People from small city come to Mumbai with big dreams of Bollywood in their eyes, is the usual notion of this industry. The latest import of talent from Pakistan was Mahira Khan who is making a debut in Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees.

Before her Pakistani artistes like Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Fawad Khan have made it big in Bollywood. But Raees might be her first and last movie in Bollywood owing to the tensions between the two countries that have led to banning of Pakistani artistes from Indian cinema. Also, her big Bollywood debut might not even release in her own country.

In a candid interview titled, ‘THE ICON INTERVIEW: introducing the raeeszadi’ when she was quizzed about whether she is disappointed that Raees will most likely not release in Pakistani. To this she said quickly, “Of course! I want my country to see this. I want everybody to see it, every person in the world. My friends keep saying you did it, it’s enough, you can just keep it in a box somewhere. I do that, but there’s a part of me that says, no, I want everybody to see my blood, sweat and tears for these two years. Because it’s been tough and I want people to see it even if I fail at it.

But if it’s one thing I’ve learnt over these two years it’s that there are some things beyond one’s control. I mean you can save a scene, you can fix things later in film but there are some things that are out of your reach. You just can’t do anything. But I’m dying for it to come here.”

She speaks about feeling left out and probably missing on her ‘Introducing Mahira Khan’ opening in opening credit of Raees. On being reminded about “normal” people would instead be thinking she has a charmed life. She shoots back and says, “That’s what my mother also says! And my friends! But I can’t just move on. It’s my work. Yes I’m grateful, but it’s something I have worked for! Why shouldn’t I feel it? Just because I’m an actor? and it’s a film? Just because it seems like fluff? I also want to promote the film. I also want to be in an interview with Shah Rukh Khan talking about it. Why not? Why is it I get told that that’s asking for too much? It isn’t! It is my right. This was also my film.”

From getting a new script every day six months ago, to producers now saying there is no scope let’s go back to dramas, she can’t help but feel sad about the fact that things have drastically changed after the unfortunate incident.

In the same interview, she also speaks about forging strong relationships while shooting for the film and being extremely grateful to her producer Ritesh Sidhwani and director Rahul Dholakia.