‘King of good times’ turns 70: Lalit Modi throws London bash for Vijay Mallya

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi hosted an opulent pre-birthday celebration in London to mark fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya’s upcoming 70th birthday, turning his Belgrave Square residence into the venue for a high-profile gathering of prominent personalities.

Photographer Jim Rydell shared a photograph from the evening on the social media platform X, showing Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya together. Thanking Modi for the evening, Rydell wrote that the party was held in honour of Mallya at Modi’s “beautiful London home.” Modi later responded, publicly acknowledging the celebration and referring to Mallya as a close friend.

Rydell also offered a glimpse of the event on Instagram, posting the invitation card that described the evening as a “glamorous” celebration honouring Mallya, famously dubbed the “King of Good Times.” The invite featured a cartoon-style illustration of the former airline tycoon, reinforcing the light-hearted tone of the gathering.

Photographs from the party showed a mix of well-known figures from business, entertainment, and fashion. Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was seen attending the event, appearing in multiple images, including one alongside fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla and another in conversation with actor Idris Elba, who was also among the guests.

The celebration comes months after Modi marked his own 63rd birthday with a lavish London party at the exclusive Maddox Club in Mayfair, an event attended by Mallya as well.

The two were also spotted together earlier this year at a private karaoke night hosted by Modi, which reportedly drew more than 300 guests, including cricketer Chris Gayle.

Both Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya continue to reside in the United Kingdom while facing multiple legal cases in India related to financial and regulatory allegations—claims they have consistently denied.