‘Vijay Mallya, name your price’: Bangalore startup founder’s open offer goes viral; social media reacts
Priyam Raj, a Bengaluru tech entrepreneur, has generated viral interest online with his open offer to Vijay Mallya.
Priyam Raj, a Bengaluru-based tech entrepreneur, wants to rent Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Villa to celebrate his birthday. He has written an open letter to the fugitive business tycoon on social media. The social media post has gone viral, garnering 1.2 million views.
“Dear Vijay Mallya, I'm a founder from Bangalore having my birthday on March 23rd. I want to throw a birthday party the city hasn't seen in a while and bring back the good times. Bangalore needs that energy back,” Priyam Raj wrote on Twitter (now X).
“Can I rent Kingfisher Villa for one night? Dead serious. Will pay. Name your price. Or point me to whoever owns it now,” he added.
“It would be crazy if you could make it happen,” reacted a social media user.
According to another user, while Vijay Mallya may still post about Bangalore and RCB on social media, he no longer owns anything. Banks seized and auctioned the property to recover over ₹9,000 crore that he had owed them, the user wrote.
“Startup ecosystem is healing. From asking for funding to asking for Vijay Mallya’s villa for a birthday,” a user wrote.
Another user commented, “The audacity of this ask is exactly the energy Bangalore's founder scene needs. Shoot for the impossible, and even a 'no' generates 1M views. You've already won.”
One user quipped, “Vijay Mallya only tweets on bank holidays. You should try then.”
“Word is around that if you ask one of the zerodha Bros, you might get access. Good luck,” came from another.
“Throw the party on a private jet. It’s the only way to ensure the Bangalore traffic doesn't keep the guests away—and it makes it much easier to 'clear' customs if the party gets a bit too loud,” suggested another user.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. LiveMint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Who is Priyam Raj?
Priyam Raj is a tech entrepreneur who co-founded Vid.AI with Matt Par. Last year, he shared on LinkedIn that the company had purchased the Vid.AI domain for $47,000 ( ₹43 lakh). The company is incorporated in the United States.
The 24-year-old has also founded Morise.ai, used for YouTube optimisation. He reportedly bootstrapped the project as a solo founder. The company's Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)reached $55,000 ( ₹50 lakh).
Then, in January 2024, Matt Par acquired the company and rebranded it as TubeMagic. Priyam Raj remains its Chief Technology Officer.
About the Author
Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.