Bollywood was never really the aim: Mahira Khan
Actor reveals Pakistani cinema has always been her priority
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/MAHIRA KHAN
MUMBAI:
Mahira Khan, who made her Bollywood debut with the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees last year, says venturing into the Indian film industry was never her aim.
“Bollywood was never really the aim actually. I mean sure you could argue that I could have done more films there, for sure I could have. But right after Raees I had already started working on Verna, even before our artists got banned in India. My focus was always Pakistan," she said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgdyjQnHEG5/?taken-by=mahirahkhan
She said people may perceive that it was a “big jolt” to her career – and it was – but she has moved on.
"Currently I just feel it's just something else to be working and be part of this movement of the film industry in Pakistan at the moment. Because how I look at it, is that 20 years from now when either my son or today’s kids want to become actors, we would have set this industry for them and they won't have to struggle so much," added the 33-year-old actor, who has a son named Azlaan.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfVzvICHBT-/?hl=en&taken-by=mahirahkhan
Raees did not release in Pakistan. And Mahira was not allowed to promote the film in India because the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena gave an ultimatum to Pakistani artists to leave the country and keep away from Indian cinema. "At that time I was angry. I was sad and angry and there were moments of disappointment and just hurt, you know. Now I've come to a place where I believe that anger doesn't really make me a better actor. It doesn't do anything for me as a person, so I've let go of that, because at that time I was in the mix of it," she said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgqQwuSHg4q/?hl=en&taken-by=mahirahkhan
Mahira is currently filming for Saat Din Mohabbat In and Maula Jatt 2.
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Mahira Khan, who made her Bollywood debut with the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees last year, says venturing into the Indian film industry was never her aim.
“Bollywood was never really the aim actually. I mean sure you could argue that I could have done more films there, for sure I could have. But right after Raees I had already started working on Verna, even before our artists got banned in India. My focus was always Pakistan," she said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgdyjQnHEG5/?taken-by=mahirahkhan
She said people may perceive that it was a “big jolt” to her career – and it was – but she has moved on.
"Currently I just feel it's just something else to be working and be part of this movement of the film industry in Pakistan at the moment. Because how I look at it, is that 20 years from now when either my son or today’s kids want to become actors, we would have set this industry for them and they won't have to struggle so much," added the 33-year-old actor, who has a son named Azlaan.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfVzvICHBT-/?hl=en&taken-by=mahirahkhan
Raees did not release in Pakistan. And Mahira was not allowed to promote the film in India because the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena gave an ultimatum to Pakistani artists to leave the country and keep away from Indian cinema. "At that time I was angry. I was sad and angry and there were moments of disappointment and just hurt, you know. Now I've come to a place where I believe that anger doesn't really make me a better actor. It doesn't do anything for me as a person, so I've let go of that, because at that time I was in the mix of it," she said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgqQwuSHg4q/?hl=en&taken-by=mahirahkhan
Mahira is currently filming for Saat Din Mohabbat In and Maula Jatt 2.
Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.