The S-factor

For people who've seen them together, the Arora sisters — Malaika and Amrita — are as alike as peas in a pod. "A sibling does have a lot of influence when you are growing up," agrees actor Amrita Arora.

Reflecting on the impact sister Malaika has had on her she reveals, "You often try to emulate your elder sibling in the way you dress and talk. I was in awe of my sister. My personality in certain ways does mirror hers as did my style of dressing."

But there is a rejoinder: "As one grows older one develops a distinct personality and when it comes to a value system, it is the parents who play a major role."

Another pair of siblings who admit they helped mould one another is television actors Rohit and Ronit Roy.

"I always tried to emulate what my elder brother did as he was always the good-looking one while I was the studious one," says younger brother Rohit Roy. More than three years apart in age, Rohit also accepts his brother's viewpoint on most matters. "Siblings who have a relatively small age gap do tend to influence each other. But their values and characteristic traits stem from the parents."

Also, it isn't always hunky dory, as Rohit points out, "You often get to learn what not to do when you see them make a bad decision."

Clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany, agrees. "If the older sibling is immature or takes a misinformed decision, it is up to the parents to see that the younger one isn't influenced by it." Hingorrany also points out the positive aspects:

"Parents aren't always clued in to prevailing trends and problems within the child's peer group. In such cases, it is the elder brother or sister who takes over."

From dressing style to shopping patterns to dealing with the opposite sex, younger sibling tends to look up to the older one. "My sister and I are just a year apart in age and we are extremely close," says Tanuja Chandra, ratifying Hingorrany's view.

While her brother, Vikram Chandra, is much older and was always, "a solo kind of person," the sisters share a tremendous bond. For Tanuja, shaping one's personality is in the hands of both the parents as well as siblings. She rationalises, "When parents inculcate values, it bounces off the siblings