For audiences who grew up in the early 2000s, Vishal Malhotra is remembered as the charismatic best friend — the dependable, endearing presence in films like Ishq Vishk, Jannat, and Kismat Konnection. Yet behind that familiar on-screen image lay a story the industry rarely acknowledged: a career abruptly stalled, a reinvention sparked by necessity, and a comeback powered by entrepreneurial grit. Today, Malhotra stands as one of Bollywood’s most unconventional self-made success stories, having rebuilt his career through advertising, retail, and ultimately, NFTs.
Speaking at a TEDx event, Malhotra traced his journey back to an unexpected encounter in college. “Around 30 years ago, I was bunking a class when a very beautiful girl started walking towards me,” he recalled. She was scouting for the face of a new channel and approached him directly. One audition later, Malhotra became the face of Disney India, hosting shows through the late ’90s and early 2000s and becoming a fixture in the childhood memories of an entire generation.
His transition to Bollywood brought recognition but also limitations. Typecasting became a trap. Filmmakers repeatedly saw him only as the hero’s friend — the humorous sidekick, the affable companion. When Malhotra pushed back, hoping for more challenging roles, his career took an unexpected hit. In an interview with Hindi Rush, he recounted how a prominent producer reacted badly to his request for deeper characters. “That big producer took it on his ego,” he said. “I had no work for two years. I was very scared after that.”
What sustained him during this period were financial lessons instilled early by his parents. His mother insisted he save and invest from the moment he began earning. “Whatever you are giving me today, you will be able to buy a house in five years with this money,” she had told him — advice that later proved crucial.
When the film offers dried up, Malhotra stepped away and built an advertising agency. He began working with major retail chains, selling everyday paper products — “everything from tissue papers to toilet rolls,” he said. That unlikely chapter opened new doors, but it was the rise of NFTs that truly transformed his trajectory. Becoming the first Indian actor to create and sell an NFT, he found a new creative outlet and financial opportunity. When rumours of India banning crypto surfaced, he sold his NFTs, walking away with what he called “a good amount of pocket change.”
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With that money, Malhotra wrote, produced, and directed Ilm — the world’s first feature film fully funded by an NFT. In doing so, he didn’t just reinvent himself; he redefined what a Bollywood comeback can look like.
