Chaiyya Chaiyya Fame Malaika Arora and Her Painful Train Shoot
New Delhi, October 22: Certain songs in Hindi cinema become part of popular memory for decades. 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' is one such number, and it gave Malaika Arora a strong identity through her dance on a moving train with Shah Rukh Khan.
Released with the 1998 film 'Dil Se..', the song made Malaika widely recognised. Her graceful moves on screen seemed simple, yet the process of filming them was anything but simple.
In an interview, Malaika shared that the powerful wind on the train often threw her off balance. To keep her secure, the team tied her with a rope. Once the shoot was over and the rope came off, she was left with cuts near her waist, and blood had started to come out.
Malaika Arora was born on October 23, 1973. Her career began in modelling and television. In the 1990s, as MTV India started its journey, she was given the role of a video jockey. She hosted shows like 'Love Line' and 'Style Check', and her conversational style and on-screen charm earned appreciation. Gradually she also established herself in modelling and appeared in several commercials.
The major turning point came in 1998 with 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' from Mani Ratnam's 'Dil Se..'. A.R. Rahman created the music, Gulzar wrote the words, and Farah Khan designed the choreography. Her dance with Shah Rukh Khan on a running train won the hearts of viewers.
However, the shoot had many hurdles. During a dance reality show in 2019, Malaika said that the strong wind kept making her swing from side to side while she performed on the train, and she fell several times. The crew tied a rope from her waist, through her ghagra, to the train so that she could match its speed and stay balanced. When the rope was taken off after the shoot, there were cut marks around her waist and blood was coming out. She noted that the whole team was worried when they saw it.
Following 'Chaiyya Chaiyya', Malaika continued to make her mark with dance numbers. 'Mahi Ve' from the 2002 film 'Kaante' was well liked. She also featured in 'Kaal Dhamaal' from 'Kaal'. In 2010, 'Munni Badnaam Hui' from Salman Khan's 'Dabangg' became one of her biggest hits. She later danced to songs like 'Anarkali Disco Chali' from 'Housefull 2'.
Malaika also acted in films, including 'Kaante' and 'EMI'. Alongside her former husband Arbaaz Khan, she worked in film production and helped start Arbaaz Khan Productions, the banner that produced 'Dabangg'. She went on to serve as a judge on dance reality shows such as 'Nach Baliye', 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa' and 'India's Next Top Model'.