Who Was Malaika Arora's Father, Anil Arora? Know All About The Ex-Merchant Navy Officer Who Died By Suicide

Actresses Malaika Arora and Amrita Arora’s father, Anil Arora, died by suicide on Wednesday afternoon. According to Mumbai Police, he jumped from the balcony of his home in Mumbai’s Bandra. The family, however, is yet to release a statement on the tragic incident. According to reports, top officers from the Mumbai police have rushed to the location and further details are awaited. Authorities are currently investigating to determine the cause behind the incident.

Who was Anil Arora?

Anil Arora hailed from Fazilka, a border town in Punjab, and was a Punjabi Hindu. Anil spent a significant part of his professional life working in the Indian Merchant Navy.

Marriage and Family

He married Joyce Polycarp, a Malayali Christian and together, they had two daughters – Malaika and Amrita Arora.

Separation and divorce

Despite their efforts to keep their relationship strong, Anil Arora and Joyce separated when Malaika was 11 and Amrita, just 6. This separation had a deep impact on both daughters, particularly Malaika, who has often shared the challenges of growing up in a fractured family.

Malaika Arora on her parents’ divorce

The actress had earlier shared that she was only 11 when her parents, Joyce Polycarp and Anil Arora, separated. After the separation, Malaika and her younger sister, Amrita Arora, who was just 6 at the time, were primarily raised by their mother. After the separation, her mother relocated from Thane to Chembur with both daughters.

During a chat with a magazine, Malaika had opened up on her parents’ separation. She had said, “My parents’ separation allowed me to observe my mother through a new and unique lens. I learned a rock-steady work ethic and the value of getting up each morning to do whatever it takes to become fiercely independent.” She had added, “I had a wonderful childhood, but it wasn’t easy. In fact, in retrospect, the word I would use to describe it is tumultuous. But tough times teach you important lessons too.”

Reactions

Malaika’s celebrity friends were seen visiting the family after the news broke, with videos of her former partner Arjun Kapoor and others doing the rounds on social media. Her ex-husband’s family, too, rushed to be by her side. Her former in-laws Salim Khan and Salma Khan along with son Sohail Khan and daughter Alvira Agnihotri were present at Malaika’s parents’ home.