Vijay Mallya, the flamboyant businessman once known as the “King of Good Times,” has led a personal life as eventful as his business ventures. His marital history includes two marriages, and an alleged third live-in relationship that has drawn public attention.
Love at First Sight with an Air Hostess: Sameera Tyabjee
Mallya’s first marriage was in 1986 to Sameera Tyabjee, an Air India air hostess. Their encounter is often described as “love at first sight.” Reports suggest that Mallya, on a business trip to the USA, met Sameera on his flight and was instantly smitten. The two reportedly interacted and Mallya proposed to her soon after. They married in the same year, 1986. Their son, Siddharth Mallya, was born in 1987. However, their marriage was short-lived, ending in divorce in 1987 after just one year, though Mallya has stated in interviews that they maintain a good relationship.
Second Marriage with his Childhood Crush: Rekha Mallya
After his divorce from Sameera, Vijay Mallya married Rekha, his childhood crush, in 1993. Rekha had been married twice before. Her first marriage was to Pratap Chettiappa, a coffee planter. After their divorce, she married Shahid Mahmood, with whom she had two children, Laila and Kabir. Following her divorce from Shahid Mahmood, Mallya reportedly proposed to Rekha, and she accepted.
Upon their marriage, Rekha’s daughter, Laila, moved in with them, and Vijay Mallya adopted her. Later, Vijay and Rekha welcomed two more daughters, Leanna and Tanya. Laila Mallya has since become a known figure as a Vogue stylist and jewelry designer.
Alleged Third Relationship: Pinky Lalwani
While there are no official reports of Vijay Mallya divorcing Rekha, speculations have been rife about his alleged third relationship with Pinky Lalwani, a former Kingfisher Airlines air hostess. Reports suggest they have been in a live-in relationship for several years and were often seen together, including at Mallya’s extradition hearings in London. Lalwani is said to be much younger than Mallya and has reportedly supported him during his challenging times.
Lesser Known Facts About the First RCB Owner
Vijay Mallya was the initial owner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), having purchased the franchise in 2008. He recently revealed in an interview that his primary motivation for buying the team was not merely passion for cricket or his flamboyant image, but rather to promote his brands, particularly Royal Challenge whisky and Kingfisher. He initially wanted to bid for three franchises, losing out on Mumbai by a small margin, but secured Bangalore. He also revealed that he had the privilege of picking a then-19-year-old Virat Kohli in the 2008 auction, impressed by his performance in the U-19 World Cup. Mallya’s control of RCB shifted to United Spirits (now under Diageo) in 2016 after he stepped down from USL amidst his legal issues.
Beyond his business and personal life, Mallya is known for his extravagant lifestyle, which earned him the moniker “King of Good Times.” He is also a licensed pilot and has owned a significant art collection. Interestingly, Mallya is a regular pilgrim to the Sabarimala temple, having visited it over 20 times and even contributing to gold-plating the roof of the sanctum sanctorum. His public image has been shaped by both his grand successes and the controversies surrounding his business empire, particularly the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines and his subsequent legal battles.