Pakistani beauty, Mahira Khan was a central figure in two controversies in 2017. The first was because of her debut Bollywood film, Raees, opposite Shah Rukh Khan. The political tension between India and Pakistan and the hugely controversial popular demand to not include Pakistani artists in Indian cinemas sparked an uproar which made Mahira the bull’s eye of tweets and retweets.
The second controversy for her came in September 2017 when her pictures with Ranbir Kapoor, smoking cigarette, surfaced online. It became so huge that she had to face a stringent backlash from many, both in India and Pakistan. Talking to Pinkvilla, Mahira recounts how it all became a national debate and how she felt violated on being scrutinized the way it was. She said, “That was the first time in my entire career that I was caught up in a so-called controversy and it was strange because there were so many things in that. One, obviously you feel violated, you are in a personal down time moment and someone has just photographed you.”
She further opened up and added, “Two, obviously there was an uproar, because here I was, someone who is extremely loved in Pakistan, and they sort of keep me up on this pedestal you know, they treat me with a lot of love and a lot of respect. And there are certain things I didn't realise that they don't want to see me do. At that point yes, it was crazy honestly because it lasted for a while. It was crazy, it was ridiculous.”
To take you back to what had happened, we would like to state that overnight Bollywood’s most eligible bachelor, Ranbir Kapoor and Mahira Khan’s pictures got leaked. Obviously, Mahira was trolled for her smoking and attire choices. But what attracted everyone was their interest in love. Was something brewing between Ranbir and Mahira? Their alleged relationship suddenly catapulted itself to becoming headlines everywhere and generating thousands of trending hashtags.
Post the whole debacle, when Ranbir was earlier asked to comment, he had said, “I've gotten to know Mahira in a personal capacity over the last few months. She is somebody who I admire and respect, for her achievements and even more for the person she is. It is very unfair the way she is being judged and spoken about. What is also said is the inequality in judgment just because she is a woman. I request you to stop the negativity and move on with your beautiful god gifted lives. Peace and Love. PS: Both smoking and hate are injurious to health.”
Mahira, on the other hand, was quoted as saying, “I’d be lying if I said that I decided right off the bat that I wouldn’t respond to this controversy. And I’m a very strong woman but when all of this happened, I was completely shattered and broken. I would think about posting a statement every day. Then I would stop myself because I just wouldn’t know what to say. Thankfully, Power Di Game was ready to be released, which I thought was perfect timing, so I just posted that as sort of a response to the trolls. But to be honest, I understand where all the criticism came from and it didn’t come from a place of hate. I’m not talking about the trolls but those who were genuinely disappointed to see those pictures. It’s the same disappointment that my nani or my mamoo would have felt seeing that. So even now when I meet an older lady who says that she didn’t like the pictures, I’m quick to apologize.”
Later, in a media interaction, Mahira refuted the rumours of her relationship with Ranbir and said she is not in love. She further added, ““No, actually. No, I have been, I was. Now, I realise that love is peace. Love is when you are with somebody and it’s okay and you don’t have to talk. Their presence is important.”
Well, it seems that relationships, real or alleged, don’t die in the news so easily. But, it’s good to see Mahira come out in the open and talk about it even after half-a-year since the controversy bloomed.
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