By: Entertainment DeskNew Delhi | November 18, 2025 07:01 PM IST 4 min readVishal Malotra made a name for himself in business after quitting Bollywood. (Photo: Express Archive)In an industry like Bollywood, many faces fall through the cracks in the system. For some the cause is their defiance, and for others, it’s just bad luck. Actor Vishal Malhotra is one of those people. Making his debut in the Ken Ghosh directorial Ishq Vishk, alongside Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao, Malhotra has actually made a name for himself during his journey as an entrepreneur. He talked about his exit from Bollywood after filmmakers refused to offer him the sort of work he wanted to do. He said the same people who wanted to cast him in his films only had two words for him when he asked to be cast as more than hero’s friend: No.While appearing as one of the speakers during TEDx, Malhotra shared in-depth stories from his time as an actor, television anchor and businessman. He first started with a story about his first big break and said, “Around 30 years ago, I was bunking a class when a very beautiful girl started walking towards me. She came right up to me and said, ‘We are looking for the face of our channel; would you be interested?’ I didn’t even know what auditions were, and I just showed up the next day, gave the audition and became the face of Disney in India for the next 10 years.” (Third from left) Vishal Malhotra at the music launch of Ishq Vishk (2003), with Amrita Rao and Shahid Kapoor.ALSO READ: ‘Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol are scared of me, they don’t sit with me’: When Dharmendra talked about being friends with his kids, said his father felt the sameMalhotra would then go on to star in films like Jannat and Kismat Konnection before falling out of favour with certain producers and directors. During a separate interview with Hindi Rush, Malhotra had talked about being ostracised from the industry and said, “When I asked for a different role, that big producer took it on his ego. Its side effects were dangerous. I was not prepared for its impact. When a powerful person like that dismisses your capability, you are finished. I had no work for two years. I was very scared after that.”He also said that early discipline when it came to investing helped him survive the tough phase. “My parents made me start investing money from the time my career started. After I got my first cheque, I went to my mom and she asked me to invest in Reliance Industries shares for Rs 715 and I will be very happy. She said whatever you are giving me today, you will be able to buy a house in five years with this money. They guided me well.” Actors Himani Shivpuri, Shahid Kapoor and Vishal Malhotra in Kismat Konnection (2008). (Photo: Express Archive)After a stint as a television anchor, Malhotra finally put his foot down and decided to go into business for himself, a decision that ultimately proved lucrative for his acting career as well.Recalling his early days in business, Malhotra said, “I opened my own ad agency and made a lot of ad films. Went into business with the biggest retailers in India, like Reliance. I used to sell them all kinds of paper products, from tissue papers to toilet rolls. Later I discovered NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens). It excited me that NFTs gave the rights back to the creator. I never owned any right to the films I was in, it didn’t belong to me. That is why I delved into NFTs, and I became the first Indian actor to create and sell an NFT.”Story continues below this adMalhotra talked about his exit from cryptocurrency as well and said, “As Covid ended, many people suggested I sell my NFTs, as there were rumours going around that the Indian government was going to ban cryptocurrency. I listened to their advice and cashed in. What I got back was a good amount of pocket change, and that amount was perfect for a film that I had written. So then I wrote, produced and directed my first feature film, Ilm, which became the world’s first film completely funded by an NFT.”Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd