Hurts when I hear awful things about my family: Sidharatha Mallya

From blinking in a certain way during RCB matches, to dealing with the depths of depression, Sidharatha Mallya, son of business tycoon Vijay Mallya, tells us how he’s worked on himself 
Sidharatha Mallya
Sidharatha Mallya

2016 was the year when business tycoon Vijay Mallya left India. If that made headlines on one side, on the other, his family, particularly his son Sidharatha Mallya, bore the brunt of the goings-on. From dealing with issues of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to alcoholism, Mallya Jr went through a 
transitional phase, all of which he pens in his latest release If I’m Honest, published by Westland Publications.

Speaking to City Express from California where he is wrapping up some of his acting projects which were unfinished due to the pandemic, Mallya goes back in time to 2016 when all was well. At least that’s what the world thought with the youngster having completed his drama school. “I went into depression in 2016. When I decided to seek help, I was surprised to know that I had been depressed for a number of years without being aware of it. It was not predominantly my dad’s problems that disturbed me,” says the 34-year-old.

Mallya considers himself as a superstitious person and constantly ‘feared bad luck’ if things were not done in a particular way. This OCD affected his mental health with things getting out of hand when he started work with Royal Challengers Bangalore. “I would behave, speak and also blink in a certain way, believing that could possibly lead the team to victory,” says Mallya in his memoir. 

According to the actor and now writer, nobody, except his mother Samira Tyabjee Mallya, knew about the book and its content. Unlike the conventional methods, he recorded his voice and self-interviewed in order to write the book.

“It was not difficult. The book is not an advocacy tool. I want to share my story to people and help those going through mental health problems who are not able to talk about it,” says Mallya, who reads Dan Brown’s books and is a huge Harry Potter fan.

Mallya has come to accept harsh comments although the journey towards it hasn’t been easy. ‘I hope your family dies’; ‘I hope you go to jail’ – these are some of the criticisms on social media that Mallya often hears which has, in the past, had an ‘emotional effect’ on him.

“It hurts to get messages from people saying awful things about my dad and my family. (sic). Initially, I did respond and hit back at certain people, but later, I realised it doesn’t lead to anything. I decided to respond with love and a heart,” says Mallya, who has dedicated his book to his therapist and ‘guiding light’, Danika Zivot.

Running, which helps him keep physically fit and mentally strong, is something he does every morning. “But I miss playing team sports and haven’t played any since my university days,” says Mallya, who hopes to get back to doing so soon.

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