Huma Qureshi on life post Maharani, working with Zack Snyder, and a promise to self: ‘At least one Hollywood film a year’

“As an audience, it is so boring to see things as good-bad or right-wrong because life is so full of grey. And I am so happy that today it is showing in our writings, our stories. Now, every character or subject is so layered and nuanced, which gives an actor so much to do. Otherwise, earlier there were set patterns of what-to-do for women. Either you were waiting to get rescued or you were a vamp. You were put in these boxes. But I felt that it is important to break out of those boxes and do content which is exciting, interesting and different,” Huma said as she explains why she ends up playing complex characters.

For Huma, the kick of being an actor is in finding roles that have something different to offer. “Every time people have tried to put me in a box, I have refused. That is not me. I always want to experiment and do something else. The search, since the first day of being an actor, has been to look for (different) characters and not repeat myself,” Huma said, adding that every single time when she is offered a similar role or script, she turns it down.

“Every single time someone says, ‘Aapne wo role kitna accha kiya tha. Ye script hai. Ye waisa hi kuch hai,’ I am like, ‘Mujhe call mat kijiyega. Main do aur naam batati hu, unko call kijiye. Wo sahi rahenge.‘ This is also because you exhaust yourself by performing the same sort of roles. After I did Maharani, I got so many offers to play either a girl from Bihar or a story based on rural part of the country. But I have done it. Now, it won’t be fun. So, I keep looking for something different,” she explained.

“Every single time someone says, ‘Aapne wo role kitna accha kiya tha. Ye script hai. Ye waisa hi kuch hai,’ I am like, ‘Mujhe call mat kijiyega. Main do aur naam batati hu, unko call kijiye. Wo sahi rahenge.‘ This is also because you exhaust yourself by performing the same sort of roles. After I did Maharani, I got so many offers to play either a girl from Bihar or a story based on rural part of the country. But I have done it. Now, it won’t be fun. So, I keep looking for something different,” she explained.

Maharani, which came out in 2021, was a hit. It received rave reviews from the audience as well as the critics. Huma agrees that the show’s success changed things for her in a good way. “I think post-Maharani, things have changed. I have been on the path, in this journey for a while now. But the unabashed love and appreciation that has come my way has been overwhelming. I knew we were making a good show but when you get that kind of response, you don’t really understand what has happened. Everyday, we would all call up each other and wonder – did we make that good a show? It was wow,” Huma recalled.

For Huma, the success and the fact that she is headlining shows as a solo lead is a result of all the hard work she has put in. “I do remember the time when I had come Mumbai, go from one studio to another, give auditions randomly. First, started doing ads and then films. Till Dedh Ishqiya, I auditioned for every single film and I say this very proudly because I feel I have earned this spot. So, today when a project gets set up around me, I feel proud because it is an achievement as I came from nowhere and now I am here. In that sense, I feel that this industry rewards you if you keep working harder,” the Bell Bottom actor stated.

But how has she been dealing with the fact that the weight of the whole show or film is on her shoulder? “When you are holding the weight of a project on your shoulder, it can be a bit overwhelming. But I try not to get bogged down but instead feel energised, aim at having good time (on the sets) and to create great bonds.”

The year of 2021 also saw Huma taking over the silver screen with Zack Synder’s Army of The Dead. “For me, I always wanted to work with good filmmakers. So, it doesn’t matter where they come from. I want to be part of interesting stories. Working with Zack Snyder was a huge deal for me. I am a huge fan of his work. And I do hope to at least do one project every year abroad,” she said. But things don’t end here for Huma as she is looking forward to Valimai, an Ajith starrer. “I am equally excited for Valimai,” said Huma in an excited tone.

The actor will be seen performing action in the Boney Kapoor production venture. The film will release on February 24.