Malaika Arora Biography: From Bollywood Icon to Fashion Maven

Malaika Arora Biography: From Bollywood Icon to Fashion Maven

Malaika Arora was born on 23 October 1973 in Thane, Maharashtra, to a Punjabi family. Her father, Anil Arora, is a merchant navy officer, while her mother, Joyce Polycarp, is a Malayali Catholic. This plush growth in a multicultural background added variegated traditions and values in Malaika’s upbringing, actually laying the grounds for her future endeavors. She first attended the Swami Vivekanand School in Chembur, where she was a meritorious student in academics and showed great interest in dance and the arts.

Stepping into the Spotlight

Malaika Arora entered the entertainment industry when she was selected as one of the VJs for MTV India during its inception. Pretty soon, she gained a lot of popularity due to her charm and screen presence. The turning point in Malaika’s career came when she appeared in the video “Gur Naalo Ishq Mitha,” which showcased her dancing skills and tagged her as one of the most promising stars in the industry.

Breakthrough with Bollywood

The item number “Chaiyya Chaiyya” in the 1998 film “Dil Se” by Mani Ratnam marked the real breakthrough in Malaika Arora’s career. This number instantly made headlines as Malaika danced atop a moving train with Shah Rukh Khan. Graceful and oozing screen presence, she stole the hearts of the audience in that overnight sensation.

After “Chaiyya Chaiyya,” Malaika was in demand for item numbers in Bollywood films. At the time, she was able to harmoniously mix traditional Indian dance forms with modern expression and was very rightly termed the “Queen of Item Songs.” During these years, Malaika has done “Munni Badnaam Hui” for “Dabangg” and “Anarkali Disco Chali” for “Housefull 2.”

Fashion Icon and Entrepreneur

Besides ruling the roost in tinsel town, Malaika Arora is an eminent fashionista and entrepreneur. Her impeccable taste and style have always made her feature on any best-dressed list. Malaika’s sartorial choice at every red carpet function or even casually hanging out tends to create trends and inspires people all over the country with her fashion sense.

Malaika founded an e-lifestyle brand called The Label Life along with Bipasha Basu and Sussanne Khan in 2012. The brand sells contemporary fashion, home décor, and accessories, handpicked by the three celebrities. Malaika’s role in curating the collection has been a major part of the success of the brand, which has made it a hot favorite among urban women.

Television Career and Judging Roles

The versatility of Malaika Arora is not confined to dancing and acting only. She has been one of the most recognizable faces on Indian television, especially when it comes to reality shows. She has judged a number of dance reality shows like “Nach Baliye”, “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa”, and “India’s Got Talent.” The way she used to judge the participants with a keen eye for talent would be very candid, and that is a reason she was loved by the participants and the audience.

Along with judging, Malaika has hosted a few television shows to reinforce the diverse skill set of this talented woman. From her scathing critiques to her warm and bubbly hosting style, she could relate to the viewers with such ease that soon made her one of the most loved faces on television.