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Malaika Arora said that she had no firm plan to become synonymous with ‘item songs‘ in films, but decided to take up Dil Se’s Chaiyya Chaiyya at the insistence of her ‘dear friend’, choreographer Farah Khan. Malaika, who has since performed many special dance numbers in major films, went on to defend ‘item numbers’, suggesting that they’re just a representation of the colourful, ‘larger-than-life’ nature of Indian films.
In an appearance on Namrata Zakaria’s podcast, Tell Me How You Did It, Malaika said that the offer was simply too good to refuse. She’d be working with not just Farah, but co-star Shah Rukh Khan, director Mani Ratnam, composer AR Rahman, and cinematographer Santosh Sivan. Plus, she’d be paid for doing something she already enjoyed.
Malaika added, “I felt that I could just be on screen, as this woman and this object of desire. For me, it was very liberating. I never looked at it as, ‘Oh my God, you’re being objectified’. For me, it felt like I was in control. I’m anyway one of those women, I like being in control, I like being the master of my own destiny. I don’t like being told what to, how to, where to. It felt amazing.”
She noted that the songs ‘really helped the economics’ of those films. Besides Chaiyya Chaiyya, Malaika has also appeared in hit numbers such as Munni Badmaan Hui, Anarkali Disco Chali, and many more. She also appears as a judge on reality shows such as India’s Best Dancer and India’s Got Talent.
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