She made her debut in the film with the comedy Jawani Phir Nahi Ani (2015) and later went on to become an Actor in Law (2016). Hayat had since starred in the comedies Punjab Nahi Jaungi (2017), Load Wedding (2018), and London Nahi Jaunga (2022), all of which rank among one of highest-grossing Pakistani films .
In 2019, she was honored by the President of Pakistan with a National Civil Award, the (Tamgha - I - Imtiaz), for her contribution to the Arts and Pakistani Cinema.
Her mother, Rukhsar Hayat, was a popular television actress during the 1980. Her eldest brother Zeeshan is a singer-composer while her older sister, Afsheen, is a singer as well.
As a model, she has appeared in adverts for some of the world's leading brands, from telecoms to beauty products. Mehwish is one of the most socially active celebrities in South Asia and the Middle East. Fearless and bold, she has spoken out on global media outlets about human rights abuses and the representation of Muslims and Pakistanis in mainstream media. She has been championing the cause of diversity and inclusivity in media for many years.
She is also an accomplished singer, having sung several popular songs for television including appearing on the prestigious Coke Studio and she has undertaken several sell-out music tours in the US playing to arenas across the country.