Huma Qureshi is currently ruling the roost with stellar acts in the Tamil blockbuster Valimai, web series Mithya and a guest appearance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi. The Free Press Journal caught up with her for an exclusive tête-à-tête. Excerpts:
Your action scenes in Valimai are being lauded. Was shooting for them tough for you?
I’m very keen on doing action. I enjoy doing action and have a blast watching action films. Women don’t get many opportunities to play action roles. We don’t get such scripts and neither the budget nor the backing. If we do get such roles, then I am sure we women are nowhere lesser than males.
How would you differentiate the prep of Mithya and Valimai?
The process for Mithya was different. Whatever I did in Valimai was completely the vision of my director. I was very keen on working with Ajith (Kumar). It’s an action film. I had to play a tough cop. Though she has different shades, I really enjoyed performing that character. I trained a lot for the action sequences. Mithya was (director) Rohan’s (Sippy’s) project where I played a Hindi professor. My history professor, Parul ma’am, resembles my character in the film. This character is so very righteous, but no sooner does something up and down happen in her life that it becomes so interesting.
You were supposed to debut with the Tamil film Billa. What went wrong?
I was supposed to do it, but because of the dates, it didn’t happen. My first Tamil film was with Rajinikanth sir, titled Kaala.
It is the right time that you turned to the South with Valimai. Do you agree?
We are in the age of pan India films. So films can come from any territory. Truly speaking, the story has to be engaging. Language is no bar anymore. If it’s interesting, then people will watch that film. I find it a very good time. It’s a good thing that when it’s a pan India release, your Indian audience increases. And a film with Ajith sir, we understand his magic. I think when you get to see me in that film, my fanbase will increase as it’s a completely huge and different audience.
Now, female leads are getting better roles in comparison to yesteryear actresses...
Yes. Sridevi ma’am and Madhuri (Dixit) ma’am have done good and strong lead roles. Before them, Nargis ma’am (Dutt), Waheeda ma’am (Rehman) and Meena Kumariji did strong women-led stories from that era. But definitely, then the number of such films made was lesser. But in today’s times, we want to do content-led parts and good lead parts. Apart from me, there are so many of my peers (friends) who are successfully doing solid female-lead roles. I feel very happy. I feel whenever any female-led films do well; our respect enhances furthermore.
Your journey has been successful so far. Have your desires and dreams changed from then to now?
My dreams and desires have not changed, but I have surely grown up. I understand things I didn’t understand earlier. I also have become better with my performances. Earlier I pretended to know so much. Maybe today, I understand a little better. I consider myself not as an actor but as an artist today.
How was it to work with your dream director Sanjay Leela Bhansali? Were you not conscious about the screen space as yours is a guest appearance?
When I meet someone, also someone who meets me once can never forget me (laughs). Be it on-screen or in person. But on a serious note, I’m not insecure about my screen presence at all. There are no big or small actors; I believe there are only big or small parts on-screen. In any scene, be it through your gesture, be it a song, you can do so much. That’s what I genuinely believe.
Your future projects?
Monica, O My Darling and Double XL are my forthcoming films. All have been shot. Then there is my web series Maharani Season 2. Only a little portion of shooting is left for it.
