Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi recently hosted an extravagant birthday celebration in London for fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, an event that drew widespread attention after Modi shared details and photographs on the social media platform X. The gathering, held at Modi’s private residence, quickly became a subject of public discussion due to the profiles of those involved and the legal controversies surrounding both host and guest.
In his social media post, Lalit Modi described the occasion as an “amazing celebration,” emphasising that it was attended by close friends and family members who had travelled from various parts of the world to be present. He referred to Vijay Mallya as the “King of Goodtimes” and said the event marked an important milestone in Mallya’s life as he turned 70. Modi added that the birthday was a “cornerstone achieved” and extended his wishes for Mallya’s happiness and continued success.
The post was accompanied by photographs from the evening, giving a glimpse into the high-profile nature of the celebration. Before Modi’s own post, photographer Jim Rydell had shared an image of Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya together on X. In his message, Rydell thanked Modi for hosting what he described as a “fabulous pre-70th birthday party” in honour of Mallya at his London home, praising the setting and the hospitality.
The guest list for the celebration included several well-known personalities from business, entertainment, and fashion. Among those in attendance were Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Hollywood actor Idris Elba, and fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla. Photographs from the event showed Mazumdar-Shaw posing with Khosla in one frame, while another image captured her engaged in conversation with Elba, highlighting the star-studded and international character of the gathering.
Lalit Modi later responded to Rydell’s post, publicly acknowledging the guests who attended and once again referring to Vijay Mallya as his friend. In his reply, Modi thanked everyone for coming and celebrating Mallya’s pre-birthday bash at his house, reinforcing the personal connection between the two.
Soon after the images and posts began circulating online, they went viral across social media platforms. Many users criticised and mocked both Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya for openly enjoying a lavish celebration despite having lived outside India for years while facing legal action from Indian authorities. The posts triggered widespread trolling and renewed public debate about the contrast between their legal status and their apparent high-profile lifestyle abroad.
Vijay Mallya left India in March 2016 as legal troubles intensified following the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines. He is wanted by Indian agencies on charges of fraud and money laundering related to unpaid bank loans amounting to more than Rs 9,000 crore. Since leaving the country, Mallya has been residing in the United Kingdom and continues to contest extradition proceedings initiated by India.
Lalit Modi, who was instrumental in establishing and expanding the IPL, departed India in 2010 after being removed from his position as IPL chairman. His exit followed allegations of serious financial irregularities, including bid rigging and money laundering connected to the early years of the tournament. Since then, he has remained abroad while facing ongoing scrutiny from Indian enforcement agencies.
