CLUB MALAIKA

Dating Malaika Arora is any guy's dream. So it indeed turned out to be a pleasant surprise when my editor called me up and asked whether I would like to do a piece on her. "Yes", I said and prepared myself for it. Getting in touch with Malaika was not as arduous a task as it seemed and what amazed me more was her down-to-earth attitude.

She selected Cyclone, a happening disc in Hotel Leela Kempenski in North Mumbai, as the meeting point and so Cyclone it was. Right at 5.15 p.m., she strolled passed the main lobby, instantaneously attracting hundreds of pairs of eyes at herself. She walked in graciously, gorgeous as ever, smiling away a brief nod. Clad in body hugging black dress right above her knee (she hates wearing anything below it) and four-inch shoes (wedges, she calls them) to match, she looked absolutely stunning. With cascading hair and enticing eyes to adorn her face, I asked her the secret. "I oil my hair twice a week. I also love to colour my hair. I just go to my parlour and tell the girls to cut and colour my hair to give me a new look."

By then, we had made ourselves comfortable at the 'Waterfall Café' before the photographer started off with his job. With only one year on MTV and with only one show to host (Club MTV), Malaika has so easily made herself recognisable, by creating a niche for herself. So was it easy taking over the show so synonymous with Kamal Sidhu. "Kamal is a good VJ and was really known for this show. But it was a challenge for me to completely revamp the image of the show. I made it an outdoor show rather than continuing on indoors. It was a successful challenge, well achieved."

Was challenge the reason for wearing short skirts to school? "Ya, I didn't like boys to look down at me thinking I am a girl and not at par." With a 'Don't-Mess-With-Me' look on her face, this scorpion enrolled herself in Jai Hind College only to leave it in the first year. "I started getting a lot of attendance problem and had to decide on what I wanted to do. That's the time, I took on modelling as a full time career."

Modelling took her to different countries of the world. Something that she always loved to do. Other than travelling, it was the shopping that attracted her a lot. "I don't really shop in this country except for Indian clothes. When I am abroad and have suppose 4 days, then I will complete the work in around 2&1/2 days and then shop the rest of the while." By the way, she adores saris and if you have a place to suggest then go ahead and recommend to this shop-o-holic. If you don't then you might just catch a glimpse of her at 'Oaktree' in Colaba.

Well then, what's inside the shopping bag? "Shoes." Maybe 25 pairs of them. That's what she shopped when she returned from New York. "I am completely shoe fetish and have around 200 pairs of them at my place." And behind the wardrobe shutters? "My clothes, half of them happen to be black and white. It was only on my mom's insistence that I added colour to my ward robe."

And these basic colours also reflect her personality. "I have always been decisive about things. I am not a quitter and feel that one should always give it a shot before rejecting it." It was this passion for life that refrained her from smoking and drinking. "I am constantly in situation where people are smoking and drinking. That's probably why it has repelled me. Everybody does it so why be everybody!! I just drink lots and lots of water." But definitely, water is not giving her a high? "That depends on the situation, it can be when I am travelling with my friends or when I am outside the city hosting parties or something else."

And where do you party inside the city? "I don't party much when I am here. I am a very private and introvert person and prefer to stay indoors." Yeah right, that way you can be closer to Arbaaz too. Marriage plans this year? "Yes, definitely." Hmm.... but when. Silence. All right but I hope we will see more of Malaika. "Why not. Where am I going? In fact I will be hosting a countdown show whose shoot will begin in May."

With Arbaaz by your side, and gorgeous as you are, films will tend to be the next option? "As of now I am taking it easy. I have no love for acting. I don't know why I am so vehement about films but putting on extra weight just to jiggle behind the trees is not what interests me."

How true but first tell me how are you able to keep your figure so intact? "I work out a lot." As a matter of fact Leela happens to be her second home with all her activities (working out, swimming, etc.) happening there. "I go for a jog to shed out my extra pounds which I gain by the food I eat."

Talking about food, Malaika Arora is a voracious eater. Give her just about anything other than raw stuff and she will not refuse. She confesses that had she not been a VJ, she would have been a chef. Well do you just like to eat food or prepare it also? "No I would not be a chef as in a chef chef but ya I guess eventually, I would add my own personal touches to the kitchen." As she dreams of opening up a restaurant one day, she lets out her favourite dish, "Fish curry rice. I can just take it out from the fridge and eat it cold."

After having completed the watermelon juice, we started moving towards Cyclone. I could see all those stares people so freely threw at us. And why not. At seven in the evening, the lobby was filled with people. Being a frequent person to Cyclone, she went about giving a good acknowledging smile to everyone she knew. Not surprisingly, Cyclone was deserted at that hour. Once again the photographer got into the act. She was just as beautiful as she took on the dance floor. A little while at the snooker table and after declining another drink, we resumed our conversation again.

So, how does this 'Face-of-the-Year' award winner describe life? "I take life just as it comes." That is she ends up spending most of her time thinking, brooding and contemplating about things. And when they are not in the state she wants them to be, then watch her get finicky. "I like to keep things tidy. My cupboards are my best example. In fact the other day when I went to a particular person's house, whom I didn't know very well and found that the frame that hung on the opposite wall was not straight. Even after trying to restrict myself, I finally got up and straightened it till I felt satisfied."

But chilling out and not satisfaction is what she looks for when holidaying out at Goa. "Even on a short notice, I can pack my bags and go there. Actually I am a waterbaby. I love going to beach resorts." So at any beach where the sand is glittering and where she can sun bathe, eat, drink and forget about everything else suits her fine. "I like to do crazy things like scuba diving, underwater walking, camping.....this time we went to Egypt. I took a camel and insisted on riding him just to see the desert."

How about some crazy things like piercing the belly button. "No, I haven't pierced my belly button but what I would really like to do is to tattoo. I always wanted to do but don't have the guts to tolerate the pain. I really like the tattoos on Tommy Lee - they reflect his personality."

Whether the tattoos will really reflect her personality or not, what seems irresistible about this svelte lady is her charm and poise. It took us quite some time to realise that a couple of hours had passed since we had commenced. With a peck on her cheek, I escorted her to the car before I bade her bye.

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