Tennis icon Sania Mirza recently shared a heartfelt conversation with her close friend and filmmaker Farah Khan, opening up about the emotional toll she experienced following her separation from former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. The chat, featured on Farah’s YouTube show Serving It Up with Sania, saw the two friends get deeply personal as they discussed resilience, motherhood, and the reality of navigating life’s toughest chapters.
Farah Khan revisits her childhood struggle
Their discussion began on a reflective note when Farah revisited her own childhood struggles and the financial setbacks her family faced after her father Kamran Khan’s film failed at the box office.
“I was 5–6 years old and I was a very spoiled, pampered child till then. But I saw the repercussions over the years. And I don’t blame the industry for it because it happens in every industry. If you are a failure, people won’t come to you. When people say Bollywood is very tough, no, life is only tough,” Farah shared.
Sania Mirza on facing life as a single mother
The tone of the conversation shifted when Farah addressed Sania’s journey as a single mother post-divorce. “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,” she said.
Sania, in turn, candidly admitted that balancing her responsibilities as a mother, professional commitments, and academic pursuits has been overwhelming at times.
Recalling a particularly low moment, she revealed, “I don’t want to mention it on camera, but 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. 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.’”
Farah then recalled the same incident, saying, “I got so scared. I never have seen you get a panic attack. I had to shoot that day, but I just left it and came there in my pyjamas and chappal (slippers).”
Sania and Shoaib’s separation
Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik officially ended their 14-year marriage in January 2024 after months of speculation. The news was confirmed by Sania’s sister, Anam Mirza, who shared a statement saying, “Sania and Shoaib have been living separately for several months, and their divorce was finalized some time ago.” The family also urged the public to respect Sania’s privacy during the difficult period.
Following their separation, Shoaib Malik tied the knot with Pakistani actress Sana Javed later the same year.