Mahira Khan thought her career was over after photos of her smoking with Ranbir Kapoor went viral, says

In a recent interview, Mahira Khan talked about her life and some of the challenging times she went through.

Mahira Khan is one of Pakistan’s most celebrated actresses, known for her remarkable talent and undeniable charm. With a career across both, television and film, she gained recognition in India for her role alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Raees. Mahira Khan has become a household name across the world, thanks to her iconic role in the renowned television series Humsafarwhere she starred alongside Fawad Khan. In a recent interview, the actress talked about her life and some of the challenging times she went through.

Mahira Khan’s viral photograph with Ranbir Kapoor

One such difficult time was when photographs of Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor went viral, where the two were seen smoking together. In an interview with BBC Asian Networkshe described that incident as a tumultuous time in her life. She shared, “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 moments that have been tougher, but I have chosen not to share them.”

Mahira Khan revealed that she initially feared her career might be over after her photographs went viral on the internet. She recalled reading an article titled ‘The Little White Dress’ published by BBCwhich questioned her future after achieving success in Pakistan. She said, “When the photos came out, there was an article called ‘The Little White Dress’ that was published in BBC, and I failed to see the brilliance of that article at that time. In fact, I think I may have. I remember reading it and thinking, ‘Is my career over?’ In that article, it was written that ‘here is a woman who has achieved this kind of success that no one in Pakistan has achieved, all the endorsements and all that, and now it is all gone. What is going to happen to her?’ I read it and I was, like, ‘Damn.’ But I told myself, ‘Are you mad? This is going to end,’ maybe it was the 14-year-old Mahira that told me.”

Mahira Khan thought her career was over after photos of her smoking with Ranbir Kapoor went viral, says “I was…”

However, despite the emotional and professional turmoil, the actress remained resilient. She mentioned, “But I won’t lie that that time was very tough. I wouldn’t get out of the bed, I was crying daily, it affected my professional and personal life. Lots happened on my personal side. I did the right thing personally. I made some personal choices that were right for me and my child. Professionally, I kept quiet because I knew at that point I couldn’t say anything. All the brands called me and said we are with you.”

About the photograph

In 2017, photographs of Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor smoking together in New York went viral, causing massive buzz on social media. The photographs were widely talked about. While some focused on the chemistry between the two celebrities, others slammed the actress for her choice of clothes and smoking.