Bollywood transcends borders and every year, many artists from the neighbouring countries come to India to fulfil their dreams of becoming movie stars. While there are artists like Manisha Koirala, who is of Nepali origin, who made it big in Bollywood, the industry has also been blessed with Pakistani artists’ eagerness to be a part of Bollywood. One such famous Pakistani actress, who made her Bollywood debut as a leading lady was Mahira Khan and she made her first appearance alongside the King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan.
But, did you know, that before she could make it big in Bollywood, Mahira faced her fair share of struggle and her hard work paved her wave to fame and fortune? ALSO READ | Mahira Khan Breaks Silence About Her Mental Struggles After Smoking Pics With Ranbir Kapoor Went Viral! Says It ‘Brought Out Anxiety And Depression Hidden Inside Me’
What’s inspiring is that she used to clean toilets and sweep floors before foraying into acting. Lately she has been making waves for her second marriage.
Born in Karachi, on December 21, 1984, Mahira moved to California at the age of 17 for further studies and she enrolled at Santa Monica College and later University of Southern California.
During her time in US, Mahira was known to have been involved in a number of odd jobs to make ends meet. She had first opened up about the same while in a conversation with Pakistan’s FUSCHIA magazine. Elaborating on being involved with a number of menial jobs she said that during her time abroad, she made money by sweeping floors and even cleaning toilets of roadside shops. Later, she took up a position of a cashier at a store in Los Angeles.
The actress made her first attempt to achieve her dreams of becoming a superstar as she started off in the entertainment industry as a Video Jockey on MTV Pakistan. Later, she made her debut in films through Pakistani film ‘Bol’.
Later she managed to bag the female lead opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 2017 film Raees. The hit song O Zaalima was picturised on her. ALSO READ | Mahira Khan's Mehendi Ceremony Photos OUT! Pakistani Actress Flaunts Her Smile In A Yellow Saree, Fans Go Gaga Over Her Ethnic Look - SEE PICS
However, her dreams of becoming a Bollywood superstar came crashing down owing to the tensions between India and Pakistan during the release of the film because of the 2016 Uri attacks. The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association objected to her inclusion in the film. There were rumours that her portions would be chopped off, but that did not happen ultimately.
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