Mahira Khan (Mahira Hafeez Khan) is a Pakistani actress who primarily works in Lollywood films and Television shows. Mahira Khan is well known for playing the lead role of Khirad Ashar Hussain, in the Pakistani drama ‘Humsafar’, opposite Fawad Khan.
Wiki/Biography
Mahira Khan was born on Friday, 21 December 1984 (age 37 years; as of 2021) in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. Mahira completed her schooling at the Foundation Public School in Karachi.
Picture of Mahira Khan in her hometown
At the age of 17, Mahira moved to California and got admission to Santa Monica College to complete her higher education. Later, to pursue her bachelor’s degree she got admission to the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. To meet up her expenses in The United States, Mahira took up several odd jobs and worked two jobs simultaneously. In an interview she revealed,
“I had to do everything there: Mopping floors, cleaning toilets, running the till and shutting the store at night. Though my father was paying my college fees, I would make pocket money through these odd end jobs and it wasn’t a big deal”. .
Mahira couldn’t complete her graduation as she got an offer to host a show on MTV. In 2008, she returned to Pakistan.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Weight (approx.): 56 kg
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Body Measurements (approx.): 34-26-34
Family
Mahira Khan belongs to a Muslim family.
Parents & Siblings
Mahira father’s name is Hafeez Khan.
Picture of Mahira Khan’s father
He was born in Delhi but later migrated to Pakistan after the partition of India.
Childhood picture of Mahira Khan with her father
Picture of Mahira Khan’s mother
She has a younger brother, Hassaan Khan, who is a journalist by profession.
Childhood picture of Mahira Khan with her brother, Hassan
Her maternal grandmother’s name is Razia Khannum.
A glimpse of Mahira Khan’s maternal grandmother
Husband & Children
On July 13, 2007, Mahira got married to Ali Askari in a traditional Islamic wedding ceremony.
Wedding picture of Mahira Khan and Ali Askari
They met in 2006 in Los Angles and it was a kind of love at first sight. After 8 years of marriage, the couple got separated in 2015. The couple has a son, named Azlan, who was born in 2014.
Mahira Khan with her son, Azlan
Relationships/Affairs
Mahira Khan is currently dating Salim Karim who is an entrepreneur by profession. He is the CEO of Simpaisa, a Pakistani startup. It is rumoured that they both got secretly engaged in Turkey.
Mahira Khan with her boyfriend, Salim Karim
There were rumours of a link-up between Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor. They met at the Global Teacher Prize ceremony in Dubai where they bonded really well. The rumours of Ranbir Kapoor dating Mahira Khan got stronger when a photo went viral, where both were spotted smoking in New York City. Mahira was heavily criticized for wearing a backless dress and smoking publicly.
A Viral Picture of Mahira Khan smoking with Ranbir Kapoor in New York city
Later, Mahira denied any relationship with Ranbir Kapoor. In an interview, when she was asked about her relationship with Ranbir, she denied it and said,
“No, actually. No, I have been, I was. Now, I realise that love is peace. Love is when you are with somebody and it’s okay and you don’t have to talk. Their presence is important”.
Signature/Autograph
Career
Video Jockey
In 2006, Mahira Khan started her career as a video jockey (VJ) with the Pakistani show MTV’s ‘Most Wanted’.
Poster of Mahira Khan’s debut show, as a VJ on MTV
She also appeared as a host on TV shows like Lux Style Awards, Weekends with Mahira, and TUC: The Lighter Side of Life. In an interview, she said,
It was when I became a VJ that I realised how much I enjoyed interacting with people, sharing their experiences, and playing the music they wanted. “Being a VJ was a completely new experience and it was all about figuring it out”.
Film
In 2011, Mahira Khan made her film debut with the film Bol in which she played the role of Ayesha Khan starring Atif Aslam. In 2015, she starred in her next film Bin Roye in which she played the role of Saba Shafiq. Mahira received four ‘Best Actress Awards’ at different award functions for her role in the film. In 2015, she played the supporting role of Madaran in the film Manto. In 2016, she played the leading role of Manizeh in the film Ho Mann Jahaan. In 2017, Mahira made her Bollywood debut with the crime thriller film Raees, starring Shah Rukh Khan.
Mahira Khan in a still from her Bollywood debut movie Raees
She also appeared in a social drama film Verna where she played the role of a rape victim, Sara. In 2019, Mahira played the leading role of Noor in the film Superstar.
Television
Mahira Khan made her acting debut in 2011 in the show Neeyat in which she played the role of Aalia. Next, she appeared in the romantic drama Humsafar alongside Fawad Khan which was aired on India’s Zee Zindagi.
Mahira, in a still from her show, Humsafar
The show got incredible success and Mahira Khan’s acting was appreciated by the viewers. In 2013, she played the role of Falak in the show Shehr-e-Zaat. In 2014, Mahira starred in the drama serial Sadqay Tumhare in which she played the role of Shano. In 2021, she appeared in a drama series Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay in which she played the role of Mehreen Mansoor.
Commercial
Mahira Khan featured in commercial advertisements for various brands like Samsung, Oppo, Slice, Coca Cola, Lux, Veet, Loreal Paris, Aquafina TCL, Lays, Nescafe, and many others.
Controversies
Halloween party picture with Shiv Sena Worker
In 2015, Mahira Khan, at a Halloween party, posed for a picture with a person dressed up as a Shiv Sena worker. In the photo, the man dressed up as a Shiv Sena worker is seen holding a poster which reads, ‘Mahira ko Bahar Nikalo’. Later, Mahira posted a tweet and apologized for the same.
Mahira Khan posing for a picture with a person dressed up as a Shiv Sena worker
Ban On Pakistani Actors
After the Uri attack in 2016, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) and The Film Producers Guild of India decided to ban all Pakistani actors, actresses and technicians from working in Bollywood. Hence, Mahira was not allowed to promote her movie Raees in India. Even Shah Rukh Khan, her co-actor, made a statement that she would not be allowed to promote the film in India.
Awards
- 2013: Satellite Best TV Actress for Humsafar at 12th LUX Style Awards
- 2013: Best Actress(Drama) for Shehr-e-Zaat at Pakistan Media Awards
- 2013: Best Actress (Drama) for Shehr-e-Zaat and Best Onscreen Couple (Drama) along with Fawad Khan for Humsafar at Hum Awards
Mahira Khan, with her award for Best Actress
- 2014: Best Actress (Drama) for Shehr-e-Zaat at Pakistani Media Awards
- 2015: Best Actress Popular and Best Onscreen Couple (Drama) for Sadqay Tumhare at Hum Awards
- 2016: Best Actress (Film) for Bin Roye and Best TV Actress for Sadqay Tumhare at the 12th LUX Style Awards
- 2016: Best Actress Popular (Drama) for Bin Roye at Hum Awards
- 2016: Vogue Face to Watch Out For Award at Vogue Beauty Awards in India
- 2017: Best Actress (Film) for Ho Mann Jahaan at LUX Style Awards
- 2018: Best Actress (Film) for Verna at LUX Style Awards
- 2018: Contribution to Film and Activism Award at 20th annual UK Asian Film Festival, London
- 2019: Awarded with a trophy for recognition in the film industry at Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA)
Mahira Khan at Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA)
Favourites
- Food: French fries and a glass of soda.
- Actor(s): Hrithik Roshan, Guru Dutt, Sharukh Khan and Johnny Depp
- Actress: Madhuri Dixit
- Holiday Destination: Netherlands
- Colour: White
- Poet: Sahir Ludhianvi
Facts/Trivia
- Mahira is fondly called by the name Mazdoor Khan, Mahiru, and Gangu by her friends and family.
- She has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of the British Asian Trust to support their work across South Asia.
Mahira Khan shared a post on Instagram where she was announced British Asian Trust Ambassador
- Mahira has a huge fan following on social media. She has 9.1M followers on Instagram, 2.9M followers on Twitter and 5.4M followers on Facebook.
- She has a hobby of writing in her spare time. Mahira keeps a journal where she describes her thoughts for her son Azlan.
- Mahira’s most prized possession is a letter that her grandfather wrote to her.
- In 2019, Mahira Khan was appointed National Goodwill Ambassador for The UN Refugee Agency.
- Mahira is the highest-paid actress in Pakistan.
- Mahira is featured in several magazine covers like Vogue Beauty, Hello, Gracia, and many more.
Mahira Khan on the magazine cover of Grazia
- In 2015, Mahira ranked 10th in the ‘Sexiest Asian Women’ poll by the British newspaper, Eastern Eye.
- She is also recognized as the Sexiest Pakistani woman of 2015.
- In 2012, Mahira was called the Most Beautiful Woman in Pakistan.
- Mahira Khan is the first Pakistani actress to debut at Cannes in 2018.
Mahira Khan’s debut at Cannes 2018
