"I should have messaged him directly."
Mahira Khan has opened up about her past conflict with writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar and criticism from veteran actor Firdous Jamal.
Speaking candidly on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast Excuse Me, the actress reflected on both controversies with rare vulnerability and clarity.
She recalled working on Sadqay Tumhare, a widely acclaimed drama penned by Qamar.
The drama, which aired in 2014, remains a fan favourite.
Mahira Khan said: “We were never friends but I did Sadqay Tumhare with love because it was his story.”
However, the relationship between grew tense after Mahira criticised Qamar on Twitter.
In a surprising moment of accountability, Mahira admitted her public post was a mistake.
She said: “If you’re asking whether I was wrong – yes, I was. I should have messaged him directly.
“He’s absolutely right that I should have spoken to him before tweeting.”
She explained the tweet came during the shoot of Neelofar.
Mahira Khan that she was triggered by a late-night article about Qamar’s alleged abusive behaviour toward a woman.
She explained: “It didn’t matter to me who the woman was.
“We often don’t speak out against powerful people because we’re afraid of losing work.
“I saw the news, got angry, and tweeted.”
Her mother later told her she should have handled it differently, urging her to speak privately first due to Qamar’s seniority.
Despite her admission, Mahira stood firm on her core beliefs.
“That was one incident, but there have been many.
“I can’t separate the artist from the man, and that’s my stand on it.”
The conversation also turned to Firdous Jamal, who has publicly questioned Mahira’s ability to play lead roles at her age.
Once deeply hurt by such remarks, she said they no longer affect her.
She admitted: “Initially, such criticism used to bother me, but not anymore.
“Even during Punjab Nahi Jaungi, I was being criticised by my own peers.”
“As long as you’re moderately successful, people are fine. But once you’re truly successful, some start to feel insecure.
“They gang up on you – even if they’ve never met you.”
Mahira Khan is currently preparing for her upcoming film Love Guru, in which she stars opposite Humayun Saeed.
The film is set for release this Eid-ul-Adha, marking another major return to the big screen for one of Pakistan’s most resilient stars.
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