Malaika Arora recalls how after her divorce, she was asked to keep her last name of Khan

Malaika Arora, who was married to Arbaaz Khan, discussed how the Khan family's fame in Bollywood is linked to them. Having been married for 19 years, Malaika and Arbaaz divorced in May 2017. Malaika recalls people telling her that the surname carried a lot of "weightage" when she made the choice to shed the "Khan" surname and revert to her maiden one.

Malaika was questioned about her success being linked to the Khan family during the India Today Conclave 2023. I don't believe I could rest on the fact that I had a renowned surname, she said, "but it did have a lot of advantages in my life. I don't believe that fulfilled all of my life's ambitions. That certainly open up a lot of avenues for me, but ultimately, I believe I must work regardless of my married last name. And in order to remain in the game, I had to put in a lot of effort and consistently demonstrate my worth. And I kept working and making a difference even after I dropped my last name in favour of my maiden one.

"I've heard from a lot of people that removing the last name is the worst mistake I've ever made. Several individuals have remarked that I "don't realise the weightage a surname carries." My ex-in-laws and other family members deserve a lot of respect since they have shown me a lot of affection. I am very much a member of the family and have a child, but I wanted to be able to stand on my own two feet for reasons other than my surname. Being able to delete the surname and resume using my maiden name simply made me feel more like myself. It just gave me the confidence to take on or accomplish anything in life, Malaika said.

In 1998, Malaika and Arbaaz were wed. They divorced amicably in 2017, and they now share custody of their son Arhaan Khan.

Malaika discussed co-parenting with Arbaaz and raising her son Arhaan throughout the occasion. She also discussed her professional life and how she remained current despite spending years working in the field.