80% of the gossip I know, I could never tell you: Miss Malini

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80% of the gossip I know, I could never tell you: Miss Malini

Entertainment media doyenne Miss Malini was one of the first to capitalise on the blogging trend in India, taking page three online and redefining the way we got our daily dose of celebrity gossip and lifestyle news

By Sujata Assomull

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Published: Fri 1 Apr 2016, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Fri 8 Apr 2016, 11:35 AM

Malini Agarwal, better known as Miss Malini, is one of those women who have proved that you can turn your passion into a successful business. The 38-year-old is probably India's best-known blogger, and now, she has her eyes set on Dubai.
Having worked as content head for Channel V in the past, Miss Malini first become known as a radio jockey and for her column in the Mumbai daily Mid-Day, "Malini's Mumbai". She started her blog writing about the evening and gala events she would attend. One day, she told her then-boyfriend, (now husband and the CEO of MissMalini.com) Harvard graduate Nowshad Rizwanullah, "I would love to do this all the time." He told her not to give up her day job, and to build the blog in her spare time. Today, Malini is the "girl boss" to a full team in Mumbai, with bureau offices in Delhi and Dubai. She plans to grow her 40-employee team into a 200+ staff in the next few years.

HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTEST: Miss Malini regularly interviews A-list Bollywood stars like (top)Katrina Kaif and (bottom) Kangana Ranaut
This January, her blog had 4 million unique visitors and 20 million page views from over 120 countries. Shah Rukh Khan's film studio even commissioned Miss Malini to conceptualise, script and produce a viral video for the launch of his last released film, Dilwale. It is no wonder Malini describes herself as "Founder, blogger in chief and social media jedi."

Growing up a global citizen, Malini lived in Greece, Germ-any and Bulgaria, thanks to her father's job with the Indian Foreign Service. She always loved the entertainment industry and Bollywood. "I grew up on all those super dramatic movies about reincarnation and am not ashamed to admit it. 'Mere Karan Arjun Ayeenge' and all that! I think it's because in the Indian Foreign Service, we would get six movies a week to watch, and we'd devour them all! A little piece of home I guess?"

Malini's family finally settled in Delhi, where she comp-leted her schooling. She then headed to Bombay to become a dancer - before moving on to content. (She and Nowshad have been invited to take part on Nach Baliye, a popular
Indian dance reality TV show; something Malini may consider doing if she can persuade her husband!). Nowshad joined her in 2011 as CEO, a year after Malini decided to focus full time on the blog. "I like to think I am the boss, but it's very much a team" she says.
Mike Melli, Miss Malini's Chief Risk Officer, has been with her since she decided to focus on the blog full time; former IMG Head of Fashion (India) Sujal Shah is Miss Malini's Chief Experience Officer.
"I live my life as much on the phone as I do in the real world," and this is the mantra that has led to her success, she says. As described by The Huffington Post, "Agarwal and her team cover everything that's hot". This includes Bollywood, fashion and nightlife. She does not consider other media as competition, and has even contributed to websites, magazines and newspapers.
One of the most bubbly and approachable personalities in the media, Malini admits to being a girl who likes to be out and about town. After two seasons of her show Miss Malini's World, on TLC, she is now in talks with another channel to host a show on nightlife. "Because I do not go out enough," she jokes. She makes no apologies for the tabloid style content of Miss Malini. "Everybody loves gossip. Everywhere I go, people ask me to tell them the latest gossip! To be perfectly honest, probably 80 per cent of the things I know I could never tell you, but I can hint at it!"
She is always looking at apps, and right now believes that the next new thing will be Anchor. "It's like voice Twitter," She also Snapchats, Instagrams, tweets and blogs. Recently, Malini was in Dubai to cover the red carpet at the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA), held here recently. So, it seems even the Times of India acknowledges that Miss Malini is the expert when it comes to lifestyle blogging.
Malini has recently been named one of CNBC India's Women of Tomorrow 2016. "I just love what I do, and it still amazes me when I get covered by Forbes and the like" she says. She is now looking for US $6million Series "A" funding; as she says, "I want to grow up and be Arianna Huffington". Malini's famous for saying "to the moon" and that's where she believes her media empire can reach. She is in talks with Dubai Tourism to visit the country once a month and cover the region, and already has a team of five working in Dubai. Malini also flies regularly to New York or London, covering events in these cities. "I think it's amazing Dubai is coming out with the Bollywood theme park. And I think there are like one million Indians in the region, and they would love to read about Miss Malini's takes on Dubai," she says.
The lady has also signed a deal to come out with two books. A self-confessed fan of the Kardashians, she says, "I think they are an amazing example of the times we live in. Ryan Seacrest is a genius. I'll admit I've been a guilty voyeur of their lives, but there are some cringe worthy moments too - all the ingredients of 'quality' reality TV." Malini is always thinking about what's next, which is why she recently started her own Instagram account, under her name Malini Agarwal. "It's a more grown-up account, and is more about me as a social media mentor." Obviously, the super blogger is aware that as she touches 40, she needs to adapt her image to this new stage of her life.
Miss Malini has a client list that spans brands from Gucci to Maybelline and Ariel. "I think advertising is moving towards social media," she says. As one of the foremost names in the entertainment industry in India, her blog has become the first option for many companies looking to target the youth. Of late, Marie Claire, Men's Health and Good Housekeeping have all shut down their Indian editions, but Malini believes there will always be a need for glossies.
"For high fashion, there is nothing like the look and feel of a magazine," she says, though she does believe that the future is social. And it looks like Miss Malini is going to be the one who leads that future, at least in India.
sujata@khaleejtimes.com


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