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Mahira Khan marked 15 years of Humsafar by posting a heartwarming video on Instagram on Friday.

In the video, two special moments from the actor’s career play together: her twirling as Khirad in the famous 2011 drama and her twirling as Bilqees Bano in her new show, Mitti De Baway, which premiered this month around the same time of year as Humsafar did 15 years ago.

Mahira wrote a heartfelt message to her fans, calling them her “dearest, my most precious Humsafars” and saying it had been “15 years of loving and twirling in that love”.

“15 years…. Of surrendering to life, to the characters I picked and those that were picked for me. It is surreal to have Mitti De Baway air on the same day that Humsafar was aired that many years ago. And even though so much has changed, all of you have remained the same for me. My constants. My backbone and my strength. From Khirad to Bilo… I am filled with nothing but shukr. Here’s to all of you… here’s to a lifetime of being each other’s humsafars, may there never be judaai. May there never be bewafaai,” the actor wrote.

This is not the first time Mahira has done something special for her fans to celebrate Humsafar. For its 10th anniversary, she held a surprise question-and-answer session on X, which was called Twitter back then.

Humsafar — based on a novel by Farhat Ishtiaq — revolves around two cousins, Khirad and Ashar (played by Fawad Khan), a couple in an arranged marriage who face separation and heartbreak before finding their way back to each other. The drama became a huge hit, not just in Pakistan but all over the world. The show is often credited with giving the Pakistani drama industry a big boost.

It came at a time when many people were tuning into Indian and Turkish shows, but Humsafar proved that Pakistani stories could be just as popular — and even more loved.

The show had a big impact on almost everyone involved. Mahira became a household name and her role as the strong-headed and uncompromising Khirad made her one of Pakistan’s most loved actors. She later made her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees.

Fawad became a star across the border too, appearing in hit Hindi films such as Khoobsurat, Kapoor & Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. For director Sarmad Khoosat, Humsafar made him one of the most respected creators on television and he later went on to make famous films such as Manto and Zindagi Tamasha and, more recently, Lali.

Now, 15 years later, Mahira is winning hearts all over again with Mitti De Baway. The new drama, set in Punjab, stars her alongside Wahaj Ali. It has already received glowing reviews after just a couple of episodes.

Earlier this month, Mahira, 41, also revealed she is expecting her second child during her appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival. It marks a new chapter for her, coming years after the birth of her 17-year-old son Azlan.

Between the Humsafar anniversary, the praise for Mitti De Baway and her pregnancy news, Mahira is having a remarkable month.

So, for Mahira, the twirling goes on — from one iconic character to the next, with her Humsafar fans watching every step of the way.