'Having a relationship doesn't change anything for me as a parent': Malaika Arora
Malaika Arora, during an interaction with a daily, spoke at length about her divorce with Arbaaz Khan, dating Arjun Kapoor and son Arhaan Khan.
After Arjun Kapoor openly spoke about his relationship with Malaika Arora, the latter also did the same quite recently. She first made her relationship with Arjun official on his birthday and then spoke about him during an interaction with HT Brunch. She said, "It feels amazing! When my marriage ended, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be in another relationship and was scared of being heartbroken. But I also wanted to be in love, nurture a relationship, and this new me gave me the confidence to put myself out there and take a chance. I am so glad I did!"
Now while talking to Bombay Times, Malaika was asked about her divorce with Arbaaz Khan and their son Arhaan Khan. She stated, "What transpires between two people is very personal and sacred. The two people who decide to part ways are the only ones who will know the real reasons for it. For people to point fingers and insinuate is very unfair. It’s wrong to judge. Arbaaz and I have moved on, amicably. We have to be sensitive to our child (Arhaan) and his needs. When we parted ways, I felt vulnerable, though I am not a vulnerable person. I didn’t know which direction I wanted to move into. I was just sure that I have to give my child a stable environment, and to date, it has been my number one priority."
She further said, "Gradually, one thing led to another and now, things are how you see them today. I have to give my son a lot of credit for that. He has been very understanding and supportive of me. That was essential for me. My happiness matters the most to him and his happiness, to me. He has been instrumental in shaping my life. There were really no plans of being in another relationship, but things happened organically. We’re now in a phase of our life where we need to give our relationship that respectability by acknowledging each other’s presence."
On being quizzed about parting ways with Arbaaz after many years of their marriage, Malaika replied, "What transpires between two people is very personal and sacred. The two people who decide to part ways are the only ones who will know the real reasons for it. For people to point fingers and insinuate is very unfair. It’s wrong to judge. Arbaaz and I have moved on, amicably. We have to be sensitive to our child (Arhaan) and his needs. When we parted ways, I felt vulnerable, though I am not a vulnerable person. I didn’t know which direction I wanted to move into. I was just sure that I have to give my child a stable environment, and to date, it has been my number one priority. Gradually, one thing led to another and now, things are how you see them today. I have to give my son a lot of credit for that. He has been very understanding and supportive of me. That was essential for me. My happiness matters the most to him and his happiness, to me. He has been instrumental in shaping my life. There were really no plans of being in another relationship, but things happened organically. We’re now in a phase of our life where we need to give our relationship that respectability by acknowledging each other’s presence."
Arora added, "I don’t listen to what people have to say about me. I just care for what my son, my family, my partner and my friends think. I was working, and taking care of Arhaan then, and I am doing that even now. The only difference is that, back then, I was married, and now I am not. What is the hoopla all about? It’s great for people who have had long-standing marriages. But I look at things differently. Something didn’t work out, but now I have a second chance at love and companionship. Second chances are hard to come by and the most amazing opportunities in life. So, why shouldn’t I or millions of other women like me take that chance?"
She concluded by saying, "Having a relationship doesn’t change anything for me as a parent. I’m still my son’s concierge service for everything like every mother is. How am I any less of a mother then? In fact, as a single parent, you tend to overcompensate to ensure the kid doesn’t feel an absence in his life. Arbaaz and I have parted as a couple, but we make sure nothing affects our son. It’s a lot better this way. For the rest, time is the best healer."