Who is Malaika Arora's 4 am keeper of secrets?

Malaika Arora and Vahbiz Mehta

Malaika Arora
Actor, model and television host, Arora became every Indian man's fantasy when she danced atop a train to Chaiyya Chaiyya

When I met Vahbiz at work, I thought for a tiny person, she was dynamite. She could throw her voice and everyone was scared of her. We needed someone like her, who could crack the whip, and keep things under control without being too bossy. Since then, we have lived our lives together, and travelled across the world. The only problem: she never wakes up for breakfast and she doesn't come along for workouts. She says my warm-up is her entire workout.

Vahbiz is not just my 4 am friend. She is the all-time, anytime friend. She is the keeper of my secrets, sounding board and voice of reason. You always have one friend for one kind of need, but she is all encompassing. With her, I have no filters. She has seen me through the highs and lows, and in the business we are in, it's important to stay grounded, which she is. She will listen to all sides before she offers her opinion. If I fight with Amrita [sister], she will say, "maybe you should put yourself in her shoes." "I am there for you, but know the pros and cons before you decide for yourself", is her stand. Sometimes, she will suddenly call and inquire, "Mals, are you okay?" I think we share an umbilical cord. I am the introvert, and so, if people want to know what's going on with me - even my family and manager - they call her.

That we are both independent women, who inspire each other to be creative and self sufficient, has helped us stay together. We are very headstrong too, and have had our share of fights. Once, we didn't speak for almost a month. It was hard for the both of us to back down, and to say, I am sorry. For us, this relationship is about conversations to be had until our next trip. That's the main agenda.

Vahbiz Mehta
Mehta has spent 22 years in the fashion industry, seven as a top show director

Malaika and I go back 20 years. We met at work; she was a model and I, a backstage manager. We were thrown together into sharing rooms when we travelled, and discovered that we liked the same things. For starters, we were non-smokers. We are obsessive about tidiness, and we both love South Indian food. She introduced me to the combination of curd-rice, pickle and fried fish.

But my first impression of her was from the point of view of a show director. I thought to myself: how is she a model? She was 5 feet 3 inches! But then I saw her walk the ramp, and how she owned it. She looked six feet tall. And this is all before Chaiyya Chaiyya. She was already famous; she was seeing Arbaaz [Khan], and she had done the infamous MR Coffee ad. But she was surprisingly approachable.

Even before cell phones came into our lives, we'd speak every day, and keep track of each other's schedules. We have seen each other through our weddings and the birth of children, and we have traveled a great deal - America, Greece, the Maldives. I think once people travel together, they realise if they can be friends or not. And we were alike, except that she is delusional when it comes to how much she can shop. Once in Cairo, we went to a home decor store where they had set packs made for the bedroom, for the kitchen, and so on. She bought the whole set for all rooms. At the end of that trip, I was sitting on her suitcase, trying to ram everything in.

When she was pregnant with Arhaan, we held a picnic on the MET [Metropolitan Museum of Art] rooftop in New York. On our Italian vacation, the best ever, we went around looking for the perfect Tiramisu, and ate it for every meal. On a deeper level, she inspires me to be a good friend. I am always giving her advice, mostly unsolicited. If she asks me for it, I tell her the truth, and she doesn't resent me for it. That's because she is down to earth to a fault. I have to tell her sometimes, 'Mals, you really need to know who you are!' She gives family and friends priority over everyone. She would rather be at a friend's place than a social gathering to be seen at. My birthday falls on May 24, and Karan's [Johar] on 25th. One year, I had a simple birthday, and he, a huge party. We wrapped up at 1.15 am, and the next day when I saw the papers, I realised she hadn't gone to Karan's, and she didn't even mention it.

Ours is an evolving friendship. We share everything. Last Sunday, I told her something important [about my life]. We have shared darker and deeper stuff over time. We are each other's retirement plan. The ultimate security blanket is not your husband, not even your children. It's your friend. As far as love goes, we have very different tastes in men. It's all about following your heart, and seeing things through, and she is leading by example.

Also Read: Malaika Arora's latest Monday Motivation post is all about showing up

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates