Malaika Arora Says She Liked Being An ‘Object Of Desire’ In Item Songs: “I Never Looked At It As, ‘Oh My God, You’re Being Objectified’”

Malaika Arora is undoubtedly one of the most followed celebrities in Bollywood not just for her exquisite sense of style but also for her ability to stay fit even at the age of 48. The actor has worked in a series of item numbers in the past, the most popular one being Shah Rukh Khan starrer Chaiyya Chaiyya. In a recent interaction, Malaika revealed that she liked being a part of the song and the idea of people looking at her as an object of desire.

For the unversed, Chaiyya Chaiyya was a song from the Mani Ratnam’s film Dil Se which featured Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala in the lead roles. The song was a massive hit for its peppy beats and meaningful lyrics by Gulzar and is considered a classic even today. After this song, Malaika went on to feature in a series of other item numbers including the smashing hit Munni Badnaam Hui from Dabangg.

In a recent conversation with Namrata Zakaria in her podcast Tell Me How You Did It, Malaika Arora opened up about doing item numbers and said that it was a liberating experience for her, contrary to the popular opinion. She was of the stance that item numbers are the essence of Bollywood movies even though the concept is not accepted now.