- Pakistani actor Mahira Khan announced her second pregnancy at TIFF 2026
- She expressed mixed feelings about revealing her pregnancy publicly
- Mahira discussed physical and emotional challenges of pregnancy at 41
Pakistani actor Mahira Khan is expecting her second child. The actor revealed the news at the Toronto International Film Festival 2026.
Talking to Images Dawn, Mahira spoke about whether she was nervous about revealing the pregnancy, and she said, "Yes and no."
She further added, "I'm generally quite a private person, so revealing anything personal makes me a little apprehensive. And then, if I'm being completely superficial, I was worried about the clothes! Being pregnant, showing, and then doing a red carpet is a very different experience."
"But I thought... this is where I am in my life right now. There was something quite freeing about just embracing it rather than trying to hide it," said the Raees actor.
For her first TIFF appearance, she opted for a dark-coloured saree by Aafrinish by Niazi, teamed with an embroidered dupatta. Statement earrings, glamorous make-up and a loose braid completed her look.
Photo Credit: AFP
Talking about her outfit choices, Mahira said, "Strangely, this time around I've been thinking about it as more than just, 'What am I wearing on the red carpet?'" She confessed, "There's obviously a very visible bump coming with me! So, what I wear and how I present myself feels a little more personal this time."
Shedding light on embracing pregnancy after a long time, Mahira said, "It's very different this time and definitely more challenging. The last time I was pregnant, I was 24. I'm 41 now, so I'm literally a different woman ... emotionally, physically, in every possible way."
She added, "At 24, I think I went through pregnancy with a certain innocence. I was excited, my health was great, and perhaps I didn't think too much about everything that could happen. I just went with it."
She also spoke about the challenges. "This time has been very different. Physically, it's been harder. There are days when my body simply doesn't allow me to do what my mind thinks I should be able to do. And that has been an adjustment for me because I'm used to being on the go, working, travelling, doing a hundred things at once."
Mahira continued, "Emotionally, it's different too. I think you carry so much more awareness at this age. You know more. You worry more. You understand how precious and fragile it all is. There has been immense joy, of course, but there has also been fear, exhaustion, and vulnerability."
"And then there's the fact that I already had a life that was very much in motion. I have a grown-up son. I have my work, my routines, my independence. I had a version of what I thought this stage of my life was going to look like. To suddenly find myself starting this journey again after all these years has required a real emotional adjustment as well," said Mahira.
"You imagine a lot of things for yourself and for your life, and this wasn't necessarily one of the things I had imagined at this point. But we plan and then God plans, and of course His plans are supreme."
"I think that has been a big part of this pregnancy for me ... learning to surrender. To accept that I don't have to have everything figured out and that life can surprise you even when you think you know where it's going," concluded Mahira.
The announcement also comes nearly three years after Mahira married businessman Salim Karim in October 2023. This will be Mahira and Salim's first child together. However, it will be Mahira's second child. The actor is already a mother to her 17-year-old son, Azlan, from her first marriage to Ali Askari.
Also Read: Pakistani Actor Mahira Khan Announces Second Pregnancy At 41