Unick Malhotra is already making waves in the world of Indian entertainment. From setting the stage ablaze in the viral track “Nachi DJ” alongside Sana Sultan to delving deep into gritty narratives like “Drugs n Dreams”, Unick effortlessly blends swag with substance.
Unick Malhotra has worked in over 50+ commercials for iconic brands like Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, and Lotte Choco Pie, Unick’s face has become instantly recognizable across mediums.
From catching eyes in ad campaigns to earning screen time in digital projects, his charm and screen presence are hard to miss. Whether it’s a brief cameo or a lead in a web show, Unick Malhotra brings sincerity and confidence to every role he takes on.
He’s also no stranger to the digital spotlight. With an engaging presence on social media and a few recent interviews creating buzz, Unick Malhotra is steadily carving a space for himself in an increasingly competitive industry.
Still early in his journey, Unick Malhotra is one to watch—a fresh face with the potential to become a household name in the world of Hindi entertainment.
Recently, Unick Malhotra was featured on the cover of Glamverse magazine, he gets candid in an exclusive chat with Downtown Mirror, where he reflects on embracing the unknown, pushing past conventional industry norms, and confidently paving a path that’s uniquely his own.
Rising Star #UnickMalhotra on the cover of @GlamverseMag #June2025 #GlamverseMagazine #Cover pic.twitter.com/BqVrqPUwfr
— Plus24 News (@Plus24News) June 13, 2025
Get the glimpse of the exclusive conversation!
Shalini Dixit : There’s a raw, almost mischievous energy to “Nachi DJ Pe” that feels simultaneously grounded in rural swagger and urban polish. How did you arrive at this aesthetic, and what were you resisting in mainstream representations of regional music?
Unick Malhotra : I’ve always believed that regional doesn’t mean regressive—it can be rooted and still radiate style. With Nachi DJ Pe, I wanted to merge the unapologetic, desi energy I grew up around with a visual and sonic language that speaks to a broader, younger, urban audience. I was resisting the tokenism that often comes with regional sounds—where they’re either overly exoticised or diluted. I didn’t want to sanitise the rawness; I wanted to elevate it.
Shalini Dixit : Much of your recent work blurs the line between performance and persona. Who is Unick on-screen versus off-screen—and how do those two versions of you coexist, or contradict each other?
Unick Malhotra : On-screen Unick is bolder, louder, sometimes a provocateur—he plays with power and performance. Off-screen, I’m a lot more observant, maybe even reserved. But both are me. I think one fuels the other. The performance lets me express things I sometimes can’t say directly. And the private version keeps me grounded, analytical. The contradiction is what makes the work interesting.
The Haryanvi soundscape is often stereotyped or flattened. With “Nachi DJ Pe,” were you intentionally reclaiming the space—injecting a sense of pride, play, or provocation into how the genre is perceived?
Unick Malhotra : Absolutely. Haryanvi music has its own swagger, its own tempo—and it deserves more than just meme treatment or surface-level hype. With Nachi DJ Pe, I wanted to celebrate that energy but also challenge how it’s been boxed in. There’s humor, pride, sensuality, and defiance in the genre—but it rarely gets shown with range. So yes, it was reclamation, but with rhythm and edge.
Shalini Dixit : Collaborating with Sana Sultan Khan brought a unique dynamic to “Nachi DJ Pe.” Can you share insights into your creative synergy and how it shaped the final product?
Unick Malhotra : Sana brought a fiery elegance to the track—she understands the camera and the beat with instinct. Our collaboration was less about control and more about chemistry. We both trusted each other to take risks. Her presence shifted the mood of the video—it became more than just a performance piece; it turned into a dialogue of bodies, energy, and power.
Shalini Dixit : Did you find yourself internally choreographing or editing “Nachi DJ Pe” while performing it? What do you struggle to surrender when you’re not behind the camera?
Unick Malhotra : All the time. It’s hard to switch off the director in me. Even as I was performing, I was thinking in cuts, imagining framing, pacing. But that’s also where the struggle lies—learning to be present, to trust the team. Surrendering control isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. When I let go, that’s when the unexpected, often better, magic happens.
Shalini Dixit : The visual choices in “Nachi DJ Pe”—its kinetic frames, saturated colors, and charged body language—say as much as the lyrics. Was the song always meant to be cinematic? Or did the storytelling emerge organically in production?
Unick Malhotra : The cinematic vision was always there, but it evolved as we played with the song’s energy. I don’t separate sound from visuals—they co-exist from the first beat. But we also allowed the shoot to breathe. Some of the best shots came from impulses we hadn’t storyboarded. Storytelling, for me, should feel alive—not overly planned.
Shalini Dixit : You’re building a career in an industry that increasingly prizes virality over vision. How do you personally define success in an era where relevance can feel like a countdown?
Unick Malhotra : For me, success is impact with intention. Virality can give you numbers, but vision gives you longevity. I’m not chasing trends—I’m trying to build a body of work that feels authored, not algorithm-fed. If something I made lives in someone’s head or shifts their perspective, that’s worth more to me than 10 million passive views.
Shalini Dixit : Coming from Jalandhar, a city that isn’t often framed as an “arts capital,” do you feel a responsibility to represent that space? Or are you more interested in detaching yourself from regional identity altogether?
Unick Malhotra: I carry Jalandhar with me, even when I don’t explicitly name it. It’s in my rhythm, my language, my lens. But I also resist being boxed by geography. I want the freedom to represent without being reduced. If my success can spotlight smaller cities as hubs of creativity—not just struggle—I’m all for it. But I also want to be more than just “the guy from Jalandhar.”
Shalini Dixit : The energy in your work is unapologetic—but rarely careless. Is rage or rebellion part of your creative DNA? And how does that shape what stories you choose to tell next?
Unick Malhotra : Rage, for me, is just energy with direction. I’ve always felt like an outsider—even within so-called “insider” spaces. That restlessness fuels my work. I’m not interested in being safe or polite with my art. I want it to provoke something—whether it’s joy, discomfort, or confrontation. The next stories I’m drawn to will probably keep pushing those lines.
Shalini Dixit : What do you know now about visibility, voice, and vulnerability that you didn’t when you first set out to make something of yourself in Mumbai? And what do you wish you could unlearn?
Unick Malhotra : I’ve learned that visibility comes with weight—not just applause. Voice has to be earned, not just broadcasted. And vulnerability, oddly enough, is the real superpower—it’s what people remember. What I wish I could unlearn is the constant need to prove. That pressure can kill the play in your process. Now I’m learning to choose presence over perfection.
