Malaika Arora on her item songs: Liberating to be object of desire

Malaika Arora has said that she never felt being objectified in the dance numbers that she did in the past. She, however, felt was portrayed as an object of desire and for her, that was a liberating experience.

Hyderabad (Telangana): Bollywood diva Malaika Arora has done several dance numbers after breaking on the screen with superhit dance number Chaiyya Chaiyya wherein she featured alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Mani Ratnam's 1998 film Dil Se. While she is aware that the concept of item songs in Hindi cinema has dwindled for objectifying women on screen, Malaika never looked at her songs that way.

In her latest interview, Malaika has said that she never felt being objectified in the dance numbers that she did in the past. She, however, felt was portrayed as an object of desire and for her, that was a liberating experience.

Defending her item songs, Malaika said Hindi films are all about the celebration of life and are larger than life when it comes to projection. The 47-year-old also agreed to the fact that the concept of items songs in today’s day and age has really dwindled as the conversation and objectification of women in films is getting louder.

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But when she was a part of all those songs, Malaika felt that she "could just be on screen, as this woman and this object of desire. For me, it was very liberating." She further added, "I never looked at it as, ‘Oh my God, you’re being objectified’. For me, it felt like I was in control. I’m anyway one of those women, I like being in control, I like being the master of my own destiny. I don’t like being told what to, how to, where to. It felt amazing."

Besides Chaiyya Chaiyya, Malaika has also appeared in dance numbers such as Munni Badmaan Hui, Anarkali Disco Chali, Hoth Rasiley and many more.