Priya Malik: From Childhood Poems to True Love – The Journey of an Actress and Writer

Actress and writer Priya Malik has been making waves with her live show “Ishq Hai”, now gaining international acclaim. Her upcoming book “Ishq Ke Saat Padaav” is set to be published soon. In our series “Maine Ishq Likha”, Priya opens up about her personal life and the role of love in her writing.

First Love and Early Poetry
Priya Malik experienced love for the first time at the age of 12, while studying at Carmel School in Dehradun. She was in 7th grade, in section ‘A’, while her crush was in section ‘B’. Standing in the school assembly line, they exchanged glances, and inspired, Priya penned her very first love poem.

Sharing her poem with her parents led to scolding from both her teachers and parents, and the story of her first love remained unfinished. However, it ignited a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling.

Marriage and Life Abroad
Priya began working at a young age. While pursuing a BA in English Literature at Venkateshwar College, she worked at a call center. At 21, she entered into a love marriage with someone who wanted to settle in Australia. She accompanied him, completing her Masters in Applied Linguistics and becoming a professional English teacher for high school students.

Living abroad made Priya realize her attachment to India. She wrote her poem “Main 2019 Mein 1999 Dhoond Rahi Hoon” during this period, reflecting her emotional struggle. Ultimately, she and her husband parted ways, and Priya returned to India, discovering her true voice in poetry, now infused with love and emotion rather than anger.

Career and Poetry Recognition
While in Australia, Priya appeared on the show “Big Brother”, which later led to an offer from India’s “Bigg Boss”. Upon returning to India in 2017, she performed at open-mic events, where her poetry was met with widespread acclaim. Since then, poetry has become her career, leading to the upcoming publication of her book “Ishq Ke Saat Padaav”.

Priya also writes for TV, brands, and Bollywood films, contributing as one of the few female songwriters in the industry. She has already penned two songs, “Parinda” and “Adhoora”.

Finding True Love in Mumbai
Priya met her future husband, Karan, in a lift in Mumbai. What began as a casual interaction evolved into friendship and, eventually, love. When Priya fell ill with malaria, Karan cared for her, and their bond deepened, culminating in marriage. The couple now has a two-year-old son.

Priya’s poetry captures this journey. In “Mera Upar Wala”, she writes: “He came down as a neighbor, neither love nor friendship, yet our rooftops and land have known each other for years.” Her poem “Mujhe Pyaar Nahi Ishq Chahiye” reflects her philosophy that love can happen with many, but true ishq is rare and transformative. This poem inspired both her book title and the name of her live show.

Self-Love and Empowerment
Priya emphasizes the importance of self-love: understanding what one truly wants in life, and learning to say “no.” “Until you love yourself, you cannot fully love another,” she says. A decade ago, she never imagined her life would be so fulfilling. Today, having embraced self-love, she has also found true love.

Priya Malik draws inspiration from literary icons like Amrita Pritam, and her work champions women’s rights—not just in love, but in life. Her message is clear: “I don’t just want love, I deserve true ishq.”