Malaika Arora Reflects On 25 Years Of Bollywood And Personal Reinvention

MUMBAI – As the first quarter of the 21st century draws to a close, Malaika Arora is looking back on a period defined by change, growth and constant reinvention, both for herself and for Hindi cinema. She said Bollywood has undergone a meaningful transformation that has reshaped storytelling, technology and the way audiences engage with films.

Reflecting on the past 25 years, Malaika noted that Bollywood has evolved beautifully from the late 1990s, when cinema was largely formula driven and dependent on star power. Today, she said, storytelling is braver, more layered and more honest, allowing a wider range of voices and narratives to find space in the mainstream.

She pointed to major technological shifts as another defining factor, citing the move from traditional filmmaking to digital cinema, the rise of visual effects and the emergence of streaming platforms. According to her, audiences have also changed significantly, becoming sharper, more involved and more open to diverse stories. The most surprising shift for her, she added, has been the gradual mainstream acceptance of content led cinema and unconventional storytelling.

On a personal level, Malaika described her own journey as one of reinvention, moving beyond glamour and dance to focus on fitness, entrepreneurship and writing, including becoming a published author.

Looking at films that have shaped this era, she named Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Queen, Gully Boy and Andhadhun as milestones that redefined mainstream Hindi cinema. She also highlighted Shah Rukh Khan’s body of work, from Swades and Chak De India to My Name Is Khan and more recently Pathaan, as films that have influenced Bollywood’s emotional and cultural pulse across generations.

Malaika further noted that the careers of actors such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon reflect the industry’s evolution. She cited performances in Jab We Met, Omkara, Gangubai Kathiawadi and Mimi as examples of stronger, more complex female characters gaining prominence.

According to her, these films and performances, along with the rise of female led narratives and streaming platforms, have laid the foundation for the next phase of Hindi cinema. She concluded that Bollywood today confidently balances scale with substance, expanding globally while remaining rooted in its cultural identity. (IANS)