The first time this ridiculously catchy and entertaining ad came to our TVs was during the 2015 World Cup. And for the last 7 years, this Pakistani fan has been a part of our cricket and our pop culture through Star Sports’ Mauka Mauka series. 

1. Even though he has gained prominence amongst the masses as the dejected Pakistani fan, the man is actually Indian. 

The man is called Vishal Malhotra. The name is as Delhite as he is. 

Cricshots

2. He’s actually not that old. 

At the time he first appeared in the ads, Malhotra was 25, which makes him about 32 years old right now. 

Deccan Chronicle

3. He’s used to be an engineer. 

Malhotra has even worked for Accenture for a year before moving to Mumbai to pursue his passion for acting. 

Rediff

4. He has featured in a Lux ad with none other than Shah Rukh Khan. 

DNA India

5. He has also featured in several other ad campaigns with brands such as Sony, KFC and Priya Gold Biscuits.

Here’s a little sample for you: 

6. He plays a cameo in Ragini MMS 2 and 1920 London

7. Following the first Mauka Mauka ad during the World Cup, the man became really famous. 

So much so that he had to pose for about 80 selfies in a day. 

Cricshots

8. The Mauka Mauka TVC was initially a one-off assignment for Vishal. 

It’s why he’s not in the 2nd ad. The company called him back for the 3rd one after the first ad went viral. 

Rediff

9. He took on the first ad because it was an opportunity to earn about Rs 20-25k in a day. 

Speaking to reporters about if he had any reservations about playing a Pakistani guy, he had said: 

I have never thought along those lines. For me, it was all about getting a break and finding my feet. I was not scared or anything because those things did not matter… I needed to pay my bills and for that, I decided to take up the offer.
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10. When they were shooting in Mumbai, a policeman actually thought he was from Karachi

We were shooting in Marine Drive, when a policeman thought that I was actually coming from Karachi. I had a box of firecrackers with me, which scared him further. He asked me what I was doing there. Then, the directorial team had to intervene and convince the cop. He still was under the impression that I was a Pakistani who had come to Mumbai.

-Vishal Malhotra

The Express Tribune

11. He would often have to convince people that he was actually Indian. 

Recalling shooting at Victoria Terminus in Mumbai, Malhotra says that he would literally have to manage crowds and convince people that he was actually Indian. 

Twitter

12. Malhotra has also featured on a TV series called Ye Pyar Nahi Toh Kya Hai

The show aired on Sony. You could still probably find it on their streaming platform. 

India Forums

Since you’ve made the effort to get here, here’s the new Mauka Mauka ad. 

The T20 World Cup will start from the 17th of October, 2021.