Malaika Arora’s mother had to sell belongings to feed daughters, couldn’t afford school fees: ‘I still question every expense’

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She admitted that her loss of innocence at a young age prepared her for the life ahead. “I’m happy that I learned to fend for myself that early in my life. I started working when I was 17, and I feel zero regret about it. I feel like starting that early gave me so many opportunities in life, I have met so many amazing people and I have travelled the world because of my decisions. I just wanted to work, even as a child, because I wanted to contribute as much as I could for my house and family. I wanted to work, earn and then invest that money. I wasn’t interested in going out with friends and partying, I just had a one-track mind,” said Malaika.

Malaika recalled that the family faced a lot of difficult times as well, financially speaking, but her mother never revealed that to the kids. She said, “My mom worked very hard to give us everything under the sun. However difficult it was, she worked and put us through school and college all by herself. My strength comes from her, and I never had the liberty to just sit back and rely on a trust fund, or some inheritance. But I didn’t feel like a victim because of my social status. There was a time while growing up when everything was a question, whether it be food on the table or will we be able to pay the school fees? But my mother never let us feel that, and I realised while growing up how she must have gone through those situations, by dipping into her savings or selling something.”

The actor added that even though she has seen a lot of success in her career, her mindset regarding money still remains the same, and said, “I still have the same relationship with money as I did during my childhood. I am someone who will question every large expense, and collect all the bills so that I can understand how much I spent and on what? I still have a physical calculator and book, where I write my expenses. Now I have learned that FDs are not the way to go, and mutual funds work better, and I have wisened up with my money even further.”