounting pressure from banks and investigative agencies. Declared a “wilful defaulter”, he became the face of corporate fraud in modern India.

Despite legal battles in UK courts over extradition, Vijay Mallya maintains he’s a victim of business failure, not fraud.