Indian expat millionaire in UAE and Bollywood producer Rajan Lall wins $1m in Dubai
Multi-millionaire living in Palm Jumeirah mansion says it's 'best birthday gift ever'
Dubai: Bollywood producer and multi-millionaire in Dubai Rajan Lall has survived cancer, three heart attacks, a heart failure and more than his share of Bollywood chaos. Now, at 79, he has landed a $1 million Dubai Duty Free raffle, just six days after his birthday.
“This is the best 79th birthday gift ever by Sai Baba,” the Indian expat businessman told Gulf News exclusively.
He was announced as the winner of $1 million in Millennium Millionaire Series 535 with ticket number 3099 which he purchased in Concourse D on January 30.
He was chosen along with a fellow winner, Oliver, an Austrian national based in Portugal who won a US$1 million in Series 534 with ticket number 4393, which he purchased online on January 27. DDF said Oliver was not reachable.
The new dollar-millionaires were chosen after DDF marked the “Year of the Fire Horse” with a vibrant Chinese New Year celebration.
Should rich get richer?
Lall, who lives in a sea-facing Palm Jumeirah mansion, answered the obvious question: should the rich really get richer?
“Darling, when was life ever fair! ... But what makes you think I don't need the money?" For those wondering, he's yet to decided what to do with the windfall money and is just looking forward to the India Vs Pakistan cricket clash on Sunday.
So how long has he been trying his luck with DDF lottery?
“I have been doing this for 25 years buying this lottery. But I never won any! In fact, I was complaining to my friend that why is it that I have not won any in the last 25 years. Every year, I buy just one lottery ticket!”
The winning ticket was bought during his trip to Mumbai last month.
“When I got the winning call, I was in Saudi! I had almost forgotten that I bought this ticket on January 30th when I was going to meet my Bollywood friends Shatrugnan Sinha, Shashi Ranjan in Mumbai. It feels surreal.”
Facing death multiple times
Lall’s life, however, has never been ordinary. In an earlier interview with Gulf News at his mansion at the Palm, he said:
“I’ve faced death more than once — but I never let it break my spirit."
“When you’re lying in ICU with pipes in you, you realise all your money and property have no meaning. Today, I don’t take stress. Whatever happens, happens. Ninety percent of people die because of stress.”
He moved to Dubai in his fifties after income tax raids and what he describes as extortion calls from Mumbai’s underworld in the 1990s.
“Change has never scared me. Every big step in my life was a leap of faith. I remember earning Dh90 a day, eating Maggi noodles, and hitching a ride with my friend during those initial one or two years of struggle in Dubai.”
He rebuilt his life through garment trading, starting again from zero.
“I always felt an instant connection to Dubai. It felt like the right place for me to begin again. So I moved, with no money in my pocket but a strong desire to rebuild and create something new.”
With Dh70,000 from Salim Khan, he began selling hangers to exporters.
“I sold hangers to garment exporters, which gave me the capital I needed to expand, and slowly, things started to take off. I won't lie, it wasn’t easy, but I held on to my faith.”
Even as business picked up, Bollywood stayed close.
“There was a 1989 Tamil film called Apoorva Sagodharargal. A friend suggested I dub it into Hindi. I had no idea about dubbing at the time. But I took a chance.”
"I can sell coal to Newcastle"
“Basically, I'm a marketing man. I can sell coal to Newcastle.”
His one-rupee signing fee stunt became legendary.
“That gimmick went like wildfire.”
“The picture was not even released yet,” he says, laughing.
When Appu Raja premiered, he booked eight theatres and staged an over-the-top launch.
“They said, ‘this idiot is doing a bigger premiere for a dubbed film than we do for mainstream Bollywood films!’”
“They called me the Dubbing King of India.”
For all the success, his regrets are personal.
“The main regret is my children and my family, whom I hurt. I take the entire blame. I missed my children's childhood. I wasn't there for them.”
On relationships, he is blunt:
“The problem was ego. I kept finding excuses to move on to the next one. Lack of communication destroys marriages.”
Despite betrayals, he keeps his circle wide.
“I am friendly even with those who stabbed me in the back. They can't even look me in the eye, but I hug them. I call them. Keep your enemies close.”
Six days after turning 79, the jackpot feels like a strange but fitting footnote.
