Mahira Khan recalls divorce from ‘childhood sweetheart’ Ali, taking refuge in work: ‘It was painful’

“We were always supposed to go to LA since my uncles were already there, but at 17, I insisted that I go early since I was in love and he was there. But, after going there, mujhe meri naani yaad aa gayi (things got difficult for me),” Mahira recalled while adding that when she went to LA, she and Ali broke up.

But a couple of years later, the two connected again, fell in love and decided to get married in Lahore in 2007. They became parents to a baby boy in 2009 but by then, problems had started to seep into their married life.

Mahira Khan recalls ‘painful and difficult’ divorce

“Post Azu, I knew my marriage was…even prior I think.. But I think you let it go on and you love the person, who is your childhood sweetheart..But I think that was a very painful and difficult time. I was so young at the time. I had a baby, I was scared. Professionally, I was very successful. I never knew I would become successful overnight with Humsafar. But personally, it was a tough time,” Mahira shared.

During her tough times, her work came to the rescue. Mahira added that until she decided to divorce Ali, it was more difficult for her, “When you are going through it, it is very painful. You are sitting in a room, and you feel the walls are closing in on you. You feel anxious and you don’t know what it is. I think that is more painful than when you make a decision.” However, after she decided what she wanted in life, she became stronger. “I knew that I would take my child but I knew that I didn’t want to be dependent on anyone, not even my parents. When there was nobody with me, I had my work. It was a huge support,” said the Raees star.

The actor also shared how the initial few years of separation with Ali were hard. “The first few years were very painful because it was about two good people, it was not an abusive relationship. But it was like two kids had gotten married and sometimes two people evolve differently. There was a little bit of pressure to go back as well,” Mahira shared. But eventually, her divorce was finalised in 2015.

Mahira and Ali now co-parent their son Azlan as the two had decided that whatever happens between them, their son would be their priority.

As per a few reports, Mahira might soon get married to her longtime beau Salim Karim.