Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor's picture together had taken social media by storm in 2017. In the picture, the actors were seen taking a smoke break together. Both the stars were trolled massively but Mahira was targetted to anti-feministic jokes, she was also called out for wearing a 'skimpy' white dress.
However, the actress is known for bouncing back every time she has been pulled down; her fans know her as a pillar of absolute strength. Over the last couple of years, she has been through a lot and she has always been open about sharing her ordeals.
In a recent interview with BBC Asian Network, the actress opened up about getting divorced, being a single mother, being banned from India along with other Pakistani actors, what that viral picture did to her, and much more.
She said, "It's been a crazy ride. My audience has travelled 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."
Mahira spoke about how, when the pictures were released, she went into a spiral and believed that her career might be ending. She recalled that when the photographs with Ranbir Kapoor were gaining virality on the Internet, it did take a massive emotional toll on her.
She remembered, "When the photos came out there was an article called 'The Little White Dress' that was published in BBC and I failed to see the brilliance of that article at that time. In fact, I think I may have. I remember reading it and thinking, 'Is my career over?' In that article, it was written that 'here is a woman who has achieved this kind of success that no one in Pakistan has achieved, all the endorsements and all that, and now it is all gone. What is going to happen to her?' I read it and I was like 'Damn.' 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 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."
Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor were papped in New York; they were at the time unaware that their pictures were being taken. Not only did it cause quite a bit of drama on social media, but a lot of netizens also speculated that the actors were dating since they had a lot of chemistry between them, but this was also the time when Pakistani actors were being banned from India and thus the picture became a centre-piece for multiple things. Mahira was also questioned for smoking as a woman and wearing a short dress.
