Malaika Arora (born 23 October 1973[1]) is an Indian actress, dancer, model, VJ and television personality who appears in Hindi-language films.[2] She made her debut as a film producer in 2008 with her former husband Arbaaz Khan,[3] founding the company Arbaaz Khan Productions, which created the Dabangg film series. As an actress, she has starred in films like Kaante (2002) and EMI (2008). She also performed in the songs Chaiyya Chaiyya (1998), Gur Naalo Ishq Mitha (1998), Maahi Ve (2002), Kaal Dhamaal (2005) and Munni Badnaam Hui (2010).
Early life and background
Malaika Arora was named after the Swahili word malaika meaning "angel".[4] She was born in Thane, Maharashtra.[5] Her mother, Joyce Polycarp, is a Malayali Christian, and her father, Anil Arora, was a Punjabi Hindu from the Indian border town of Fazilka who worked in the Indian Merchant Navy. Her parents divorced when she was 11 years old, and she moved to Chembur with her sister Amrita and mother,[6][7][8] who raised them as a single mom. Her father shared a respectful relationship with the family.[9]
She completed her secondary education at Swami Vivekanand School in Chembur. She is also an alumnus of the Holy Cross High School Thane, where she studied until ninth grade. She pursued her college education at Jai Hind College, Churchgate, but did not complete it on account of professional engagements. She lived in Borla Society, Chembur opposite Basant Talkies before starting her modelling career.[10]
Career
Malaika Arora (left) with her sister Amrita Arora, 2012
Arora was selected as a VJ for MTV India when its operations began. She worked as an interviewer, hosting shows such as Club MTV,[11] and later co-hosting the shows Love Line and Style Check with Cyrus Broacha.[12] Malaika then entered the modelling world, appearing in many advertisements, as well as album songs like Bally Sagoo's "Gur Naalo Ishq Mitha" opposite Jas Arora, and item numbers such as "Chaiyya Chaiyya" in the 1998 Bollywood film Dil Se...[12]
In 2010, she featured in the item song "Munni Badnaam Hui" in the film Dabangg, which was produced by her former husband Arbaaz Khan.[13] On 12 March 2011, she helped set a world record with 1235 participants performing a choreographed dance to "Munni Badnaam" which she led.[14]
Malaika appeared on the television show Nach Baliye as one of the three judges.[2] The show was aired on STAR One in mid-2005. She continued as a judge in Nach Baliye 2, which began airing in late 2006. In this show, she performed many item numbers as an example for the contestants. She appeared on the show Zara Nachke Dikha as a judge on STAR One.[20] She was a judge on the show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2010.[21]
Arora was married to Bollywood actor-director-producer Arbaaz Khan in 1998, after she met him during a coffee ad shoot. From her marriage with Khan until they got divorced, she was known as Malaika Arora Khan.[3] On 28 March 2016, they announced their separation, citing compatibility issues.[25][26] The couple officially divorced on 11 May 2017.[27] Together they have a son, Arhaan Khan, born on 9 November 2002.[28] After the divorce Arora maintained primary custody of their son, while Khan received visitation rights, as per the settlement reached in the Bandra Family Court.[citation needed] Bollywood actor Salman Khan and actor-director-producer Sohail Khan are her former brothers-in-law. Her former father-in-law was scriptwriter Salim Khan.[2]
In April 2022, she had an accident on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway when three cars collided with each other as she was returning home from an event. She was taken to the Apollo Hospital in Navi Mumbai where she received stitches.[33]
Her stepfather Anil Mehta died by suicide in 2024.[34][35]
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