From Deepika Padukone To Katrina Kaif, Vijay Mallya Reveals How He Chose Kingfisher Calendar Girls

Vijay Mallya is a fugitive, former businessman and politician. He has also been a person of interest to the Indian government since he fled to the United Kingdom to avoid arrest in India for his involvement in the IDBI bank loan default case worth Rs. 900 crore. Once a common name in the business circuit, he gained limelight again after Royal Challengers Bangalore lifted the IPL cup for the first time, ending their 18 years of wait. His recent conversation with Raj Shamani has further set the internet ablaze.

Vijay Mallya talked about the process they used to follow in choosing calendar girls for Kingfisher

Known as the 'King of Good Times', Vijay Mallya recently sat for a four-hour long podcast with Raj Shamani, which was released on June 5, 2025. During the conversation, the former chief of Kingfisher Airlines was asked about why the careers of many models featured in the Kingfisher calendar took off. For the unversed, the businessman and his team would select some of the most iconic models for the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar, after which they would often be noticed and offered several projects in the entertainment industry.

Two top Bollywood actresses to whom Vijay Mallya gave a chance were Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif. However, when the businessman was asked what led to their cast girls turning into big names, Vijay responded with a simple, 'Because we chose the right girls.' The Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar was launched in 2003 by United Breweries Group and photographed annually by Atul Kasbekar. The calendar, for the longest time, had been a key platform for aspiring Indian models.

In the conversation with Raj Shamani, Vijay shared that from Deepika Padukone to Katrina Kaif, they had all the heroines on the calendar at a much younger age. He revealed that they had a fantastic marketing tool, which didn't bring him anything but worked fabulously for his brand. He was quoted as saying:

"We chose the right girls, whether it was Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif. We had all the heroines and the stars on the calendar at a younger age. We picked the right talent. I did it because it was a fantastic marketing tool. Did not bring anything to me personally. But it did wonders to the brand."

Kingfisher calendar changed the career trajectory of several models 

Katrina Kaif appeared in the first edition of the Kingfisher calendar, which was launched in 2003. Deepika Padukone was featured in 2006, and both went on to become major Bollywood stars. In an old interview with FilmiBeat in 2009, the Chennai Express actress credited the calendar for giving her early exposure and opportunities. She was quoted as saying:

"At the beginning of my career, I was part of the calendar, and it's getting better every year. The girls in this calendar have done a fantastic job. It's of international standards and one of the best calendars in the world."

More about the Kingfisher calendar

The Kingfisher Calendar was launched in 2003 by Vijay Mallya's brand, Kingfisher. The pictures were photographed by the magician photographer, Atul Kasbekar. It was an annual swimsuit calendar featuring Indian models. The calendar was so popular that Madhur Bhandarkar's 2015 film, Calendar Girls was inspired by these calendars, portraying the lives of models who rose to fame after featuring in them.

What are your thoughts on Vijay Mallya's revelation about picking the girls for his Kingfisher calendar?

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