Raj Shamani Opens Up About His Controversial Vijay Mallya's Podcast: "I Approached Him..."

YouTuber and podcaster Raj Shamani opens up about one of his biggest career breakthroughs: how he managed to interview the elusive businessman Vijay Mallya.

"I Approached Him..."

The revelation is both unexpectedly simple and wildly entertaining. “I was out for a walk in London,” Raj tells host Kapil Sharma in the show's latest trailer. “I happened to spot him, so I approached him. I asked him, ‘Sir, do you know who I am?' He said, ‘No.' Then I asked, ‘Do you know what a podcast is?' He said, ‘No.'” What followed, however, was one of the most talked-about podcast episodes of the year.

A Four-Hour Conversation That Made Headlines:

Raj's podcast with Vijay Mallya, released in June this year, runs over four hours and covers everything from Mallya's controversial exit from India to his version of the Kingfisher Airlines saga. With over 26 million views, the episode is not just Raj's most-watched video, but also a cultural moment — Mallya had not spoken to any media outlet at such length in years.

Photo Credit: Instagram

What adds to the intrigue is the fact that, according to Kapil Sharma on the show, even “top agencies in the country” had been unable to secure an interview with Mallya. And yet here was Raj, a young creator with over 11.7 million subscribers, who simply relied on initiative and timing rather than official channels.

"My Heart Started Beating Very Fast..."

Another moment that caught many eyeballs was when Raj Shamani spoke about interviewing a politician. While he didn't mention the name, he revealed how nervous he got upon seeing the politician's security, “four men holding guns,” while he was asking questions.

Kapil asked him if he had ever felt scared while interviewing a politician. Raj answered, “I asked the politician if I could ask any question I wanted to, and he agreed. However, there were four men holding guns while I was asking the questions. My heart started beating very fast at that moment.”