Arbaaz Khan on taking the Dabangg franchise forward; rubbishes rumours of an impending wedding
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 13, 2019)

Arbaaz Khan’s relationship with Dabangg began as the producer and a pivotal character, Makhan Chand Pandey. After directing Part 2, he is back with the franchise in the original capacities. He attributes this change of guard for the third instalment, which is a bit of an origin story of its hero, Chulbul Pandey, to the makers’ collective urge to “explore something new”.

“There’s been a big gap between Dabangg 2 and Part 3 and lots of things happened in the interim. Since we needed a fresh perspective for the third film, we thought, ‘who better than Prabhudheva’. His association with Salman (Khan) has been successful; he’s known for his commercial potboilers,” he explains.

Since Dabangg 3 is a prequel, will we also see more of Chulbul’s younger brother Makkhi’s character graph? Arbaaz says, “I’m happy with the way my character has developed, there’s a lot more for me to do; it’s got all the flavours now, in that it’s a lil’ bit funny and there are emotions and drama as well. I enjoyed playing the role this time around.”

There’s also a new girl in Chulbul’s life, played by debutante Saiee Manjrekar, whom the Robin Hood cop met much before Sonakshi Sinha’s Rajjo. According to Arbaaz, the addition was in line with the idea of giving the audience something new with each instalment. “Sonakshi and Salman are synonymous with the franchise. We can’t break that pairing. Chulbul is not the kind of guy who’d two-time, either. So, we created the scenario of someone else before he meets Rajjo,” he shares.

Arbaaz goes on to add that since the Pandey family remains the same, the team had to establish a new premise, in a new location, with a new problem and a new villain. “At the same time, the audience must feel like they are watching a ‘Dabangg’ story. With a franchise, you can’t deviate too much, otherwise, you will lose your audience,” he reasons.

Speaking of introducing new characters, Kannada actor Kiccha Sudeep, who was recently seen in Pehelwan, looks like a worthy antagonist for Chulbul Pandey. Arbaaz informs that the team was looking for someone who would be a good match for Salman, as an actor and in stature on screen. “Lots of names popped up, which I won’t reveal. Sudeep rang a bell. He’s a big star down South, it helps to pit two stars against each other. He is a great guy, too,” he says, adding that a film can sometimes take up to a year to go from planning to release so they wanted to work with someone they would enjoy collaborating with.

Next up, the actor has several projects lined up. “My first Malayalam film, Big Brother, with Mohanlal sir, opens in January. It’s huge to share screen space with such a legend. The film is directed by Siddique, who helmed Bodyguard,” Arbaaz informs. He’s got some Hindi film offers too, and is also working on some subjects to produce.

Salman recently told Mirror (Dec 12) that the script of the fourth instalment is already complete. “I can assure you, the fourth instalment will happen in three-four years,” he promises.

There has been a lot of buzz around his personal life, with reports suggesting that girlfriend Georgia Andriani and he will tie the knot next year? “Who says that? My driver? My aunt? My brother? My girlfriend? My best friend? I won’t respond to questions based on hearsay. When I get engaged or married, dhol peet ke bolunga.”

Arbaaz Khan on Chulbul’s new love interest in Dabangg 3; reveals that Irrfan Khan, Randeep Hooda were first choices for Robin Hood cop
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 23, 2019)

Mirror was the first to report (July 16) that Mahesh Manjrekar’s younger daughter Saiee (left) is being launched opposite Salman Khan in the third instalment of his cop drama Dabangg. The actress plays the love interest of the 20-something Chulbul Pandey in the prequel scenes with Sonakshi Sinha as his better half Rajjo in the present day. “Salman has known Saiee for a while. He was sure she fits the bill perfectly as an innocent young girl and after seeing her perform, we know she’s exactly what we wanted for Dabangg 3,” asserts producer Arbaaz Khan.

The Dabangg franchise kicked off in 2010 with Abhinav Kashyap as the director. “When Abhinav narrated the script to me, I asked him why he wasn’t offering me the role of the Robin Hood cop. But more than Chulbul, he saw me as Makkhi, which was an extension of my role in Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na. He was looking to cast Randeep Hooda or Irrfan Khan as the lead then but neither of them had been finalised. I offered to produce the film for him and asked him what if we got Salman on board as Pandey ji. He was instantly excited and things quickly fell in place,” Arbaaz reveals.

Seven years after the sequel, Dabangg 3 rolled on April 1 this year, and Arbaaz points out that the moment Salman gets into uniform and glues on the moustache, he is Chulbul Pandey come to life. “The character fits him like a glove. Even Makkhi has evolved and is integral to the narrative, with different shades in the prequel and the present,” he says, refusing to divulge more.

Arbaaz has been quietly shooting for Priya Varrier’s upcoming film, Sridevi Bungalow, in which he has a special appearance. His character is a lot like who he is in real life. “I play an actor who comes to Priya’s rescue with an action sequence unlike any I have done before, designed by a stunt team from Thailand,” he exults. Prod him on the wink sensation and he says that while he was aware the clip featuring Priya had gone viral, he met her for the first time on the film set and found her to be a hard-working, focused girl. “That wink was a magical moment which got her noticed, but to have a career in this industry, she will have to do some interesting work,” he observes.

Meanwhile Dabangg 3, directed by Prabhudheva, has been on the floors for almost 70 days now. “We are only 60 per cent through. Shooting will wrap up by September end leaving us with three months for post-production,” the maker informs. Quiz him on the surprise element this time and pat comes the answer, “Sudeep (the Kannada actor who plays the antagonist).”

Arbaaz Khan says while Sonakshi Sinha ‘will be part of Dabangg 3’ there is room for one more actress
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; April 11, 2017)

Dabangg is perhaps Salman Khan’s most successful brand. And unlike Ek Tha Tiger, it is homegrown. His fans are eagerly awaiting their Pandeyji. There is a lot of speculation on whether it will be a sequel or prequel, if Sonakshi Sinha will feature in Dabangg’s third instalment and if Malaika Arora will return to do an item song. While Dabangg was directed by Abhinav Kashyap and the sequel was directed by Arbaaz Khan, it is unclear who will direct the third part of the franchise. Here, Arbaaz Khan clears the air. Read on...

What’s the status of Dabangg 3?
It will happen. I’m going to sit down with Salman, ideate on a few things. This year, we begin with pre-production and preparation. Next year, we start work on the film. It will take up an entire year.

There are rumours that it might be a prequel?
There will be a portion of it that will be a prequel, but it won’t be a prequel completely. There will be a back-and-forth scenario.

Do you intend to direct it?
I am still contemplating whether I want to direct it or not. There would be too much on my plate, were I to take it up. Right now, it’s just a possibility that I will direct the film. I will see how everything goes. If I feel comfortable, if I feel there is not much pressure on me because I’m acting, producing, directing, handling Salman, there is a good chance that I will still do it. It’s equally possible that if I can find somebody, who I feel is competent enough, I will bring him in.

That’s worked for the Dhoom franchise. Different guys have directed it.
Yes. Like Dabangg was directed by Abhinav, D2 was directed by me and D3 could be directed by somebody else. The brand remains where it is. There is no pressure that I have to direct the film. I will do it only if I feel there is something new I want to tell. I have done Dabangg 2, maybe another director will have a different view of it. We can guide him. Salman and I are always there with whoever directs it. We are going to give our full support.

Will Sonakshi be a part of it?
She should be a part of it, but there might be another leading lady in the film because you have got to add some amount of newness. You cannot change everything, but you can add a few characters... But it is not as though Sonakshi’s role will be non-existent.

Other franchises have not repeated heroines.
We are more on the lines of the Rocky series. You will see the supporting cast being retained

Will Malaika return to do an item number?
I have no clue. We could manage to get her a small part in D3.

Names like Amy Jackson and Waluscha D’Souza come up in connection to D3.
Nothing is finalised, so I have no clue....

Who is going to write Dabangg 3?
Dilip Shukla is the chief writer and he also wrote for the first two films. Also, Salman himself is making several writing suggestions as he has ideas on the direction Dabangg 3 should take. Much of the writing credit for the franchise should go to Salman, that’s another matter. Any contribution Salman makes to the script is going to be big.

Arbaaz Khan on ties that bind — family, films and ‘friends’
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; March 29, 2017)

In the last two years, Arbaaz Khan has been in the news more for his personal life than anything else. His marriage of 18 years came undone. And if he was coming undone with it, he did a bloody good job of hiding it. In most troubled marriages, one person wants out, while the other wants to fix things. And though he has never talked about it, it has been amply clear that Arbaaz was the one trying to save his marriage. A guest on the 100th episode of Koffee With Karan, one expected him to shy away from talking about his broken marriage. Instead, he laughed, made jokes on himself and his single status, and endeared himself to everyone who watched that episode.

But that episode was about the Khan brothers and not just Arbaaz. I felt he had so much more to say than he did then. It can’t have been easy, but he has handled this unforeseen bump in his life with quiet strength and dignity. Here, AB, as his sister Alvira calls him (short for Arbaaz Bhai) talks about coping with his newfound single status, about dating and why he doesn’t see himself committing again anytime soon. Read on...

What is your state of mind currently?
I am in a good space at this point in time. Everybody has their scenarios, challenges, ups and downs, happiness and disappointments... I am not saying that any of those are completely washed away. There will always be a sense of things you want to achieve, where you want to be, a sense of disappointment, a few regrets here and there. Those are always going to linger. How you cope with them and how you move on is what your life is about. Right now, I am in a better space because I am able to cope with whatever challenges are thrown at me.

There is a perception that you are the most sensitive Khan in the family, and everyone is protective of you. Is that true?
I don’t think so. We are all pretty similar. I am as sensitive as my brothers and other members of my family. Salman, too, is pretty sensitive. Being sensitive means caring for your own feelings as well as those of others. Sometimes, being sensitive is being affected by certain things...

Somehow, you seem mild-mannered.
I have both sides to my personality. I react to things that I don’t like. I am pretty vocal. Probably less vocal now than I used to be because I sometimes feel that saying things to people is ineffective, like water off a duck’s back. And sometimes your opinions come to bite you. I have realised that you have to feel what you feel and cope and deal with it yourself rather than trying to express it because sometimes nothing comes out of it. People do not listen, they don’t care, they do their own thing. And whether it is professionally or socially, sometimes, taking a stand or giving any justification is too much of an effort. Sometimes, you feel like you should just let it go.

Who are you closest to in your family?
In terms of having to share anything, I’m closest to my dad. I go to him without any hesitation. And I know I might not always get to hear what I want to hear, but it will still be a very honest opinion. Salman, I have always admired and he is in many ways like my father. If there is anything I need, he won’t even ask what, where, why or how and just do it. Dad is there for advice and guidance, and Salman is always there for anything you need.

How do you brothers all manage to stay so close when you all live separately?
That’s because of our parents. They have inculcated that culture in us and I hope that, God willing, it stays forever. My parents are old now — God give them a long life — but we have to maintain this forever. When our kids are also grown up, we should not lose that and feel that only our parents are binding us together. They are not the only reason, but they make a big effort. It is great we are a close-knit family and always there for each other. Despite the fact that we do our own thing.

Please continue...
We do manage to spend a lot of time in terms of lunches or dinners or on the farm. We also don’t interfere in each other’s life. We give each other the freedom and the right to take our own decisions. But if there is the need, we rally around each other. No questions asked. Today, if I tell Salman, ‘I want this to be done,’ he won’t bat an eyelid and will do it. He has done a lot for us, he has done a lot for his family.

Any of you would have done that if you were in his position.
Yes. Also, none of us has never tried to misuse his name or connection or the fact that he is family, and he knows that. He has done a lot, even for people who are not his family. And all of us, woh responsibility leke acha kaam karne ki koshish ki hai like Sohail did Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Baby did Bodyguard with him and I did Dabangg. It is not that we have got the opportunity to have him in the film and let him down.

You are doing more work now than you have in the last few years. Is that a conscious decision?
When you are younger, there is pressure on you to play the main leads or the hero roles. But now, there are more opportunities for actors like me at a particular age. There are a lot of character roles where I could fit in. You know... whether it is a cop’s role or an elder brother’s role or a gangster’s role. Whichever roles are there, I am ready for them and I can experiment since I have not been completely typecast in any slot. It is a good chance for me to experiment with the kinds of roles I want to do.

You have played negative characters very early on in your career (like in Daraar), but you didn’t get typecast.
I have done my bit of negative roles and all for a long time. That transition many actors have made from negative to positive to comic. I am looking more for the serious or the negative roles I have done. I think I slip into those characters pretty easily.

You are pretty good in funny roles too. Hello Brother comes to mind.
Doing funny roles is something I enjoy as I am like that in my personal life. As much as like you would like to believe that I am a serious or no-nonsense guy, I am quite a funny guy and I have friends who are funny, I want to translate that onto the screen.

In your interview in Koffee With Karan, you said that perhaps you haven’t reached Salman’s stardom because you did not put in as much effort as Salman put into his work.
I was trying to deduct. It may not necessarily be that. It has got to do with your ability, talent, acceptance and the luck factor. Not everybody gets that lucky, not everybody is that talented or gets the right break at the right time. I put in the effort, maybe it was not good enough. But sometimes certain things don’t work for you. Maybe you are destined to do other things. So if I had made a transition — to producing and directing films — sooner, maybe I wouldn’t have suffered the agony of looking for where my next film was going to come from, every day, though I have done a decent body of work. So many of my contemporaries who I started with, are not even around. I have done over 50 films, that’s a lot. People cast me for me. There was no PR machinery working, no begging for work or anyone making recommendations. I have done my own bit of my own assessment. I have not been able to put a finger on why exactly my career would not have taken off the way I would have expected to, as an actor. I don’t want to dwell too much on it. I know there are certain things that could have been done and changed, but that time has passed.

What are you working on presently?
I might have three releases this year. Some films are complete, one or two are on floors. Some have released — Freaky Ali, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai and one film in Telugu. I have three more films releasing sometime this year. For me, it was important as an actor to keep myself engaged and busy. These are not necessarily films with very big banners, but they are films with people who seem excited about making a good film and they had a role to offer me. I am also doing a film called Jack and Dil and Tera Intezaar with Sunny Leone. There is a film I have done with two youngsters, one is Endreata from South, and with Vikas Verma, the guy who was in Yaariyan. It’s a thriller, a murder mystery.

Why did you take the big break from acting?
In the last three or four years, Dabangg and Dabangg 2 came close to each other. While I was producing and acting in Dabangg, I had grown a moustache. Post that, I got a signal that Dabangg 2 might also happen. So for those four years, I did not take up any work. I also ended up directing Dabangg 2. Actually, it just happened out of circumstance. I had offered the film to Abhinav, in spite of our little professional differences, (they were insignificant ones), but he had other plans. He didn’t want to do a sequel. Then, I felt, who else would do it? Certain names popped up and then I told Salman realistically, I have been born and brought up in the film industry and I have been acting for such a long time, I started my career as a director, I have been closely associated with Dabangg, so I could do it.

I always thought Salman pushed you into direction.
No, he was very accepting when I suggested that I wanted to direct Dabangg 2. He was very fair. He said, ‘You feel confident and feel good about it, then do it. I am there to support you.’ I had been closely associated with Dabangg’s music, casting, scripting and pre-production, so I understood the project better than any new person that would’ve come on board. It was important for me to deliver as a director and I am grateful that we had a successful film and it got the kind of recognition and appreciation it did.

What role have you enjoyed most: actor, director or producer?
I like the behind-the-scenes scenario right now. Maybe if you asked me this 20 years ago, I would have said, ‘I want to be an actor.’ At this stage, I want to tell stories, I want to have a little bit more of creative control. As an actor, you tend to be restricted. But as a filmmaker, your creativity is much higher, you pick your own scripts and actors and locations and costumes, you pick your technical team. You are more involved in the decision-making scenario, which is something I enjoy more.

Is it difficult to go back to being an actor after you’ve been a filmmaker?
No, it’s not. I kind of like it. I feel good and though I have had one or two directors who felt that ‘Now that he is a director, maybe he might interfere or give his suggestion’. I don’t advise or suggest anything to my directors. I believe in two things: if somebody knows his job you should not say anything and if somebody doesn’t know his job, you should definitely not say anything. If they ever do ask me what I think of a situation, I do give my opinion, but not otherwise.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
I am quite meticulous and extremely punctual — those are my best traits. I am lazy when I get down, so that’s my bad thing. I need to be pushed. But when I get on to something, I am a stickler for details and good at getting things right. Punctuality is like a disease with me. I will go to my dubbing, my previews, shootings and even casual meetings on time. It comes from my father. I don’t need anybody to remind me. My person, who is managing my work, has to just send me one SMS. ‘On the 16th, there’s this or that on the 17th and say that this is at 8 o’clock, this is at 10 o’clock, this is your flight here and this is your ticket.’ After he has told it to me, no boy or secretary has to remind me.

You don’t like depending on people?
I do depend on people. I am dependent and I don’t know anybody who is not, but people like to believe they do not need anybody for anything, it’s not true. Everybody needs somebody for some reason. Coming back to my relationship, I had come to a stage where I needed Malaika in my life.

You mean, like your spouse becomes a habit?
No, not in a negative way. Needed her in a way like you need water. It’s not whether you like it or not, you need it, like air. If I don’t get it, I’ll die. So, there comes a point in your life that somebody in your life — your parent, brother, sister or colleague — you need them like that and you should never look at anyone like that. You give someone the importance that they become so valuable in your life. Imagine somebody taking water or oxygen away from you, how would you feel? That’s almost what I felt for a while. Of course, you get used to it. Life goes on, you move on, and you have to make sense of what’s happened and you somehow find that. You cannot always get answers. I look back and see 22 years of togetherness — five years of courtship and 17 years of marriage and a child. And I wonder why this and why that and what could have been corrected. And if there were mistakes from my end or her side. We just couldn’t work around it. We did our bit of counselling... What I am saying is that you should never be embarrassed when you say you are dependent on somebody. I am talking about a genuine need where you feel good/bad/ugly, I cannot do without you. If the air is bad, will you not breathe it? If the water is dirty, will you not drink it? Somebody creates a scenario; you try and live with that. I was in that space where Malaika was somebody I couldn’t live without, under any circumstances. You know, I can never completely deal with it.

Sometimes you have to let go.
You have to just let go, what do you do? It is not easy. We are on good terms. For a while, I wanted her to stay away from me. When you live together and are not together and yet you are together in so many ways, it gets complicated. I said, ‘Just live your life.’ I wanted a gap. The first year, it was, aise nahi ki itna gap de do ki, genuinely, she or I don’t want it.

So you moved out of your house.
Initially, I moved out. Now, she has moved out of our house. She has got her own place and stuff. I am living in this whatever — you know, usika hai jo bhi hai — jab mera nayaa ghar hoga, main shift karunga.

Do you feel like a bachelor now?
Not a bachelor, but I feel single.

Are you in a relationship?
I am not in a relationship. As of now, I am like...

There is speculation about you dating the woman in the pictures on your Instagram account.
Which one? If you are talking about Yellow, she is just a friend. She is somebody who I meet when I go to Goa. She owns a restaurant.

Is she Romanian?
No, that’s another girl — Alexandria. That’s my friend. I am dating, yes. But we are not... As of now, there is still a long way to go.

Most people after being married for long, don’t want marriage a second time and are happier in casual relationships. Agree?
(Smiles) I feel there is a time and an age for sowing your wild oats. I had that phase before I was 26 when I met Malaika. Before that, I was playing the field. I was not in committed relationships, I had a number of girlfriends. When I met Malaika, I felt the need to get married and after four years of dating, we got married when I was 30. I really don’t know whether I have it in me at this point to go through the entire scenario of commitment and giving it everything. The mindset right now, is that if somebody comes in my life, I will see it then…. Maybe even let it go on the way it is, rather than making any promises or commitments.

You have managed to maintain good relations with her family. Comment.
My association with Malaika’s family is as long as my association with Malaika. We have a child together, and there are the grandparents, uncles and aunts. And whatever the reasons for our parting, they have never influenced our equations with the families. They have kept it to themselves as this is the personal decision between the two of us. They have not asked us to get back together...

Any chance of you two getting back together?
I feel, if we had to get more time, we would have got back by now. The fact that we haven’t, means it is not meant to be. I wouldn’t want to speak for her. I kept my option open despite us parting ways, and I gave it a little time, whether it was a year or two years before I moved on in certain ways. Even as far as dating somebody is concerned. So I guess if that was to happen it would have happened in the first six months, or one year. It didn’t and it’s been almost three years now...

How did your son take the separation?
He is quite smart. He turns 15 this year. He is a great boy. In fact, in the years that we have been apart, my son has focused on his studies, on his health, athletics and whatever else he is doing. Which is very credible because he could have very well used our separation as an excuse and said, ‘I don’t feel like studying’ or got into bad company. My son has excelled in everything. We have realised that he knew that there was a situation in the family and he put his focus into his activities and full credit to him. There is a parenting that still happens and we are more careful with him. He has got into great hobbies, has started doing card tricks, he learned them on YouTube. He is very good at cards and some tricks have taken him eight months to master. That is very impressive.

What does he want to do when he grows up?
I have no clue. As of now, there are a lot of things we keep discussing. Sometimes, he gets excited about doing business. Then because he sees his family in the glamour world and everybody telling him that he is a nice-looking boy and probably grow up to be a nice handsome boy, maybe he’ll want to be in films. Whatever he does, we will support him. Acting as a career is not a secure profession. Even if you are a star, you have to go look for your next work and it is Friday-to-Friday. I want to prepare him. Here, every week, every year is a struggle.

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; March 2, 2017)

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 9, 2017)

They called time on their 18-year marriage last March, but when it comes to parental responsibilities or completing the family portrait, Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora ensure they don't play spoilsport. The estranged couple has been attending counselling sessions, a due procedure for divorce proceedings, at the Bandra family court in Mumbai. However, when a NYE picture of the two in the same frame surfaced online, it made their fans go, 'Awww'. Arbaaz brought in the New Year with Malaika's family over a dinner party in Goa.

Despite their split, Arbaaz insists his equation with Malaika's family has remained unchanged. "My association with Malaika spans over two decades. So, I have always been on good terms with her family. We celebrated special occasions earlier too. If things haven't gone well between us, it doesn't mean that the equation with the family changes. They still have a lot of love and affection for me and I have respect for them. Malaika wasn't with us on New Year's, but was there a few days before that. But, that's not the point. We are very amicable," he says.

The two do not want their teenage son, Arhaan, to be affected by their separation. "We are responsible parents and don't want our child to get affected. We want him to grow up in a healthy atmosphere rather than be worried if his parents will confront each other when they meet. Malaika and I are mature individuals and don't want anyone around us to be affected," he says.

On the work front, Arbaaz is busy wrapping up his next film, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, which is scheduled to release in March: "I am at a stage in my career where I take up something if it seems interesting and keeps me occupied. I don't think whether the film has a relatively new cast or a new director. This film has a story about various aspects of life, including love and failure. I play an interesting character and I felt it would enrich me as an actor."

Arbaaz, who turned producer with Dabangg in 2010 and later directed the sequel in 2012, has no qualms in admitting that he is a better producer than actor. "As an actor, I got work, but it never propelled me to stardom. I probably didn't have it in me to be a successful actor. But as producer, I could take charge of myself and my career. Acting will always remain my first love. Producing and directing take time and I can't sit idle for two-three years. I have got a home and office to run and also maintain a certain kind of lifestyle," he explains.

Arbaaz Khan on wife Malaika, brothers Salman, Sohail, and Dabangg 3
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 17, 2016)

Malaika and Arbaaz clear the air about the state of their marriage for the first time
Upala KBR (DNA; March 28, 2016)


Enough is enough
“We have maintained a dignified silence till now but it is causing us too much confusion and is disturbing for our families. To put all of the speculation to rest, we are giving out this statement. People claiming to be our friends and sources have been speaking on our behalf giving out wrong, malicious information. They have maligned us for long and we have kept quiet and not said a word as it’s a personal matter between us. We have got a child and our families are involved, but just because we have not said anything till now, it doesn’t give anybody the license to speculate on any rubbish about us.

What lawyer?
We know that there will be speculation, but it is disturbing to read that Malaika has approached a random divorce lawyer she doesn’t know at all. Nor has this lawyer got in touch with us ever. Whoever this person is, can lose their licence as it’s irresponsible to talk about people who are not your clients.

On a break
The truth is, we have taken a break, but that doesn’t mean people can presume, assume and speculate things of such malicious nature. We are taking out time to figure out our lives... Yes, it’s true that we are separated, but where our lives go and what transpires between us, it is for us to decide. Wherever it goes from here, we will talk about it when we are ready to.

No third person
We are not separated because of a third random person, like there were stories of a friendship between a businessman and Malaika. Nor was it about his family disapproving of her lifestyle, nor does she feel that her husband is not financially stable. She is not crying on her brother-in-law Salman’s shoulders, asking him to help. They are our family, so please don’t talk about them like that. We deeply respect each other’s families. We want to put to rest all these articles which are complete rubbish. Till then, please respect our privacy and do not drag our respective families and our child into it.

Give us our space
Everything that has been carried till now is completely baseless.. Everyone is taking our silence as a sign of weakness. When we are ready to talk, we will. It’s a tough and difficult time for us and we will appreciate it if you can please give us our space.

We have and hold immense respect for each other and hold each other in the highest regard. Ultimately we will do what’s best for our child, us and our family. Please understand what we are going through. We urge the media not to speculate and kindly do not believe whoever your said sources are, unless you hear from the people concerned.”

Arbaaz Khan gets candid about his relationship with wife Malaika in the wake of reports of an imminent split
MUMBAI MIRROR (March 2, 2016)

Barely a month after reports of Arbaaz Khan and his wife Malaika Arora Khan's 17-year-old marriage hitting troubled waters (Mirror, February 2) surfaced, the couple made an appearance on a TV show and put up quite a united front, with the actor-filmmaker speaking candidly about their relationship.

"When you achieve something or someone, you don't want to lose them. I love Malaika but I'm possessive about her," Arbaaz said on the TV show Yaar Mera Superstar as Malaika looked on.

"It wasn't like this when she was younger or when the relationship was new. It has happened now. She is very precious to me. I love her more than anything else in the world. I'm afraid of losing her now," he revealed, adding that he has started listening to her more than ever before now.

"I think with time, you don't have an option. The power has shifted now and has gone to Malaika. I also feel that after a certain age, women take control of things," he said.

The couple's previous joint TV stint, with the reality show Power Couple, was marred by speculations when Malaika stopped making appearance just a few episodes in, leaving Arbaaz to steer it alone as the host. The makers however cajoled her into reuniting one last time with her husband for the finale. 

Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; January 30, 2015)

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 13, 2014)