Sania Mirza has opened up about life after the split from Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, saying the move into single parenting has not been easy. Her son lives in Dubai, while most of her work requires her to return to India.
She made the comments during the Serving It Up With Sania podcast episode with Karan Johar. The My Name is Khan director pointed out that her circumstances are more challenging because they involve two countries, not one.
Sania Mirza opens up on the challenges of co-parenting across countries
Sania and Shoaib Malik were based in Dubai for most of their marriage. After the separation, Izhaan continues to stay there, while Sania travels back and forth to India for work. She said the back-and-forth is what wears her down the most.
“I find it challenging to leave him because I live in Dubai and I travel to India. That’s the biggest challenge for me,” she told Karan. She added that being away for a week at a time feels heavy, even though her mother stays with Izhaan and manages things in her absence.
Karan Johar highlighted the “liberating” aspect of raising children independently, but also acknowledged that Sania’s circumstances involve cross-border coordination and emotional strain. “Yours is more daunting,” he said.
The loneliness that arrived afterwards for Sania Mirza
Sania also mentioned the everyday quiet that follows a separation. “The number of times that I have skipped dinner because I didn’t want to eat alone,” the former tennis player said. She joked that the skipped meals helped her lose weight, but the larger point was about navigating evenings without company.
Sania Mirza’s panic attack on set
This is not the first time Sania has spoken about the weight of balancing work and motherhood. In an earlier conversation on her podcast, she and filmmaker Farah Khan discussed a day when Sania experienced a panic attack while on set.
Farah remembered receiving a distressed call and immediately heading out “in pyjamas and chappal,” leaving her own shoot. Sania confirmed it was one of her lowest moments.
The 39-year-old said she had a live show right after the incident and would not have managed it without Farah telling her firmly, “No matter what, you are doing this show.”
For now, Sania says the routine is still evolving. Travel, schedules, and the balancing act that comes with co-parenting across borders. The demands remain the same, she said, but the structure around them has changed.
FAQs
How is Sania Mirza co-parenting with Shoaib Malik?
Their son lives in Dubai, and co-parenting is handled across borders following the couple’s separation.
What did Sania Mirza say about loneliness after divorce?
She mentioned skipping dinners at times because she did not want to eat alone.
When did Sania Mirza previously speak about stress during her divorce?
She discussed a past panic attack on her podcast, recalling support from filmmaker Farah Khan.
