Girl Uninterrupted

Why we can’t get enough of Malaika Arora

 

- Parth Charan

It’s perfectly clear that Malaika Arora has stumbled upon some kind of genetic hack. Because even now, almost two decades after a famous train ride through the Nilgiris fast-tracked her to the big league, there’s no dulling her high-octane energy. It’s the first thing you notice about her, even before the sharp cheekbones or the exquisite cut of her chin.

She also likes to be in control (“It’s a herculean task to faze me”), which is why when you scroll through her Instagram feed you’ll mostly see images of a perfectly curated life. She’s either strutting down a street in New York, doing a perfect handstand on a sandy beach, holding a mind-numbingly long boat pose or defying gravity in an aerial yoga class. Her squats, as she herself will admit, are deeper than love. And now in her early 40s, she seems more luminous, and stronger, than ever before. Earlier this year, GQ flew her to Bali and chatted with her about her Bollywood streak, men and the paparazzi.

Do you just hate the “item girl” tag?

Initially, I found it derogatory, but I’ve learned to wrap my head around it. The media is so used to tagging and categorising everything – this one’s hot, this one’s sexy. She’s a plain Jane. Everything is typified. But now I think… It’s a good song, and it sets the ticket counters ringing.