Malaika Arora says people ‘pointed fingers' at her, called her ‘selfish' after divorce from Arbaaz Khan: ‘Co-parenting isn't easy'

Indian Express

20 hours ago

Malaika Arora, who became an overnight sensation after her appearance in the Dil Se song 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' (1998), married Arbaaz Khan that same year. The couple had met during an ad shoot for a coffee brand in 1993 and dated for five years. In 2002, they welcomed their son, Arhaan. However, in 2016, they went their separate ways, with their divorce being finalised in 2017. Arhaan was just 15 at that time.
In a recent interview with Pinkvilla, Malaika admitted that 'co-parenting has its own challenges,' and spoke about the blame that was hurled at her after the divorce. 'It is very important to find that balance. Through co-parenting, you constantly need to navigate. But, after all these years, I think we have found good balance. Plus, Arhaan is now a grown up kid. He is 22. He knows what he has to speak to his mother and what he needs to address with his dad. The situation is clear, we have our boundaries,' she said.
In the same interview, Malaika shared that not all divorces change the course of their kids' life or have a negative impact on them. She shared, 'Very often, subconsciously, we put our fears on our children. We shouldn't do it. Kids should never know what their parents are going through. I am very aware of my roots and so is my child, but I will not let my child be affected by any of those things happened in my life.'
She added, 'It is hard. A lot of people throw their opinions at you about how to live life and things to do… but, I personally believe, relationships are very fragile sometimes. I would love my marriage to be there forever. But it couldn't happen. But, that doesn't mean I have lost faith in love. It doesn't mean what I have done is a huge mistake. Things that were meant to happen has happened. There were many situations where one can try to work things and make sure something good comes out. But at one point, we decided that this won't work out.'
Also read – Malaika Arora's mother had to sell belongings to feed daughters, couldn't afford school fees: 'I still question every expense'
Malaika shared that when they decided to end their marriage, people quickly turned against her. 'People think it is wrong to put yourself first. They always say you have to put your child first. Or you have to put your family first. But, what is the harm in putting yourself first? There is a famous saying: 'You should love yourself first, before sharing it with others.' And I felt, at that point… I needed to be happy. Before working things out or making others happy, I was not happy. Too many people pointed fingers at me and said, 'What a selfish decision.' But that might be a selfish decision to you. I did what I felt. It is hard for people to understand. I feel that decision has helped me become a better person. I have become more ease at myself. I am in a happier space. My kid is in a much better and happier space,' she said.
Malaika shared that she and Arbaaz have handled the separation and co-parenting 'very beautifully'. She concluded, 'Even though we moved our separate ways… we chose separate lives. But I think the core essence of our child and maintaining certain decorum not just with him but also our family, we have maintained it. That is a good example to show. Today, I am in a much happier place.'