Director Abhinav Kashyap has revealed that Arbaaz Khan was initially against Malaika Arora starring in the iconic song "Munni Badnaam Hui" from the 2010 film Dabangg. Kashyap, in an interview, stated that Arbaaz was uncomfortable with the idea of his then-wife being labeled as an "item girl".

Kashyap explained that the Khan brothers, despite their public image, come from a "conservative" Muslim family. He noted that Malaika also had disagreements with Salman Khan regarding her outfits, as the brothers preferred women to dress more modestly. "They want their women covered up. So, they didn't want her to do the item song," Kashyap said.

According to Kashyap, Malaika is a "strong and independent woman" who makes her own choices. Despite Arbaaz's initial reluctance, Malaika agreed to do the song and convinced him that it was "nothing vulgar, just dancing only, and it's all family around in the song, what are you scared of?". Her persistence eventually led to Arbaaz's approval.

Kashyap chose Malaika for "Munni Badnaam Hui" because of her exceptional dancing skills. He noted that she was already famous for songs like "Chaiyyaa Chaiyyaa" and "Hoth Rasiley" and that she hadn't done many acting roles. Kashyap needed someone who could carry the song well, and Malaika's dance talent and star power made her the perfect choice.

Interestingly, Salman Khan was not initially intended to be in the song. Kashyap had planned for Salman to appear only after the song ended, giving Sonu Sood, who played the villain in Dabangg, more screen time. However, Salman insisted on joining the number, which led Kashyap to adjust the sequence, allowing Salman to appear earlier and slightly pushing Sonu to the background.

"Munni Badnaam Hui" became a massive hit, solidifying Malaika Arora's position as a top performer and contributing to the film's success. The song remains popular and is frequently played at weddings and parties.