There’s a certain calmness that surrounds Malaika Arora the moment she steps onto a set. With her captivating personality and a go-getter attitude, the supermodel has always come out the strongest – even through the toughest of times. Malaika Arora has always been a force to be reckoned with – with or without a famous surname.

The Bollywood diva has managed to nail the art of staying relevant while carving ways for herself in a world cruel to women. With a fruitful Bollywood career, spanning over three decades, Malaika Arora has devoted herself to overcoming any or all hurdles that have come her way. Beyond those picture-perfect cheekbones and a figure to kill, lies a woman who is effortlessly moving on in life artistically. Malaika Arora is on the go.

Masala: It’s been a three-decade-long journey. What’s made it all possible for you?

Malaika Arora: Well, there are a lot of factors one can pencil in. The obvious are hard work, reinvention, persistence, punctuality and a certain amount of intrigue and mystery. And of course, without a doubt people along the way who have been my cheerleaders, who have gone out of their way to [support me]. Whether they are photographers, media people or my family. There has been a great support system, I have had people who were there for me and have always stood by me. So, of course, there are certain things that we can think of to actually span over three decades. For a woman to be a certain way and be perceived in a certain manner is very difficult – especially in our country. Women in India come with a certain shelf life; marriage, kids – all of these act as a deterrent. We think once a woman is married and she has kids, she’s accomplished everything, but I think somewhere along the way, I have managed to push the envelope, I think I’ve managed to change that perception. Three decades later, here I am!

Masala: You’ve performed in several Bollywood music numbers. Did you ever want to cross the bridge to act on the silver screen?

Malaika Arora: I always say never say never. But at the same time, I’ve always refused when an offer has been made. Maybe I’m just not confident enough for the silver screen but here’s the thing! I’m a very confident person and I am up for any challenge. You tell me a certain thing and I’d be up for it; failure or success is a part of the journey but I’d be up for it. I want to attempt everything at least once. But acting has always given me a sense of anxiety and maybe that’s why I have stayed away but like I said, never say never! Maybe one day I’ll just take up a project that will blow everybody’s minds.

Masala: It is inspirational of you to own your fears like that…

Malaika Arora: You know I don’t really have such fears. I have my own ways of dealing with things and assessing things. Hats off to all the actors and actresses out there but sometimes, I feel acting is a very daunting task.

Masala: I heard chatter about a new series coming out called the Arora Sisters. Can you tell us what that is about?

Malaika Arora: It’s a wonderful idea but it’s all chatter.

Masala: You have become an icon for women, who believed that careers ended at 40. What is the secret to your enthusiasm and never-say-no attitude?

Malaika Arora: As I said, maybe if I was ever in that position where I had felt that oh, I have had enough, I’m married, time to hang up my boots; but I don’t think I was ever in that situation. I was always someone who wanted to keep on working. I think it’s because I come from that mindset or that background where it was very important for us women to be independent. That’s just something my mother has always said. That’s just something that has always stuck in my head I need to be independent. Growing up, life was never easy, it was really tough – financially, the entire setup as well. So that was ingrained in my mind that I need to work for myself and work till my dying day. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth or come from a background I could rely on, money that was just flowing. We came from a working-class environment. Hence, it was very important that I stand on my two feet and be financially secure. Even when I got married, I couldn’t give up everything and relied on my husband’s money to take care of my needs. I had a very lovely family setup where everyone was very encouraging when it came to my continued work. To date, I think I did that because I kept reinventing myself, I kept wanting to do something different. I get very frustrated when I’m not working.

Masala: You were raised as a Catholic. Not many know that.

Malaika Arora: My dad is Punjabi and my mother is Malayali Catholic. My maternal side was such a strong influence in our lives that both my sister and I were baptized. So, we just followed that faith and were Catholic. Thankfully, we live in such a secular family; I was married to a Muslim, my mother is Malayali Catholic, my father is Punjabi and my sister is married to a Muslim, so you know we have all sorts of faiths in our family. My son was brought up in a space where he was free to choose. He told me, ‘Mom, I’m Indian first.’ So, we left it entirely to him. My son is also baptized, he goes to a church, he goes to a mosque, he goes to a temple. We’re a very secular family.

Masala: It’s miraculous the way you have maintained yourself. How much hard work goes behind the way you look?

Malaika Arora: I take great pride in taking care of myself and I think everyone should! You should love yourself first before anything or anyone. When I say love yourself, I think a large part of it has to do with physical, emotional and mental maintenance. All three of them need to be nurtured. You can’t just take care of how you look physically and forget about your mental quotient. I think all of them go hand in hand. So, I eat right, I take care of myself, I work out, I meditate, I do yoga, I read a lot of things, and I surround myself with people who enhance my life. It’s equally important.

Masala: What would be the severest challenges you faced? How did you overcome them?

Malaika Arora: I have my internal mechanism to deal with things. I am a very emotional person, I break down and cry. I think crying is fabulous, it’s very comforting. It’s a great way to release all that pent-up frustration. I go through my terrible lows, I go through my highs. Thankfully, I am pretty sorted in that space. Everyone around me comes for advice or for a good chat because I am a great listener. The challenges that are thrown at you at different times have different impacts on your life. I simply believe to move forward and push forward and come out stronger and better. I won’t allow anything to drag me down because I know I need to be on top of my game. I know that there are times when I can be really hard on myself; that’s the kind of person I am, but I know you can’t do that all the time. Now, I have learned to live in a balance of sorts. I accept every challenge that comes my way and I know I have to come out of it shining.

Masala: How do you react to nasty trolling? Does it disturb you?

Malaika Arora: Honestly, I don’t react to it, I don’t let it get to me. There was a time when it did bother me and affect me; I am human. But as I said, I have an inbuilt mechanism where I don’t let things bother me and the internal dialogues do help. I know that as long as I keep the trolling away from my life, it just makes me a better person. I don’t encourage it, I don’t let it get to me. There are so many people who are really affected by trolling, I can’t imagine. The more I stay away from it, I will be happier. Masala: Would you say Arbaaz Khan continues to be a friend? Malaika Arora: We have a better equation now. We are far more mature. We’re just happier, calmer people. He’s a wonderful man, I only wish him the best in life. Sometimes, people are wonderful but they just aren’t great together. That’s just how it is. I would always wish him well.

Masala: What would be your message to women, who find it difficult, to take drastic decisions at the cost of their own happiness?

Malaika Arora: I’m living proof of following my heart and sticking to my decision. Even though I knew how tough it would be. Even though I had so much opposition, so much negativity around me but I stuck by it. Sometimes, you just have to think about yourself. We, as humans, are so conditioned to think about everyone else but ourselves. We women are taught to think about our child first, our family first, our husbands first. In the bargain, you forget yourself. I think I made my choice and I put myself first. And I think by doing that, I am a much better person today. I have a better relationship with my son; he sees that I am much happier. I have a much better relationship with my ex-husband. I’m happy I made these decisions and I stood up for myself. So, for women out there, don’t be scared. Don’t be afraid to follow your heart. Yes, you will ruffle feathers but life is not easy. You can’t make everyone happy.

Masala: You’ve asserted the fact that age doesn’t matter when it comes to love. What’s the best thing about your bond with Arjun Kapoor?

Malaika Arora: The best thing about Arjun is that not only that I bond with him, but he is also my best friend. It’s very important to love your best friend and fall in love with him. Arjun gets me, he understands me, he says it the way things are. I think we both are each other’s biggest cheerleaders as well. I can talk to him about anything and everything under the sun. That’s the most important bit about being in a relationship – you should be able to just be your true self and I can just be myself around Arjun.

Masala: What’s the best thing he’s told you? Malaika Arora: Too many things! As I said, he’s my biggest cheerleader. He’s always supporting me, always encouraging me, and always has my back. He’s the best boyfriend.

Masala: Does he feel possessive about you considering your legion of admirers is only increasing? Malaika Arora: We both are possessive of each other but not in some obsessive way. When you love someone, you are possessive of them. We are possessive of each other but in a very loving and nurturing way. And I adore that because I know that it comes from a place of love.

Masala: Do you believe in the constitution of marriage? Are wedding bells going to chime soon?

Malaika Arora: I think the constitution of marriage is beautiful. At the same time, I don’t think you should rush into getting married because it is a social requirement or pressure. Do it for the right reasons. There are times when parents force you and people say that your ‘biological clock is ticking’. It is a beautiful institution if you are with the right person. When it comes to my marriage, I think I am not ready to answer it just yet!