Exclusive - 'After Baazigar and Tirangaa, I was being offered 2 minute roles; was jobless: Daboo Malik

Daboo Malik was seen in Baazigar and Tirangaa

In the glitzy world of 1990s Bollywood, where every hit film could launch a new star overnight, Daboo Malik was expected to make it big. He had everything working in his favour - good looks, talent, and appearances in two of the most successful films of that time - Baazigar and Tirangaa.

But contrary to expectations, Daboo didn’t become a household name. Instead, he quietly disappeared from the screen.

In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, the veteran music composer opens up about those defining years - why he chose to leave acting behind, how he rebuilt his life through music, and why he finally decided to write a book titled 'Never Too Late: A Daboo Malik Odyssey.'

“In 1993, both Baazigar and Tirangaa became massive hits. I was in both. Suddenly, in the next 17–18 months, I had a deluge of 200 film offers but all for character roles. Two-minute parts, four-minute parts. I wanted to hear a story. Something that would justify being part of a film. But there was nothing to hear,” he told us.

Though Daboo had landed roles in major films, he quickly realised he was being boxed into forgettable parts.

"There was a song called 'Chhupana Bhi Naa Aata', sung by Pankaj Udhas, which was supposed to be picturised on me and Shilpa Shetty. It never happened. From second lead, I became just a character in the film," he went on.

Offers kept pouring in, but they all looked the same: small, underdeveloped roles. Daboo says he declined them all.

“Sometimes the film had Ajay Devgn. Sometimes Aamir Khan. But the role offered to me was of a guy who appears for four minutes. I was stunned. I didn’t want to be a flash in the pan," he added.

Years later, he even tried one final push, visiting production houses, hoping for a lead in television sitcoms as that space began to boom. But it didn’t click.

“I realised I didn’t want to act anymore. I didn’t think I was a great actor. I had taken a beating in my mind," said Daboo.

While waiting at a Rajshree Office for a television audition, Daboo scribbled the now-famous lines: 'Thoda Sa Pyaar Hua Hai, Thoda Hai Baaki'. The song changed everything. Salim Khan uncle heard it and told him, “Even if you don’t make it big, you’ll do 100 films.”

And he did. “I started writing day and night. Music took over my life. I had nothing, no work, no offers, but I had melodies. That became my world.”

Daboo went on to compose for numerous films and found renewed identity, not as an actor, but as a composer, storyteller, and mentor. Now, in his 50s, he's added 'author' to that list.

What is his book about

His book, 'Never Too Late: A Daboo Malik Odyssey', is a deeply personal reflection on his family legacy, the ups and downs of his career, and the need to preserve stories.

“I wrote it for my kids, Amaal and Armaan. I wanted them to know their roots, what their grandfather went through, what I went through. It’s like a picture book. You can open to any page be it page 19, 155, 230, and you'll find a complete story. I didn’t want bookmarks. I wanted it to feel like flipping through memories," he said talking proudly about his book.

Filled with rare photos including one of Daboo working as a labourer in 1988, the book offers a candid, unfiltered look at a life lived on the fringes of fame, but full of depth.

“I don’t think I deserve an autobiography,” he says modestly. “But I think the stories I’ve lived through… they can inspire. That’s all I hope for.”

He’s also launched a podcast alongside the book to dive deeper into the emotions and untold moments.

“The podcast... it might ruffle some feathers. It’s more layered. The book is respectful. But the podcast tells what I couldn’t express on paper.”

So why now?

“Because I don’t want these stories to disappear,” he says. “It’s never too late to tell your story. Even if no one else listens, your children will. And sometimes, that’s enough.”

Daboo Malik has launched his book recently and was surrounded by his two sons Armaan and Amaal Malik.