Music composer Amaal Mallik has finally spoken about the long-whispered tensions within his own family, specifically, the complicated relationship between his father, Daboo Malik, and uncle, Anu Malik.
For decades, the Malik family has been known as a musical dynasty. But according to Amaal, there’s been more discord behind the scenes than fans ever knew.
In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Amaal pulled back the curtain on what he calls a lifetime of professional jealousy and betrayal that deeply impacted his father’s career and mental health.
“When Daboo Malik and Anu Malik meet, they behave like mad brothers, laughing, hugging. But behind the scenes, there’s a different story,” Amaal revealed. “In the professional world, Anu Malik gets fiery. He was overly competitive with my dad. He always wanted to prove he was the best composer in the family.”
According to Amaal, this rivalry wasn’t just about music, it was about control and power. He claims that his uncle actively undercut his father’s career opportunities.
“Every time my dad got a film, Anu would swoop in and offer to do it for less money or even for free. He wanted to snatch the work away. My father wasn’t ready for that kind of cutthroat behavior. He just wanted to make music.”
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The emotional toll on Daboo Malik, Amaal says, was enormous. “He started going through depression from the age of 32 and carried it with him for more than a decade,” Amaal shared. “I was a kid, but I could feel it. It left a mark on me. I started working at 16, and my motivation was simple, revenge through my music. I wanted to prove that my dad’s talent deserved respect.”
Amaal explained how heartbreaking it was to watch his father remain in the shadows. Despite working on nearly 70 films, Daboo Malik was often reduced to a footnote.
“Nobody invited him anywhere. He was always ‘Anu Malik’s brother.’ I hated that tag. I just wanted people to stop introducing us as Anu Malik’s nephews. I wanted them to say, ‘Oh, that’s Armaan and Amaal’s uncle.’”
But Amaal didn’t stop at calling out just his uncle. He accused other music industry insiders of playing games at his father’s expense, including the composer duo Sajid-Wajid. According to Amaal, there was even a moment when his father was about to collaborate with director Mahesh Bhatt, but the deal mysteriously slipped through his fingers.
“Anu Malik snatched that project away, too,” Amaal alleged. “That pushed my dad further into depression.”
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Interestingly, Amaal says the rivalry hasn’t ended with his father’s generation, it has reached him as well. He claimed that his uncle still tries to edge him out of projects.
“When I make an announcement, he’ll jump in and try to compete with me. But at least he tells me to my face that I’ve done some tremendous work,” Amaal said, noting that despite the competition, he has chosen not to let this pattern repeat with his brother Armaan. “We’ve decided never to be professional rivals.”
When asked about his public stance toward Anu Malik, Amaal maintained that he keeps things respectful for appearances but won’t support him privately. He even brought up the sexual harassment allegations against Anu during the #MeToo movement. “I was embarrassed. But I kept away from it because, honestly, I don’t consider him my family. I don’t support his wrongdoings.”