Farah Khan, the Bollywood director and choreographer, recently revealed that her close friend, tennis star Sania Mirza, experienced panic attacks following her divorce from Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. The revelation came during a heartfelt conversation on Mirza's new YouTube talk show, "Serving It Up with Sania," where Khan appeared as the first guest.
Mirza and Malik, who married in April 2010, confirmed their divorce in January 2024, after 14 years of marriage. Shortly after, Malik announced his marriage to Pakistani actress Sana Javed. The end of the high-profile, cross-border relationship and the circumstances surrounding it, were widely publicized and speculated upon.
During the conversation on "Serving It Up with Sania," the discussion took an emotional turn when Mirza and Khan spoke about the struggles Mirza faced as a single mother after the divorce. Khan praised Mirza for navigating single motherhood and admitted that she witnessed Sania suffer panic attacks. Sania is a mother to her son Izhaan, who was born in 2018.
Khan recalled one particularly difficult moment when she witnessed Mirza's distress. Sania was scheduled to appear on a live show, but was in a state of extreme anxiety. "There was a moment that was one of the lowest moments when you showed up on my set, and I had to go on a live show after that," Sania said. "If you had not come there I was shivering. And if you would not have come there I wouldn't have done that show. You told me, 'No matter what, you are doing this show'".
Khan, known for her close friendship with Mirza, recounted how alarmed she was to see Sania in such distress. "I got so scared. I never have seen you get a panic attack," Farah recalled. "I had to shoot that day, but I just left everything and came there in my pyjamas and chappals," she said, emphasizing her immediate need to be by her friend's side. Sania acknowledged that Farah's presence and support were crucial in helping her face the public that day.
In response to the support she received, Sania stated, "I don't want to mention it on camera, but there was a moment that was one of the lowest moments when you (Farah Khan) showed up on my set and I had to go on a live show after that,” Sania said. “If you had not come there I was shivering. And if you would not have come there I wouldn't have done that show. You told me, 'No matter what, you are doing this show'".
The two friends also reflected on the difficulties of single motherhood. Farah stated, "You are now a single mother. Nothing is more difficult than being a single mother. It is very very hard. We all have our journeys, and we have to choose what is best". Mirza admitted that juggling motherhood, work, and studies has often felt overwhelming, but underscored the importance of making tough decisions for her child's well-being. She also praised Farah for handling parenthood single-handedly with dignity.
