Mahira Hafeez Khan (born December 21, 1984) is a Pakistani actress. Her surname is pronounced [mahira hafiz xan]. In 2006, she began her career as a VJ. Khan is best known for her role as Khirad Hussain in the romantic drama Humsafar, for which she won numerous awards, including the Lux Style Award for Satellite Best TV Actress and the Hum Award for Best On-screen Couple with Fawad Khan.
She made her feature film debut opposite Atif Aslam in the 2011 romance Bol, for which she was nominated for a Lux Style Award for Best Film Actress. Khan made her Bollywood debut in 2017 with the action-romance Raees, in which she co-starred with Shah Rukh Khan. She has also appeared in Pakistani films such as Bin Roye (2015), Ho Mann Jahaan (2015), 7 Din Mohabbat In (2018), and Superstar (2019). Baarwan Khiladi, a sports web series, marked her debut as a producer (2022).
Early years
Khan was born on December 21, 1984, in Karachi, Pakistan, to an Urdu-speaking Muhajir family of Pashtun ancestry. Her father, Hafeez Khan, was born in Delhi, British India, and moved to Pakistan following India's partition.
Khan went to Foundation Public School, where she finished her O-Levels. She moved to California for higher education at the age of 17, where she attended Santa Monica College. She then went on to earn her bachelor's degree at the University of Southern California. She did not complete her undergraduate degree, however, and returned to Pakistan in 2008. She worked as a cashier at a Rite Aid store in Los Angeles while studying in the United States.
Personal life
Khan met Ali Askari in Los Angeles in 2006 and married him in 2007 in a traditional Islamic wedding ceremony, despite the fact that Khan's father was reportedly opposed to the marriage. They have a son, who was born in 2009. In 2015, the couple divorced.
Early work in one's career (2006–2011)
Khan began her career as a VJ in 2006, hosting the three-day-a-week live show Most Wanted on MTV Pakistan. In 2008, she hosted AAG TV's reality show Weekends with Mahira, where she played music videos, spoke with celebrity guests, and took viewer phone calls.
Khan made her film debut in the Shoaib Mansoor-directed Bol in 2011, where she played a supporting role. She portrayed Ayesha, a girl from a conservative lower-middle-class family who lives in the old part of Lahore and shares a love of music with her love interest Mustafa, played by Atif Aslam. The film was a critical and commercial success, becoming one of Pakistan's highest-grossing films of all time. The same year, Khan made her television drama debut in Mehreen Jabbar's Neeyat. The serial was set in New York, and she portrayed Ayla.
Recognition and breakthrough (2012–2017)
She then appeared in the drama serial Humsafar, directed by Sarmad Khoosat. The drama and Khan both received favourable reviews from critics. The drama series, which aired on Zindagi, was also a success in India. She received a Lux Style Award for Satellite Best TV Actress and a Hum Award for Best Onscreen Couple for her performance. Shehr-e-Zaat, directed by Sarmad Khoosat, starred her in 2013. Her performance in the drama earned her Best Actress honours from the Pakistan Media Awards and the Hum Awards. She hosted TUC The Lighter Side of Life, a talk show, from 2013 to 2014.
In 2014, Khan starred in Mohammed Ehteshamuddin's drama serial Sadqay Tumhare, in which she played Shano. The drama earned her a Lux Style Award for Best TV Actress, two Hum Awards, and a nomination for a Hum Award. Bin Roye, directed by Shahzad Kashmiri, starred her opposite Humayun Saeed in 2015. She received a Lux Style Award for Best Actress (Film), a Hum Award for Best Actress, a Hum Style Award for Most Stylish Actress (Film), and a Masala! Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film. The film was also adapted into a TV series in 2016, earning her a Hum Award for Best Actress Female (Drama Serial) and a nomination for Best Onscreen Couple. In 2015, she appeared as a supporting actress in Sarmad Khoosat's biographical film Manto.
She appeared in the Asim Raza-directed film Ho Mann Jahaan in 2016. Her performance in the film earned her a Lux Style Award nomination for Best Actress (Film) and a Nigar Award nomination for Best Actress.
Khan made her debut in the Hindi film industry in early 2017, co-starring in Rahul Dholakia's Raees. Due to the tensions created by the 2016 Uri attack, the 'Indian Motion Picture Producers Association' (IMPPA) and 'The Film Producers Guild of India' decided to bar all Pakistani actors, actresses, and technicians from working in India until the situation was normalised. According to reports, there were rumours that Khan's scenes would be cut from the film or that she would be replaced by another actress. Shah Rukh Khan, the film's lead actor and co-producer, stated that she would not be permitted to promote the film in India. Shiv Sena, an Indian far-right political party, repeatedly threatened Khan. Despite the controversies, the film was a modest commercial success, earning over 3.0 billion (US$39 million) worldwide, making Khan the first Pakistani actress to join Bollywood's 100 Crore Club and the highest-grossing actress in the first quarter of 2017.
Recent accomplishments and work (2018–present)
Khan debuted as a singer in 2017 when she played a rape victim in Shoaib Mansoor's social drama Verna. The film received mixed reviews, but her performance was praised, and she won a Lux Style Award for Best Actress in 2018. She appeared in Meenu Gaur-Farjad Nabi's romantic comedy 7 Din Mohabbat in 2018, which was a commercial flop. She made a cameo appearance in Asim Raza's Parey Hut Love in 2019. The same year, she starred in Superstar, a romantic musical drama that became her highest-grossing domestic film at the time.
She co-starred with Fahad Mustafa in Nabeel Qureshi's action-comedy film Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad in 2022, which received mixed reviews from critics. She also produced the web series Baarwan Khiladi, which premiered in March 2022. Khan then co-starred with Fawad Khan in Bilal Lashari's Punjabi-language action drama film The Legend of Maula Jatt, which also starred Hamza Ali Abbasi and Humaima Malik. The film was widely praised by critics when it was released in October 2022. However, Khan's performance was not well received, according to Syed Zain Raza of The Friday Times "One cannot deny Mahira's star power, but it would be more accurate to say that this was not her film. Mukkho wasn't meant for her," wrote Dawn Images' Siham Basir, "the only downside for me was Mahira Khan's Mukkho, Her Punjabi accent needed a lot of work because her performance fell flat." ".
Other work and media representation
Khan is regarded as one of Pakistan's most popular and well-paid actresses. She has won several awards. Khan was named Pakistan's Most Beautiful Woman in 2012. She was ranked tenth in Eastern Eye's 'Sexiest Asian Women' poll in 2015, ninth in 2016, fifth in 2017, and ninth again in 2019. She has also been dubbed "Pakistan's Sexiest Woman."
Khan co-hosted the 10th Lux Style Awards in 2010, the first Hum Awards in 2013, and the 14th Lux Style Awards in 2015. Khan became a victim of fake news in December 2016, when an anti-India comment surfaced ahead of the release of her Bollywood debut film Raees.
She is an ambassador for several brands, including Lux, QMobile, Gai Power Wash, Huawei, Sunsilk, Veet, and L'Oréal. Khan was named to the BBC's 100 Women list, which was announced on November 23, 2020.
Mahira's M
Mahira Khan debuted her clothing line, "M By Mahira."
Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Bol | Ayesha Khan | |
2015 | Bin Roye | Saba Shafiq | |
Manto | Madaran | Appeared in screen credits and song "Kya Hoga" | |
2016 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Manizeh | |
Actor in Law | Herself | Special Appearance | |
2017 | Raees | Aasiya | Indian film |
Verna | Sara | ||
2018 | 7 Din Mohabbat In | Neeli | |
2019 | Parey Hut Love | Zeena | Special appearance |
Superstar | Noor | ||
2022 | Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad | Jia | |
The Legend of Maula Jatt | Mukhoo Jatti | ||
Neelofar | Neelofar | Completed |
Year | Show | Role |
---|---|---|
2011 | Neeyat | Aalia |
Humsafar | Khirad Ehsan | |
2012 | Shehr-e-Zaat | Falak |
2014 | Sadqay Tumhare | Rukhsana "Shanno" |
2016 | Bin Roye | Saba Shafiq |
2017 | Main Manto | Madari |
2021 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Mehreen |
Year | Title | Role | Platform |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Churails | Shagufta | ZEE5 |
2022 | Baarwan Khiladi | Producer | Tapmad |
Year | Show | Role | Additional notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | MTV's Most Wanted | Host | |
2008 | Weekends with Mahira | ||
2011 | 10th Lux Style Awards | [82] | |
2012 | Coke Kahani | Herself | Special appearance |
2013 | 1st Hum Awards | Host | [83] |
2014 | TUC The Lighter Side of Life | [104] | |
2015 | 14th Lux Style Awards | [84] | |
2021 | Aik Hai Nigar | General Nigar | [105][106] Telefilm |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Lux Style Awards | |||
2013 | Humsafar | Satellite Best TV Actress | Won |
2016 | Bin Roye | Best Lead Actress in a Film | Won |
Sadqay Tumhare | Best TV Actress | Won | |
2017 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Best Lead Actress in a Film | Won |
2018 | Verna | Best Lead Actress in a Film | Won |
2020 | Superstar | Best Film Actress (Viewers' Choice) | Won |
Best Film Actress (Critics' Choice) | |||
2022 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Best TV Actress-Viewers' Choice | Nominated |
Best TV Actress-Critics' Choice | Nominated | ||
Pakistan Media Awards | |||
2014 | Shehr-e-Zaat | Best Actress (Drama) | Won |
Hum Awards | |||
2013 | Shehr-e-Zaat | Best Actress (Drama) | Won |
Humsafar | Best Onscreen Couple (Drama) | Won | |
2015 | Sadqay Tumhare | Best Actress (Drama) | Nominated |
Best Actress Popular | Won | ||
Best Onscreen Couple (Drama) | Won | ||
2016 | Bin Roye | Recognition Award – Films | Won |
2017 | Bin Roye | Best Actress Popular (Drama) | Won |
Best Onscreen Couple Popular (Drama) | Nominated | ||
Best Onscreen Couple Jury (Drama) | Nominated | ||
Best Actress Jury (Drama) | Nominated | ||
2018 | Verna | Recognition Award – Films | Won |
2022 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Best Actress - Popular | Nominated |
Best on-screen Couple - Popular | Nominated | ||
Hum Style Awards | |||
2016 | Most Stylish Actress (Film) | Won | |
2017 | Most Stylish Actress (Television) | Nominated | |
2018 | Most Stylish Actress (Film) | Nominated | |
Style Icon of the Year | Won | ||
2020 | Most Stylish Actress (Film) | Won | |
Nigar Awards | |||
2017 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Best Actress | Nominated |
International Pakistan Prestige Awards | |||
2017 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Best Actress (Film) | Nominated |
2018 | Verna | Best Actress (Film) | Nominated |
Indus Valley International Film Festival | |||
2022 | Prince Charming | Best Actress | Won |
Year | Title |
---|---|
2015 | Masala! Awards (Best Actress award for Bin Roye) |
2016 | 1st Femina Middle East Women Awards (Unstoppable Emerging Talent from Pakistan) |
Vogue Beauty Awards (Face to Watch Out For) | |
2017 | Special award for International Recognition and also Best Dress at the 8th Beirut International Awards Festival. |
Masala! Awards (Asian Woman of Substance) | |
2018 | Contribution to Film and Activism Award (UK Asian Film Festival) |
Bio | |
Real Name | Mahira Hafeez Khan |
Nickname | Mazdoor Khan |
Profession | Actress, Former VJ |
Famous Role | Khirad Ehsan in TV Serial Humsafar |
Physical Stats & More | |
Height | in centimeters- 170 cm in meters- 1.70 m in Feet Inches- 5' 7" |
Weight | in Kilograms- 55 Kg in Pounds- 121 lbs |
Figure Measurements | 34-26-34 |
Eye Colour | Brown |
Hair Colour | Black |
Personal Life | |
Date of Birth | 21 December 1984 |
Age (as in 2022) | 37 Years |
Birth Place | Karachi, Pakistan |
Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Sagittarius |
Nationality | Pakistani |
Hometown | Karachi, Pakistan |
School | Foundation Public School |
College | University of Southern California, Los Angeles |
Educational Qualifications | Dropout |
Debut | Debut Film: Bol (2011) Debut TV: MTV's Most Wanted (2006) |
Family | Father- Not Known Mother- Not Known Sister- Not Known Brother- 1 (Younger) |
Religion | Islam |
Hobbies | Reading, listening old music |
Controversies | • Since her film "Bol", her married life is derailed and she filed for divorce against his husband Ali, in 2014. • In 2015, she posted in a halloween picture with a fake "Shiv Sainik", for which she had to apologize later. |
Favourite Things | |
Favourite Food | Any gravy with rice |
Favourite Actor | Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Nouman Ijaz, Johnny Depp and Daniel Day Lewis |
Favourite Actress | Madhuri Dixit, Samina Peerzada and Bushra Ansari |
Favourite Film | Bollywood: Pyaasa (1957) Hollywood: Silver Linings Playbook (2012) |
Favourite Directors | Imtiaz Ali, Vishal Bhardwaj, Mani Ratnam |
Favourite Song | Waqt Ne Kiya Kiya Haseen Sitam by Geeta Dutt (Film - Kaagaz Ke Phool) |
Favourite Author | JD Spangler |
Favourite Colour | White |
Favourite Fashion Designer | Feeha Jamshed, Banto Kazmi, Umer Sayeed |
Favourite Restaurant | Fuchsia in Karachi |
Favourite Destination | Netherlands |
Boys, Affairs and More | |
Marital Status | Divorced |
Affairs/Boyfriends | Ali Askari |
Husband | Ali Askari (m.2007-div.2015) |
Children | Daughter- N/A Son- Azlaan |
Money Factor | |
Salary | 1 lakh/episode (PKR) |
Net Worth | Not Known |