Mahira Khan on viral smoking pic with Ranbir: Wouldn’t get out of bed, was crying…
Pakistani actor Mahira Khan reflected on the emotional and professional challenges she faced after her viral photos with Ranbir Kapoor emerged. The actor shared how the incident affected her both personally and career-wise.
Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor’s photo went viral in 2017.
Pakistani actor Mahira Khan recently shared insights into her personal and professional struggles following the viral incident involving Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor. The photos, taken in 2017, showed Mahira and Ranbir smoking on the streets of New York, leading to widespread speculation about their relationship and significant backlash, particularly in Pakistan.
During an interview with BBC Asian Network, Mahira reflected on the intense scrutiny she faced, describing the period as overwhelming. She admitted to feeling that her career might be over after reading an article titled ‘The Little White Dress’ published by BBC. The public attention and cultural pressures took a toll on her mental health, leaving her in tears and not wanting to get out of bed at times.
Mahira said, “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. 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,” she added.
As a single mother, the incident added another layer of difficulty in Mahira’s life. Despite the challenges, she chose to remain positive, focusing on personal decisions that prioritised her and her child’s well-being. Professionally, she kept her silence, knowing she couldn’t address the situation publicly.
Mahira expressed gratitude for the support she received from brands and professional partners during this challenging phase, which strengthened her resolve to persevere. She emphasised the importance of staying calm and believing that the difficulties would eventually pass.
Mahira Khan was previously married to Ali Askari, with whom she shares a 13-year-old son, Azlan. They parted ways in 2015. The actor married Salim Karim last year. On the work front, Mahira is set to appear in the Netflix series Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo alongside Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed.
Pakistani actress Mahira Khan breaks silence on viral photos with Ranbir Kapoor and how she cried for days
The Pakistani star opened up on the dark chapters in her life in a recent interview
Pakistani actress Mahira Khan recently opened up about the profound emotional toll triggered by viral paparazzi photos of her smoking alongside Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor.
In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Khan revealed that the incident left her shattered, questioning her career and struggling to cope with the public backlash.
“When those photos came out, I thought, ‘Is my career over?’” Khan shared, recalling an article titled The Little White Dress published around that time. “It said, ‘Here’s a woman who’s achieved unprecedented success in Pakistan, and now it’s all gone.’
I remember reading that and thinking, ‘[expletive].’ But I told myself, ‘Are you mad? This is going to end.’ Maybe it was the 14-year-old Mahira that told me. But I won’t lie — 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.”
The 2017 images, taken on the streets of New York, sparked widespread speculation and scrutiny. While fans questioned a possible romantic link between Khan and Kapoor, the actress found herself at the center of relentless gossip and judgment. Kapoor, however, was not subjected to the same level of scrutiny or vilification, highlighting the stark double standards women often face in the public eye.
In the same interview, Khan described the period as both “tough and insane”.
Khan’s journey has been anything but ordinary. From navigating a public divorce to facing bans on acting in Indian films, the Raees star’s life has unfolded in the spotlight, often testing her strength. Yet, despite the personal battles, she remains determined to rise above the noise.
“It’s been a crazy ride … My audience has traveled 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.”
