The stunning and gorgeous Pakistani superstar Mahira Khan turns 36 today. She’s one of the most popular faces in the Pakistani entertainment industry. She gave Bollywood one of its biggest hits, in 2017.
The actor has had a rather busy year, thanks to her various projects. The star has been busy shooting this year for her two upcoming films, Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, which will mark her debut project with fellow actor Fahad Mustafa and secondly, she will be reuniting with Fawad Khan in Neelofar.
She powered through all of it with her head held high. She represents the country on many platforms and she never shies away from standing up for what is right. As she turns 36, we look back at all she’s achieved in her successful journey.
Personal Life and early career
Mahira was born on 21st December 1984. For her higher education, she moved to Santa Monica College – California. For her bachelor’s degree, she first enrolled in Chemical Engineering and later transferred to Psychology at the University of Southern California. However, she did not complete her education as it was not her calling.
Mahira Khan started off her journey into the world of entertainment as a VJ – first for MTV Pakistan, and then for Aag, in her show, “Weekends With Mahira”. We then saw her make her film debut with one of the biggest films to have ever come out in Pakistan, Shoaib Mansoor’s ‘Bol’ in 2011.
Mahira played a supporting role, against Atif Aslam’s Mustafa, where she tries breaking the shackles that her orthodox father has put on them, in hopes of pursuing her passion for music.
In the same year, she made she debuted on the small screen, as well, with Mehreen Jabbar’s “Neeyat”. Before there was ‘Bin Roye’ Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed appeared together in Neeyat.
It wasn’t until ‘Humsafar’, though, that people officially knew that Mahira Khan had arrived. In the same year 2011, she was named the Most Beautiful Woman in Pakistan, by Eastern Eye
Her Marriage
Mahira Khan married Ali Askari back on July 13, 2007. At that time Ali Askari was head of MTV. The two enjoyed marital bliss for eight years and have a son Azlan together. Mahira Khan got separated from her husband in 2015.
In April 2020, Pakistani superstar Mahira Khan revealed that she was in love and her special someone is not from the entertainment industry. The Raees actor was asked whether there was someone special in her life to which she confessed that she was in love. “Yeah, I think I am in love,” Mahira smiled. When Samina went on to congratulate her, the actor said, “I don’t know, I am so shy about it.”
Journey to Bollywood
In 2017, Mahira gave us the blockbuster ‘Raees’ in Bollywood. Opposite the always-reigning King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, Mahira was appreciated for her role, amidst all the controversy that surrounded the release of the film. Moreover, the film also initiated a ban on Pakistani actors working in Bollywood, however, the film went through, in spite of Mahira not being allowed to promote the film in India.
Achievements
The actor was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador by the UNHCR in November. She joined the UN Refugee Agency and is now using her new position to speak up for the cause.
She also represented Pakistan at Paris Fashion Week. Mahira became L’Oreal Pakistan’s brand ambassador and even made an appearance in Cannes 2018. In 2019, she attended the prestigious Paris Fashion Week where she strutted the ramp for L’Oreal’s collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld.
She joined the first-ever National Youth Council. Prime Minister Imran Khan formally approved the launch of 33-member National Youth Council (NYC) in July. The council was formed to uplift the youth of the country.
Mahira was included in BBC 100 most influential women because she ‘speaks up about the causes and issues that matter to encourage change’. The Raees star also made it to Forbes 100 Asia Social Media Stars.
Mahira, in 2020, won Best Actress at Pakistan International Awards for her latest film Superstar, starring Bilal Ashraf. Other than PISA, Mahira also bagged the Best Actress award for Superstar at this year’s Lux Style Awards as well.
