Mahira Khan Born December 21, 1984, Mahira Khan is a Pakistani actress who works in movies and television; her full name is Mahira Hafeez Khan. Rising among Pakistan’s most sought-after and paid actresses, she has received seven Lux Style Awards and seven Hum Awards, among others. Pakistani actress and heroine Khan first acted in 2011 in a supporting role in the hit social drama Bol after working as a video jockey for different television shows.
She next portrayed a tormented wife in the top-rated romantic television drama Humsafar (2011), which brought her the Lux Style Awards for Best Television Actress. Her portrayal of a variety of unusual characters in several of the highest-rated television shows—including the religious drama Shehr-e-Zaat (2012), the biographical romance Sadqay Tumhare (2014), and the romantic drama Bin Roye (2016)—all of which earned her several Best Actress awards and nominations— Khan became more well-known.
Mahira Khan Biography
Mahira Khan has worked as the female lead in two of Pakistan’s top-grossing films—the 2015 love drama Bin Roye and the 2016 coming-of-age musical drama Ho Mann Jahan—Khan distinguished herself. Her first film in Hindi cinema was the crime thriller Raees (2017), which ranks among the highest-grossing Indian movies of all time and got critical praise for showing a rape victim in the revenge drama Verna (2017) and an aspirational actress in the musical drama Superstar (2019).
After a brief break, Khan starred in the 2022 androcentric action films Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad and The Legend of Maula Jatt and produced Baarwan Khiladi (2022). Apart from his performance, Khan advocates social concerns, including women’s rights and the refugee crisis, as well as speaks out against child abuse and rape.
Since 2019, she has been working with UNICEF; in 2019, she was named national and worldwide UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Afghan migrants in Pakistan. She is a well-known celebrity endorser for companies and goods and has appeared as a host for several TV and award events. She is reserved about her personal life under constant media coverage.
Early Life
Mahira Khan’s friend Ali Askari exposed her to a reality show director while she was living in the United States, who chose her for the show Most Wanted, which ran on MTV in 2006. She later starred as a host on the reality show Weekends with Mahira (2008) on Aag TV. The show became a big hit and grew famous among the viewers. Filmmaker Shoaib Mansoor noticed her on the broadcast and later offered her a part in his Bol (2011), which she turned down. Remembering her opened the door to the entertainment industry for the mature Mahire Khan.
Education
Mahire Khan attended the Foundation Public School, among others, where she finished her A’Level. Following her graduation from the Foundation, she, then seventeen, relocated to California, United States, for further study, where she attended Santa Monica College.
Among her family, Khan was the first woman to live outside their nation. She later said that living in the United States independently enabled her to grow “strong and independent. After enrolling for a Master’s in English literature at the University of Southern California, Khan worked part-time at Rite Aid. She said in an interview, “I used to mop the floor, clean the floor, run the till, and shut the store at night.”. After finishing her first year, Mahira Khan followed her passion for being an actress, stopping her university studies and returning to Pakistan.
Family
Mahira Khan was born on December 21, 1988, to a Pashtun family living in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Her Pakistani actress mature Khan parents are Pathans who speak Urdu. Born in Delhi under the British Raj, her father, Hafeez Khan, moved to Pakistan following India’s division. Her younger brother, Hasan Khan, is an entrepreneur and writer.
Personal Life
Mahira Khan’s personal life is entirely challenging. She has had two marriages. Mahira has also been vocal about social concerns using her platform and has worked on projects combating domestic abuse against women.
First Marriage
After first meeting Ali Askari in Los Angeles in 2005, Mahira Khan married the businessman in 2007. Born in 2010, the couple had a kid called Azlaan. Their marriage suffered, though, and they split in 2016. Mahira shares joint custody of Azlaan with Askari and has openly talked about the challenges of being a single mother in Pakistan.
Second Marriage
Mahira started courting Salim Karim, an entrepreneur and Simpaisa CEO from Pakistan. Up until they declared their engagement, the couple had a somewhat quiet relationship. On October 1, 2023, Mahira wed Salim Karim in a private ceremony that received significant media coverage.
Personal Interests and Advocacy
Apart from her acting profession, Mahira Khan supports several charitable activities. She has started campaigns aimed at empowering women and increasing knowledge of mental health problems in Pakistan. In August 2018, she co-founded a clothes business named Mashion with her brother Hasan Khan, therefore advancing women’s empowerment.
Facts About Mahira Khan
- Her full name is Mahira Hafeez Khan.
- Her date of birth is December 21, 1984.
- Her birthplace is Karachi, Pakistan.
- Her height is 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm).
- Her weight is 55 kg (121 lbs).
- Her figure measurements are 34-26-34.
- Her favorite foods are biryani and nihari.
- Her favorite color is black.
- Her Favorite Actor is Mahira Shah Rukh Khan
- Her favorite books are novels by Khaled Hosseini.
- Her favorite Travel Destination is New York City.
- Her net Worth is approximately $6 million.
- Mahira Khan did A-Levels from Foundation Public School in Karachi.
- Mahira Khan completed her higher studies at Santa Monica College, California, and later enrolled at the University of Southern California.
- In the US, Mahira Khan also worked as a cashier at Rite Aid, where she performed various odd jobs, such as mopping floors and cleaning toilets.
- She started her career as a video jockey (VJ) on MTV Pakistan in 2006 with the show Most Wanted.
- Mahira Khan made her film debut in the movie Bol in 2011
- She became famous for her role as Khirad in the 2011 drama series Humsafar.
- She debuted in Bollywood with the movie Raees in 2017, with Shah Rukh Khan as the lead actor and hero.
- She got multiple awards, including seven Lux Style and Hum Awards.
- She has been an ambassador for UNICEF since 2019, working for women’s rights and child welfare.
- She married Ali Askari from 2007 to 2015 and has a son named Azlan in October 2023.
- She married Salim Karim.
- She was awarded the Most Beautiful Woman in Pakistan in 2012.
Mahira Khan Career
Pakistani actress and heroine Mahira Khan started her career as a VJ in 2006. She also hosted MTV Pakistan’s live show Most Wanted, which aired three days a week. She later did shows like Weekends with Mahira, a reality show for AAG TV In 2008. from 2013 to 2014 she did a show name TUC The Lighter Side of Life where she invited famous personalities as guests and played music videos. In that show, she also answered viewer phone calls.
Career In Dramas
In 2011
Mahira Khan debuted in the Pakistani drama Neeyat in 2011 with co-actors Ahsan Khan, Deepti Gupta, and Humayun Saeed. Mehreen Jabbar directed, and Larry Pontius wrote the script for Neeyat, a narrative about young Pakistanis living outside, negotiating difficult relationships and life decisions. Mahita plays the role of Ayla, and the serial is set in New York. The drama’s reception of Mahira Khan’s performance helped her confirm her status as Pakistan’s top actress on television.
In 2012
In 2013, Mahira Khan starred in the Sarmad Khoosat-directed drama serial Humsafar along with actor Fawad Khan. The public made great remarks about her acting in the drama, which was telecast on Zindagi. The drama series proved popular in India as well. It brought Mahira Khan a Lux Style Award for Best TV Actress and a Hum Award for Best Onscreen Couple.
In 2013
In 2013, Mahira Khan worked in the dram serial Shehr-e-Zaat, where she played the role of Falak Sher Afghan—a young, wealthy woman undergoing a profound spiritual transformation. Falak has an emotional crisis when her idealized love interest, Salman, shows his indifference. The drama was about the narrative examining her changing relationship with faith. Sarmad Khoosat directed that serial; the drama gained great popularity.
In 2014-2015
From 2014-2015, Mahira Khan worked in the drama serial Sadqay Tumhare, a popular Pakistani television drama series. In that drama, Mahira acted as Shano and Adnan Malik as Khalil, who was shot in rural Punjab. The story revolves around a couple who have loved each other since childhood but faced many hurdles due to family conflict, misunderstandings, and societal pressures. The writer of that drama is Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, who wrote a story based on his own love story. That drama also got many awards for the story and Mahira Khan’s acting.
Drama List
Year | Drama Title | Role | Network |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Neeyat | Ayla | Geo TV |
2011-2012 | Humsafar | Khirad Ehsan | Hum TV |
2012 | Shehr-e-Zaat | Zainab | Hum TV |
2014 | Sadqay Tumhare | Shano | Hum TV |
2015 | Bin Roye | Saba Shafiq | Hum TV |
2021 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Mehreen | Hum TV |
2023 | Razia | Razia | TBA |
2024 | Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo | TBA | Netflix |
Career In Films
In 2011
Mahira Khan made her film debut in a supporting role in Shoaib Mansoor-directed Bol in 2011. She portrayed Ayesha, a girl from a strict lower-middle-class family residing in the old section of Lahore, who harbors a mutual love for music with her love interest Mustafa, played by Atif Aslam. Considered both critically and commercially successful, the movie rose to become among the biggest grossing Pakistani films ever made.
In 2015
She featured opposite Humayun Saeed in Shahzad Kashmiri’s directed film Bin Roye in 2015. She won a Lux Style Award for Best Actress (Film), a Hum Award for Best Actress, a Human Style Award for Most Stylish Actress, and a Masala Award for Best Actress. A TV series adapted the movie in 2016, earning her a Hum Award for Best Actor Female and a nomination for Best Onscreen Couple. She gave a supporting performance in 2015’s Sarmad Khoosat-directed biographical picture Manto.
In 2016-2017
In 2016, she starred in the Asim Raza-directed film Ho Mann Jahaan. The movie got her a Nigar Award nomination for Best Actress and a Lux Style Award for Film. In early 2017, Mahira Khan co-starred in Rahul Dholakia’s Indian film Raees, her first Hindi cinema release.
Due to the tensiThe ‘Indian Motion Picture Producers Association’ (IMPPA) and ‘The Film Producers Guild of India’ decided to forbid all Pakistani actors, actresses, and technicians from working in India due to the tensions generated after the 2016 Uri attack, until the matter normalized before the film’s release. that the movie would either cut Khan’s scenes or replace her with another actress.
Lead actor and Shah Rukh Khan, the movie’s lead actor and co-producer, asserted that he would not permit her to promote the film in India. an Indian far-right political group, Khan routinely got threats. Notwithstanding the issues, the movie debuted in January 2017 and had a mediocre commercial performance, grossing over ₹3.0 billion (US$39 million) globally, which made Khan the first Pakistani actress to join Bollywood’s 100 crore club . and the top grossing actress in Bollywood for the first quarter of 2017.
Mahira Khan acted as a rape victim in Shoaib Mansoor’s social drama film Verna. Though the movieDespite receiving mixed reviews overall, her performance earned her a Lux Style Award for Best Actress in 2018.
In 2018
Meenu Gaur-Farjad Nabi’s romance comedy 7 Din Mohabbat in 2018; the film was a commercial flop. In the same year, she starred in the romantic, musical-drama film Superstar, which was her highest-grossing movie locally at the time.
In 2022
She featured opposite Fahad Mustafa in Nabeel Queshi’s action-comedy film Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, which drew conflicting reviews from critics in 2022. She also created a web series called Baarwan Khiladi, which debuted in March 2022. Along with Hamza Ali Abbasi and Humaima Malik, Khan next starred in Bilal Lashari’s Punjabi-language action drama film The Legend of Maula Jatt.
Critics generally gave the October 2022. picture high marks But Khan’s performance drew less approval. The Friday Times’ Syed Zain Raza said, “One can’t deny the star power of Mahira, yet it would be better to state that this wasn’t her film. Mukkho was not supposed for her,” whereas Dawn Images’s Siham Basir penned, “The only downside for me was Mahira Khan’s Mukkho. Her Punjabi accent needed a lot of work because her performance fell flat.”
Filography
Year | Title | Role | Director |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Bol | Ayesha Khan | Shoaib Mansoor |
2015 | Bin Roye | Saba Shafiq | Shahzad Kashmiri |
2015 | Manto | Madari | Sarmad Khoosat |
2016 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Manizeh | Asim Raza |
2016 | Actor in Law | Herself | Nabeel Qureshi |
2017 | Raees | Aasiya | Rahul Dholakia |
2017 | Verna | Sara | Shoaib Mansoor |
2018 | 7 Din Mohabbat In | Neeli | Farjad–Meenu |
2019 | Parey Hut Love | Zeena | Asim Raza |
2019 | Superstar | Noor | Mohammed Ehteshamuddin |
2021 | Aik Hai Nigar | Nigar Johar | Adnan Sarwar |
2022 | Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad | Jia | Nabeel Qureshi |
2022 | The Legend of Maula Jatt | Mukhoo Jatti | Bilal Lashari |
Other Appearance
Mahira Khan is considered among the most well-known and paid actors in Pakistan. Her acting as well as style choices have earned her multiple honors and nominations. Stylecraze ranked Khan as the Most Beautiful Woman in Pakistan in 2012 and as the Eighteenth “Most Beautiful Woman in the World” in 2020.
Eastern Eye’s “Sexiest Asian Women” poll ranks her tenth in 2015, ninth in 2016, fifth in 2017, fourth in 2018, and ninth in 2019. On Twitter and Instagram, Khan is among the most followed Pakistani stars in the nation. Mahira Khan co-hosted the 2013 Hum Awards and the 2010 and 2015 Lux Style Awards, as well as various other award events. Following anti-India comments released ahead of her Bollywood film Raees’ premiere in December 2016, Khan fell victim to false news.
As an ambassador, Khan has represented various brands and goods such as Lux, QMobile, Gai Power Wash, TUC, Huawei, Sunsilk, Veet, and L’Oréal. Khan is well-known for representing Pakistan on many worldwide venues. She represented Pakistan at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 and became the first actress from Pakistan to stroll at the Paris Fashion Week the next year.
In 2019, Peshawar Zalmi, the top-ranked franchise in the cricket league Pakistan Super League (PSL), named her as their brand ambassador. She received honor as the Best International Icon at the Dubai International Film Festival that same year.
Awards And Nominations
Mahira has received 21 award wins and about 34 nominations.
Year | Work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Humsafar | Lux Style Awards – Satellite Best TV Actress | Won |
2013 | Shehr-e-Zaat | Hum Awards – Best Actress (Drama) | Won |
2013 | Humsafar | Hum Awards – Best Onscreen Couple (Drama) | Won |
2014 | Shehr-e-Zaat | Pakistan Media Awards – Best Actress (Drama) | Won |
2015 | Sadqay Tumhare | Hum Awards – Best Actress (Drama) | Nominated |
2015 | Sadqay Tumhare | Hum Awards – Best Actress Popular | Won |
2015 | Sadqay Tumhare | Hum Awards – Best Onscreen Couple (Drama) | Won |
2015 | Bin Roye | Lux Style Awards – Best Lead Actress (Film) | Won |
2016 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Lux Style Awards – Best Lead Actress (Film) | Won |
2016 | Bin Roye | Hum Awards – Recognition Award – Films | Won |
2017 | Verna | Lux Style Awards – Best Lead Actress (Film) | Won |
2017 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Nigar Awards – Best Actress | Nominated |
2017 | Ho Mann Jahaan | International Pakistan Prestige Awards – Best Actress (Film) | Nominated |
2018 | Verna | International Pakistan Prestige Awards – Best Actress (Film) | Nominated |
2018 | Superstar | Lux Style Awards – Best Film Actress (Viewers’ Choice) | Won |
2020 | Superstar | Lux Style Awards – Best Film Actress (Critics’ Choice) | Won |
2022 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Lux Style Awards – Best TV Actress (Viewers’ Choice) | Nominated |
2022 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Lux Style Awards – Best TV Actress (Critics’ Choice) | Nominated |
2022 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Hum Awards – Best Actress Popular | Nominated |
2022 | Prince Charming | Indus Valley International Film Festival – Best Actress | Won |
Social Media Handles
Mahira Khan has 11 million followers on Instagram and follows 514 people.
Mahira Khan has 5.3 million followers on Facebook and follows 33 people.
Mahira Khan has 3 million followers on Twitter, and she follows 172 people.