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.”
