My clothes are a national issue now-Malai

By Subhash K Jha

Malaika is ecstatic. She had the most rocking birthday. "My husband who's learning to play the guitar played and sang Happy Birthday. Everyone laughed hysterically becase he has barely started learning. It was so sweet."

It's hard to believe. But the stunning Malaika Arora just turned 31.

"I never hide my age! Why should I? All the moms today are turned out so super! The happiest part of my birthday this year is that I was shooting for Nach Baliye. And all the contestants and the entire team surprised me by bringing on a cake on the show.

You know I had brought in my 30th birthday on Nach Baliye last year, now again this year. I just have to make sure for years to come, I celebrate my birthday on Nach Baliye. I'm sure they had planned it from beforehand. But I was taken completely by surprise."

She can't stop talking about the experience. "It was my birthday and things were getting delayed. Then suddenly all this tamasha happened, with Hiten Tejwani getting all serious and declaring that he had a grievance against the judges.

I was like, 'Oh no, here we go again! ' I was just muttering under my breath, when they brought out the cake. I was fighting back my tears. It was very sweet."

Malaika had a very nice theme party on her birthday. "We were wondering. Should I or should I not? My sister Amrita and I finally decided to put together everything literally at the last hour.

We delegated work, and quickly slapped on a rocking theme party where everybody dressed '1980s' and danced to music from that decade.

It was just Arbaaz and my family together. And that's quite a guest list of about a 100 people. We had a blast! Everyone loved the theme."

Nach Baliye requires just one day per week in Malaika Arora's schedule. "And that suits me fine, because it fits into my scheme of things. But I've become so attached to the show, whenever there's no shooting there's a void in my life.

All of us doing Nach Baliye have withdrawal symptoms when we are aren't shooting. Our TRPs show we've nothing to worry about."

Comparing Season 1 of Nach Baliye to Season 2, Malaika observes, "They're both very different, and that's what makes it exciting. The couples in Season 2 are far less open and forthright. In Season 1 they all –Parmeet-Archana, Sachin-Supriya, Apoorva-Shilpa-- spiced up proceedings.

This time they're a little reserved and need to be drawn out of their shells. That sense of repartee is missing during this season. The contestants this time weigh their pros and cons too much. I keep telling them to loosen up. Life doesn't have to be taken seriously."

As for the competition, "Great! Last year it was just Nach Baliye. This time there's Jhalak Dikhla Jaa giving us a run for our money. It keeps us on our toes. Competition is always welcome. Last time we were all babies on Nach Baliye. This time we're far more clued in. I love it!

Last season we shot during weekends. This time we shoot mid-week. The last time when I did television I was terribly possessive about MTV's Loveline. I'm getting equally possessive about Nach Baliye."

About her stunning dresses Malaika explains, "My clothes on Nach Baliye have become a national issue. My sister-in-law Seema Khan does all my clothes on the show. She even did all my clothes last season. She understands my style.

Sometimes I wonder if the dresses aren't too short but Seema is confident I can carry them off. Fellow-judge Kunal Kohli keeps asking me to pirouette for no reason, just so that everyone can see my dress."

Malaika is truly one of the original TV queens. "I feel like I've been on television forever. I get very involved with my shows. In fact now I'm doing a style-based radio shows in Dubai. It's a completely new medium.

People think it's tv without the visuals. But sorry, it's very different. There I am, sitting with the headphone talking away to an invisible audience. It's like talking to myself."

As for Nach Baliye, "Watch out for my dance on Nach Baliye. That should be fun, what with the contestants saying, 'She's been judging us. Now let's see what she can do.'

To dance on the show is scary. I know Saroj Khan will be watching me with hawk eyes. I'll have to rehearse really hard."

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=12407