i have never considered mallika as ashutosh's friend true or otherwise...she is a woman who has locked herself up in a mirage called ashutosh and refuses to let go and let him go as well...
she is self proclaimed RANI ... raja locked himself in qila and this rani entered a bubble...kept floating high..and triya charitra lady came and instead of bursting the bubble( showing her real way out )she started raising her higher..and now it will burst to destruction...