Catching up with her at a suburban hotel in Mumbai, the actress admitted that she is indeed touched by the encouraging response 'Humsafar' has received in the country. The show was initially aired in 2011 and has aired in various countries ever since. Mahira had planned to arrive in India before 'Humsafar' was aired here, but landed only post its telecast — for bureaucratic reasons. “There were visa issues. I wish art and artistes had no boundaries like birds who can fly anywhere without restrictions,” muses the beauty. Interestingly, her family originally hails from India. “My grandmother would talk about Meerut, but now there is no family this side of the border. When I was leaving for Mumbai, I was told to meet someone’s aunt’s cousin uncle.... you get the drift,” she laughs. The actress visited Mumbai over six years ago for a wedding, but this time, it was a different experience, thanks to her popularity as Khirad from 'Humsafar'.

Speaking of which, Pakistani shows have been giving a glimpse into the homes and lifestyles of our neighbours across the border; something Bollywood has been doing for Pakistanis all this while. Decades ago, classic TV shows such as Dhoop Kinare and Tanhaiyaan aired and thus set a precedent of high standards in terms of television content. Although Indian soap opera have their share of critics, Mahira stays cautious about commenting about them. “I have not seen many Indian TV soaps except for 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'. This is because Bollywood films and music dominate. We have film music playing in the car, at weddings — it is all over the world.” Her favorite B-Town star happens to be Shah Rukh Khan “simply because he is Shahrukh Khan and you can see that potential in Ranbir Kapoor,” she quips. Mahira hopes she can be back in India in the future if not for her acting pursuits, then for the food at least. “I came with an agenda to gorge on street food, which is synonymous with Mumbai — from vada pavs to the dosas and the bhel.”