Mumait’s journey in the entertainment industry began much earlier than most. She was only 13 when she started working and just 18 when “Dekh Le” made her a national sensation. What followed was a whirlwind: multiple films in Hindi, Telugu and Kannada, a string of chart-topping numbers, bold roles and a quickly cemented image as a sex symbol. And then, just as quickly, he disappeared from the spotlight.
Born to a Pakistani father and South Indian mother, Mumait spent most of her childhood in Bombay. But behind the glitter of the city, his family was quietly going through financial difficulties. It wasn’t pressure from her parents that pushed her to work: it was conscience.
Mumait Khan in Dekh Le song. (Photo: IMDb)
He started working at 13
Speaking to iDream Media, Mumait recalled: “It wasn’t my parents who asked us to earn money. While growing up, my sister and I realized that we were running out of money. We knew it. When I was a child, I would walk to school just to save 1.50 rupees. I would put it in my piggy bank and give it to my father. They never asked me, but I felt like doing it for them.”
That sense of responsibility also reshaped identities. Mumtaz Abdul Rashid Khan he became Mumait Khan, while his sister entered the industry as Zabyn Khan. After “Dekh Le”, Mumait appeared in films like Hulchul, Lucky: No Time for Love, Rowdy Rathore and Telugu blockbusters like Chatrapathi and Pokiri. She became one of the most sought-after artists by item numbers across all industries. Fame followed. So did the trial.
Then life intervened… brutally.
He went into a coma at 30
Mumait suffered a serious accident at home that damaged the nerves in his brain. He fell into a coma for 15 days, began to suffer seizures and received an instruction that seemed like a professional death sentence: no job, no training, no physical exertion for seven years.
Mumait Khan, Raj Sharma and Madhusudhan Mehta. Express File Photo ***Local Caption*** Mumait Khan, Raj Sharma and Madhusudhan Mehta.
“I didn’t leave the industry,” he clarified. “I had an accident. Five nerves in my brain burst. Doctors told me not to work for at least seven years; even lifting anything was impossible. I was taking medication for seizures, which made me gain a lot of weight. God made me Mumait Khan, and he himself put an end to this. I accepted it. I used those seven years to study on my own.”
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Those seven years were a forced pause, but not an empty one. With financial support from his mother, Mumait took the time to reflect, heal and reimagine his future.
7 years of rest changed everything
“My mom took care of me financially during that period. She kept me happy and maintained my lifestyle. Even today, before any big purchase, I call her and ask her permission. She knows everything. I can’t spend money randomly.” It was during this period that Mumait realized that acting did not have to be his only identity. The answer came from something I had always loved: makeup and hair.
“In those seven years, I had a lot of time to think about what I really loved. I realized it was makeup and hair. In every movie, in every song, I never repeated a look. Every time, it was different.”
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That thought eventually turned into WeLyke Academy, her hair and makeup training institute in Hyderabad. Explaining her choice of city, she said, “There is a gap in Hyderabad. In most of the South industry, we don’t get that kind of treatment. I used to bring my hair, makeup and styling teams from Mumbai. So I wanted to bring that standard here.”
Mumait Khan. express stock photo
The academy charges 50,000 rupees for a course
However, launching the academy was not easy. “I was stabbed in the back twice. My business should have started earlier. I was supposed to launch it in 2023, but I had to start all over again. It took time.”
Today, the academy is fully operational and offers courses ranging from one to eight weeks, with fees between Rs 20,000 and Rs 50,000. It is open to everyone and Mumait has even partnered with a bank to help students get easy education loans.
‘I didn’t have time for personal relationships’
At 40 years old, Mumait is single and unapologetic. “I’m not a typical girl. I have the personality of both a man and a woman. I focus on different things. I’ve had four serious relationships. Right now, I’m single by choice, not because things didn’t work out. If I find someone now, I’m not against it.”
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Their reasons are deeply rooted in lived reality. “I started working when I was 13. I sacrificed my teens, my 20s and my 30s. Then God put a break in my life. Since I was little, my mentality was ‘I’m working for my parents.’ I never had time to think about marriage or children. I’ve become more entrepreneurial. “I never really had room for personal relationships.”
‘Tongue pierced by boredom’
However, what he does have is a deep love for tattoos and piercings. “If I wasn’t an artist, I would be in the Guinness Book of Records for the woman with the most tattoos,” she laughs.
Recalling her rebellious streak, she added: “My tongue swelled to triple its size for eight months after I got it pierced. I was 18 and I thought, I need a piercing. Everyone had ear, eyebrow and nose piercings, so I took mine out. Then I got my tongue pierced and said, ‘Now copy me.'”
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The trial has followed her relentlessly, but she remains impassive. “Everything about me is a mystery. Only my closest people know the truth and let it remain that way. The more I explain my life, the more explanations I will have.”
And she added firmly: “Everyone judges everyone. I don’t owe explanations to anyone. Society doesn’t pay my bills. My family thinks well of me, that’s enough. I love my job. If my job requires me to wear a bikini, I will wear it with pride. They pay me for it. That others don’t respect me is not my problem.”
Controversies were not uncommon
Public life also meant controversies. Mumait made headlines after a public dispute with a taxi driver and later during a high-profile drug investigation that forced her to exit Bigg Boss Telugu season 1 midway.
Explaining the taxi incident, he said, “It was my sister Zabyn’s birthday. I traveled from Hyderabad to Goa with my pet Molly. The driver had no documents at the border. He was already in pain due to a recent surgery. On the return journey, he demanded extra money, called his union, took out a stick and drove rashly. Now he is in court. I have proof. He has given two different statements.”
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And she added bitterly: “Since he is ‘poor’ and I am an actress who has played daring roles, I automatically became the villain.”
As for the drug case, they finally gave him a clean chit. “I was attracted to them because of my association with someone. It didn’t affect my friendships. God gave me fame, humiliated me, stopped my career. I don’t blame anyone else.”
Looking back, Mumait has no complaints, only acceptance. “God gave me everything and took it from me when he wanted. He won’t let anything bad happen to me.” And perhaps, that quiet faith is what has kept her going: unbothered, unapologetic, and intact.