Filmmaker Wajahat Rauf reflects on Mahira Khan’s early career start

KARACHI: Prominent Pakistani filmmaker Wajahat Rauf has claimed that he was the first to introduce superstar Mahira Khan to the entertainment industry.

Speaking during a recent podcast alongside his wife and producer Shazia Wajahat, Rauf recalled the moment he first spotted Mahira at a social gathering. He said her lively presence and captivating energy immediately stood out, prompting him to consider her for television.

“I saw her dancing and having fun, and there was something so magnetic about her energy that I felt she belonged on screen,” Wajahat Rauf said. “I reached out to her afterward and offered her a position as a VJ on a private TV channel.”

According to the couple, Mahira worked with them for nearly three to four years during her early days as a video jockey. Despite their early collaboration, they expressed disappointment over not being able to work with her again later in her career due to scheduling issues and increased project costs.

“She quickly became one of the most sought-after names in the industry,” Shazia Wajahat added. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t align again, but we still hope to collaborate with her and Fawad Khan in the future.”

Mahira Khan began her career in the media industry in 2006 as a VJ before gaining widespread recognition for her role in the hit drama Humsafar. She further cemented her stardom with her performance in Bol and later made her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees.