Pakistani actress Mahira Khan is one of the most successful performers in her country and has also appeared in a Bollywood film alongside Shah Rukh Khan in “Raees.” However, the movie did not grant Mahira the recognition in India that she enjoys in Pakistan. Subsequently, Pakistani artists were banned in India after the Uri attack, leading to a halt in cross-border collaborations.
Turning to Mahira’s personal journey, she recently shared her struggle with bipolar disorder on the FWhy podcast. The actress disclosed that it has been six to seven years since her diagnosis. She recounted, “I ended up in a psychiatrist’s office, and she said, ‘We’ll talk about everything later, but I need you to know that you have manic depression.’ This is the first time I’m saying that, I don’t know if I should.” Over the years, Mahira has been on anti-depressants, though she admitted attempting to discontinue them, which led her into a profound darkness.
Recalling a particularly challenging period, Mahira stated, “Last year, I was bad, I was in bed… I remember, very well, that I couldn’t even get up from my bed to go to the bathroom. I was that bad, it was that dark. I remember praying, ‘I promise you Allah, if you show me even this much hope or light, I will take it and I will run with it.’ And when he did, and when I went back on my medicines, I woke up feeling like, ‘Oh my god, I feel like I can smile, feel lighter,’ she added.”
Despite her struggles, Mahira emphasized her practice of not projecting her pain outwardly, “Even in my darkest, worst moments, I never project it. It’s all inside me, mere andar tabahi mach rahi hai, but… It’s been a journey with my depression. I’ve had to work through it, I’ve had to dance through it…,” she concluded.