Malaika Arora (born 23 October 1973[1]) is an Indian actress, dancer, model,VJ andtelevision personality who appears inHindi-language films.[2] She made her debut as a film producer in 2008 with her former husbandArbaaz Khan,[3] founding the companyArbaaz Khan Productions, which created theDabangg film series. As an actress, she has starred in films likeKaante (2002) andEMI (2008). She also performed in the songsChaiyya Chaiyya (1998),Gur Naalo Ishq Mitha (1998),Maahi Ve (2002),Kaal Dhamaal (2005) andMunni Badnaam Hui (2010).
Early life and background
Malaika Arora was named after theSwahili wordmalaika meaning "angel".[4] She was born inThane,Maharashtra.[5] Her mother, Joyce Polycarp, is aMalayali Christian, and her father, Anil Arora, was aPunjabi Hindu from the Indian border town ofFazilka who worked in theIndian Merchant Navy. Her parents divorced when she was 11 years old, and she moved toChembur with her sisterAmrita 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 theHoly Cross High School Thane, where she studied until ninth grade. She pursued her college education atJai 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 sisterAmrita Arora, 2012
Arora was selected as aVJ forMTV India when its operations began. She worked as an interviewer, hosting shows such asClub MTV,[11] and later co-hosting the showsLove Line andStyle Check withCyrus Broacha.[12] Malaika then entered the modelling world, appearing in many advertisements, as well as album songs likeBally Sagoo's "Gur Naalo Ishq Mitha" oppositeJas Arora, anditem numbers such as "Chaiyya Chaiyya" in the 1998Bollywood filmDil Se...[12]
In 2010, she featured in the item song "Munni Badnaam Hui" in the filmDabangg, 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 showNach Baliye as one of the three judges.[2] The show was aired onSTAR One in mid-2005. She continued as a judge inNach 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 showZara Nachke Dikha as a judge onSTAR One.[20] She was a judge on the showJhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2010.[21]
Arora was married to Bollywood actor-director-producerArbaaz 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 actorSalman Khan and actor-director-producerSohail Khan are her former brothers-in-law. Her former father-in-law was scriptwriterSalim Khan.[2]
In April 2022, she had an accident on theMumbai–Pune Expressway when three cars collided with each other as she was returning home from an event. She was taken to theApollo Hospital inNavi Mumbai where she received stitches.[33]
Her stepfather Anil Mehta died by suicide in 2024.[34][35]
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