Mahima Makwana on journey from a Mumbai chawl to Musafir Cafe: ‘Made a life from scratch’

6 min readNew DelhiAug 7, 2026 06:11 PM IST

Actor Mahima Makwana, who was recently seen in the web show Musafir Cafe, started her acting journey as a 9-year-old child artiste in Baalika Vadhu. At the age of 13, she bagged the titular role in the TV serial Sapne Suhaane Ladakpan Ke, which made her a household name in the television industry. Mahima marked her big screen debut with Salman Khan in Antim: The Final Truth, in 2021. During an exclusive interview with SCREEN, the actor recalled her experience of working with the superstar. She also opened up about the struggle of having a single parent, after her father’s early death.

The television journey

When asked about starting her career as a child actor in TV serials, Mahima Makwana revealed, “I don’t have any memories of working in Balika Vadhu. The pivotal show that gave me fame, success, and made me a household name was Sapne Suhaane Ladakpan Ke. I was 13 at that point. That serial gave me my first sense of fame, a realisation that I want to do this for as long as I can. Sets can be tough and overwhelming, I was wary of the world, just being in front of the camera excited me.”

The actor didn’t consider her television industry background as a baggage, but a way to learn more. “I had many examples in front of me, biggest of them being Shah Rukh Khan. Honestly, for me, it was a matter of ‘take my audition’ and then if the other person feels that I have the baggage of television, I will unlearn and learn. It was a matter of accepting where I came from. I don’t look at my television journey as a baggage, it was a learning battleground and experience. Its all about perspective,” she said.

Mahima Makwana in Sapne Suhaane Ladakpan Ke

Mahima continued, “I was lucky enough that the opportunities that I grabbed were unconventional, they weren’t typical daily soap roles. The constant choice was to always go against the tide. In television, I did very different roles after Sapne Suhaane. I always knew that I wanted to be a part of films, that was the dream. I knew it would be a difficult path for me but I had to try.”

ALSO READ | Musafir Cafe review: Vikrant Massey show could have been a pyaari prem kahani

Debut film – Antim

Mahima Makwana played a vital role in the 2021 action-thriller featuring Salman Khan and Aayush Sharma as lead stars. “Antim opened so many doors for me. I never imagined that I will start with a Salman Khan film. It was a 10-minute part. And then, it was a completely different journey altogether,” she shared.

The actor continued, “Aayush is really hard working. Even emotionally, he did a great job. I have only seen him with a script or at the gym. He was constantly at it. I think he worked for almost 2-3 years to work on his body for Antim. He is very self aware and smart. It was my first film, so I wanted to surround myself with the right people.”

Story continues below this ad

While speaking about how Salman is like on set, she shared, “It was an honour to be launched by him. It did feel surreal that I got this opportunity. He made me feel really supported, gave me my first film. That will always be very special. One thing that he told be in the very beginning was that ‘There’s no substitute to hard work, you have to keep at it’. He said that the film and budget’s fate is not in our hands. This was the biggest learning that I got from him.”

Mahima Makwana lost her father when she was just 5 months old, when they were still living in a Mumbai chawl. Talking about the struggle to build something of her own with her mother, she shared, “I recall the good and the bad, and I am only grateful. I am extremely proud of myself because me and my mother have earned the position that we have in life. All of us have had our share of ups and downs. It was hard to have a single parent, to hold my own, make a life from scratch, but it’s not impossible. You just have to be at it. I have earned it, I am very humbled when I say it.”

ALSO READ | Why Vedika Pinto, Vikrant Massey gave a ‘chemistry test’ before Musafir Cafe

About Musafir Cafe

When asked about giving a nod to the Netflix show Musafir Cafe, she replied, “The casting director got in touch with me and he didn’t tell me what the show was about, I just knew that it was based on a book. The writing was so beautiful and I realised that it wasn’t just a love story. Moreover, the collaboration was so special, my Netflix debut and to work with Vikrant (Massey, co-star) for the first time. I met him during the chemistry test, and the makers saw a grounding chemistry and mature energy between us. He is a lovely person.”

Story continues below this ad

The romantic drama series released on July 24, and is currently streaming on Netflix. It has been adapted from Divya Prakash Dubey’s bestselling novel of the same name and has even been renewed for a second season. Besides Mahima and Vikrant Massey, it also starred Vedika Pinto. Musafir Cafe has been directed by Ruchir Arun and produced by Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) and Homemade Stories.

Navya Kharbanda is an Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Commentator at The Indian Express, where she specializes in bridging the gap between classic Bollywood heritage and contemporary Gen-Z perspectives. Her work is characterized by a blend of nostalgia-driven analysis and on-the-ground reporting from major film festivals and industry events.
Experience & Professional Background
Navya is a prominent voice on The Indian Express entertainment desk, known for her ability to secure candid interviews with both legendary veterans and rising stars. Her career highlights include:

The Indian Express: Covers a wide range of topics from high-stakes box office analysis to in-depth celebrity profiles. She is a regular at major events like the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
SCREEN Interviews: Navya has conducted a series of “exclusive conversations” for SCREEN, featuring industry stalwarts like Anupam Kher, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and Suhasini Maniratnam.
Archival Reporting: She is noted for her sensitive handling of archival interviews and retrospectives, recently covering the legacy of late superstar Dharmendra and the career reflections of the late Satish Shah.

Expertise & Focus Areas
Navya’s beat is uniquely defined by her “Gen-Z Revisit” series, where she re-evaluates cult classics through a modern lens. Her core areas of expertise include:

Cinematic Retrospectives: Analyzing 80s and 90s landmarks like Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and Mohabbatein to explore how themes of romance and rebellion resonate with today’s youth.
Industry Insights: Tracking the career resurgences of actors (e.g., Akshaye Khanna) and the evolving dynamics of film production and distribution in the OTT era.
On-Set Dynamics: Reporting on behind-the-scenes stories from major productions, ranging from the technical challenges of Mirzapur: The Film to the work ethics of superstars like Shah Rukh Khan.
South Indian Cinema: Expanding her coverage to include the impact of regional icons and the rise of pan-Indian fantasy epics like Magadheera.

Authoritativeness & Trust
Navya Kharbanda has established her authority by consistently providing “Journalism of Courage” in the entertainment sphere. Whether she is interrogating the sexism in patriarchal classics or reporting on the fair-pay debates at international film festivals, her work prioritizes factual accuracy and critical objectivity. Her ability to synthesize deep industry history with modern audience trends makes her a trusted source for readers seeking both entertainment news and thoughtful cultural commentary. … Read More