Mahira Khan has had her fair share of ups and downs, professionally and personally, but she has always found a way to bounce back. Recently, the Raees actress spoke up about her problems as a divorced single mother and the difficulties she endured when she and other Pakistani artists were barred from performing in India.
She also opened up about the emotional toll the viral photographs of her smoking with Bollywood hunk Ranbir Kapoor took on her, confessing that they had her in tears for days.
In an honest interview with BBC Asian Network, Mahira stated, “It’s been a crazy ride. My audience has travelled this journey with me. The divorce, having a baby and my baby being along in this journey with me, being single for so long, those photos coming out, a ban somewhere else in another country… it has just been insane. Those were tough times and amazing times but there also have been tougher moments but I have chosen not to share them."
Mahira Khan stated that after her images with Ranbir Kapoor became viral, she felt her career was finished. For Mahira, the photographs had a significant emotional impact.
In 2017, images of Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor smoking in New York went viral, generating a lot of attention. The photographs prompted suspicion and rumour, especially since Mahira, a Pakistani actress, was already dealing with issues stemming from India's ban on Pakistani artists.
Image: Mahira KhanInstagram
The photographs sparked heated debate, with some praising the two stars' relationship and others criticising Mahira for her clothing and smoking habits.
On the personal front, Mahira Khan married her childhood sweetheart, Ali Askari. She married her first spouse in 2007, and they have a son, Azlan, who was born in 2009. However, their marriage encountered difficulties, and in 2015, Mahira and Ali decided to split. She is currently married to Salim Karim.