Vishal Malhotra as Mambo in the 2003 film Ishq Vishk received a lot of love, as did debutants Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao. However, Vishal then went on to do similar roles as the hero's best friend until he finally had to put his foot down.
In a recent interview, the actor, who has had a 30-year career in the film industry, talked about how a producer dropped him from a film and how being associated with a toilet advertisement helped him buy a house in Bandra.
What's Happening
- Vishal Malhotra told Hindi Rush how he hurt a producer's ego when he demanded a different character instead of playing the hero's best friend as he had in Ishq Vishk.
- He said, "When I asked for a different role, that big producer took it as a blow to his ego. The side effects were dangerous. I was not prepared for the impact. When a powerful person like that dismisses your capability, you are finished. I had no work for two years. I was very scared after that."
- Furthermore, he revealed that he was initially hesitant to feature in a toilet brand advertisement - Harpic. But then, they paid him so much that he went on to buy a house in Bandra, Mumbai.
- Vishal Malhotra said, "When they approached me, I, like others, had these thoughts - Harpic is a toilet brand, how would this affect my image? However, the biggest reason I took up the ad is because until Harpic, people recognised me as Mambo, Vetaal and John, but after Harpic, they recognised me as Vishal. I just took it up to brand my name. Today, Shah Rukh Khan is its brand ambassador."
- Speaking of the massive amount Harpic paid him, he said, "So much that I bought a nice house in a location like Bandra."
- About still not owning a four-wheeler, the actor concluded, "I still don't have a car. I travel using Uber. It's insane to be buying a luxury car in a city like Mumbai. I have an electric Hero cycle; it is fun. My wife owns a car, which she uses for school runs and taking care of them. I believe in living a simple life."
About Vishal Malhotra
Though his role as Mambo, Shahid Kapoor's best friend in his debut film Ishq Vishq, became iconic, the actor eventually was shunned for taking a stand and asking for different roles.
His recent projects include the TV series Meetha Khatta Pyaar Hamara (2024) and the film Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai (2025).
He has a podcast called The Vishal Hour. Alongside that, he produced the first NFT-funded film, ILM (2023), and has also worked on the short film Gudgudi (2022) and the TV series Constable Girpade (2023).
In A Nutshell
Vishal Malhotra opened up about his tough times after Ishq Vishq and how associating with a toilet brand led to him buying his own house in Bandra. He also spoke about why it is not reasonable to buy a luxury car in Mumbai and how he prefers living a simple life.
