Vijay Mallya 'humbled', 'overwhelmed' after podcast goes viral; some users call it 'image laundering'
Mallya, who was also former Kingfisher Airlines chairman, spoke for over four hours in the podcast.
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Wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering, Vijay Mallya has thanked viewers of his podcast interview with YouTuber Raj Shamani. The video has garnered over 21 million views within mere four days of its release. Mallya has stated that it "fills my heart with joy" that his "true factual" story was finally put forward in front of the people.
Mallya, who was also former Kingfisher Airlines chairman, spoke for over four hours in the podcast. He was seen addressing various charges against him and his potential return to India. This podcast episode on Raj Shamani's Youtube channel has gained significant attention across social media.
The viewership of this episode has seen a remarkable rise. Responding to this, Mallya posted on X: "To say that I am humbled and overwhelmed is well short of what I truly feel. A big heartfelt thank you to all those who took the time to watch my 4 hour plus podcast with Raj Shamani 20 million views on YouTube alone in 4 days and god knows how many more reposts on Instagram and Facebook fills my heart with joy that my true factual story is being heard. May god bless you all."
By June 10, the video crossed 21 million views. This podcast remains of the most important interviews of recenr times as it is of Mallya's first extensive public appearances. Mallya's version of events in detail have not been discussed in this manner before.
However, the podcast has also received a whole lot of criticism. People are recalling allegations on Vijay Mallya and calling out the fact that people like him should not be given platforms to speak. Some are even calling this 'image laundering'. Certain people on the platform X are not just critical of Mallya but also of Shamani for conducting this interview. Despite all the noise online from various social media users, the podcast has nonetheless become extensively popular, and will be spoken about for a while among the online community.
Here is a look at some opinions on X:
Podcasts have become a new tool to make any criminal a saint. It's cheap and people trust it more than traditional media.
— Ayussh Sanghi (@ayusshsanghi) June 10, 2025
Win-win for both....
Tbh, Raj Shamani giving Vijay Mallya a podcast platform feels less like content and more like image laundering. Soft PR honestly.
— Janhavi (@artoverasters) June 8, 2025
Podcasts have become a new tool to make any criminal a saint. It's cheap and people trust it more than traditional media.
— Ayussh Sanghi (@ayusshsanghi) June 10, 2025
Win-win for both....
This Sanju style whitewashing of Criminals is a new trend. One more sigh of social degradation where people think it’s ok to be associated with criminals. @rajshamani don’t go to the same path as Ranbir.
— Pankaj (@impankajsen) June 10, 2025
