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Malaika Arora says she feels blessed, empowered doing item songs at 50: ‘Why do I need to tone it down?’

Despite facing criticism for her recent music video with Honey Singh, Malaika Arora revealed embracing her image, encouraging women to feel empowered.

Published on: Jan 14, 2026, 10:55:05 IST
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Bollywood actor and entrepreneur Malaika Arora recently impressed audiences with her dance numbers in Thamma and alongside Honey Singh. However, she also faced trolling for performing item songs in her 50s. Now, in a conversation on The Namrata Zakaria Show on YouTube, Malaika opened up about feeling empowered while doing item numbers at this stage of her life.

Malaika Arora on doing item songs at 50

Poison Baby: Rashmika Mandanna and Malaika Arora star in the song.
Poison Baby: Rashmika Mandanna and Malaika Arora star in the song.

Malaika said she sees no reason not to own this ‘image’ of hers and added, “Why not? Why do I need to tone it down or be apologetic about it? I mean, you get trolled for things and many people say different things—but I don’t understand what the big deal is. Dance is an expression, enjoyed in its true glory and its true form. I feel truly blessed that I am able to do all this at 50; I must be doing something right.”

She further said, “It is very, very empowering. It makes me feel amazing. As I have said before, if women out there take it as an example or view it as something empowering—something that makes them feel good—then it’s a job well done.”

Apart from grabbing attention with her dance performances, Malaika recently authored a book on health and fitness titled It’s Easy To Be Healthy. She was most recently seen as a judge on India’s Got Talent Season 11 alongside Navjot Singh Sidhu and Shaan. Hosted by Haarsh Limbachiyaa, the show concluded on January 4, 2026.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Riya Sharma

Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.

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Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
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