Her mother, Joyce Polycarp is a
Malayali Catholic and her father, Anil Arora is a Punjabi.
Her first dream was to become a teacher.
She was one of the first
VJs for MTV India when it started its operation in the sub-continent.
Malaika Arora met Arbaaz Khan during a coffee commercial shoot in the 90s and the duo fell in love with each other and later decided to marry.

Malaika Arora was born in Thane, Maharastra. Her parents divorced when she was 11 years old and she shifted to Chembur with her mother and sister Amrita. Her mother, Joyce Polycarp, is a Malayali Catholic and her father, Anil Arora, was a Punjabi native to the Indian border town of Fazilka, who worked in the Merchant Navy.

She completed her secondary education at Swami Vivekanand School in Chembur. Her aunt, Grace Polycarp, was the principal of the school. She is also an alumnus of the Holy Cross High School Thane where she studied until ninth grade. She pursued her college education from Jai Hind College, Churchgate but did not complete it on account of professional engagements. She lived in Borla Society, Chembur opposite Basant Talkies before starting her modelling career.

Malaika was selected as one of the MTV VJs when MTV India started its operations becoming an interviewer and later co-anchoring with Cyrus Broacha the programs Love Line and Style Check. Malaika then entered the modelling world, appearing in many advertisements, for album songs like Bally Sagoo's "Gur Naalo Ishq Mitha" opposite Jas Arora and item numbers such as "Chaiyya Chaiyya" in the 1998 Bollywood film Dil Se...

In the 2000s, apart from featuring in item numbers for various films, she made cameo appearances in a few films. In 2008, she appeared in her first major acting role in the film EMI which was a box-office failure.
In 2010, she featured in the item song "Munni Badnaam Hui" in the film Dabangg, which was produced by her husband Arbaaz Khan. On 12 March 2011, she helped set a world record with 1235 participants performing a choreographed dance to "Munni Badnaam" which she led.
She was the Taiwan Excellence celebrity endorser in 2012. She endorsed Dabur's 30-plus. She states that she never wanted to do acting. She performed live alongside Atif Aslam, Shaan and Bipasha Basu in a series of concerts at LG Arena in Birmingham and The O2 Arena in London.
In 2014, she confirmed that she would make a cameo appearance in the Farah Khan-directed action comedy-drama film Happy New Year.
Malaika appeared on the television show Nach Baliye as one of the three judges. The show was aired on Star One in mid-2005. She continued as a judge in Nach Baliye 2 which started airing in the last quarter of 2006. In this show, she performed many item numbers as an example for the contestants. She appeared on the show Zara Nachke Dikha as a judge on Star One. She was a judge on the show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2010.
Malaika is on the judges panel in the show India's Got Talent.
Malaika was married to Bollywood actor-director-producer Arbaaz Khan in 1998 whom she met during a coffee ad shoot. On 28 March 2016, they announced separation, and later divorced. Together they have a son, Arhaan, born on 9 November 2002. Her sister is actress Amrita Arora, and her former brothers-in-law are Bollywood actor Salman Khan and Bollywood actor-director-producer Sohail Khan. Her former father-in-law is scriptwriter Salim Khan.
1998: Dil Se..2000: Bichhoo (cameo appearance)2002: Maa Tujhhe Salaam (cameo appearance)2002: Kaante as Lisa2007: Om Shanti Om (cameo appearance)2008: EMI as Nancy2009: Helloo India (cameo appearance)2010: Housefull as Pooja (cameo appearance)2012: Housefull 2 as Sarla/Hetal/Anarkali (cameo appearance)2014: Happy New Year (cameo appearance)2010: Dabangg – Filmfare Award for Best Film, National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment2012: Dabangg 22015: Dolly Ki Doli1998: Dil Se.. in Chaiyya Chaiyya1999: Pyar Ke Geet in Dholna2000: Bichhoo in Ekwari Tak Le2001: Indian2002: Kaante in Maahi Ve2005: Kaal in Kaal Dhamaal2007: Heyy Babyy in Heyy Babyy2007: Athidhi in Rathraina (Telugu)2007: Om Shanti Om in Deewangi Deewangi2007: Welcome in Hoth Rasiley2010: Prem Kaa Game in I Wanna Fall Fall in Love2010: Dabangg in Munni Badnaam Hui2012: Gabbar Singh in Kevvu Keka (Telugu)2012: Housefull 2 in Anarkali Disco Chali2012: Dabangg 2 in Pandey Ji2015: Dolly Ki Doli in Fashion Khatam Mujh Par