After spending more than a decade in the film industry, Huma Qureshi he believes he has finally reached a stage where he can shape his career on his own terms. The actor, who has completed 12 years in films, says he is now confident enough to bring his own creative touch to every project he takes up. This month, Huma has not only produced but also directed the thriller ‘Baby Do Die Do’. She will next be seen in Geethu Mohandas action drama ‘Toxic’ starring Kannada superstar Yash. He claims the film is a unique experience and says, “It’s a crazy, different world.”Looking back on her early years, Huma admits that her idea of success has evolved significantly. While fame and visibility once seemed like the ultimate goal, he now values creative independence above all else.Speaking to Mid-Day, he shared, “I wanted people to know me [then]but today success is about choosing the work I do or choosing the people I work with. Being able to say no to parts of yourself that you’re not aligned with and how you see yourself as an artist, that’s a success for me,” she explains.The actor also talks about resisting the industry’s tendency to stereotype performers. “I hate being put in a box. As an actor, there’s a lot I can do, but I can’t force someone to give me a chance, even if I think I’d be great at it. The opportunities that come my way, I’ll try to get them. It’s fun and I’m very proud to be able to do a popular song in the same year as doing an important political piece for women. I can age and remove myself, I can do whatever because I’m an actor. I want to feel freed from these shackles of other people’s ideas and expectations. Image-wimage kuch want hota. It’s what you want it to be,” he says.
A romantic film is still on Huma Qureshi’s wish list
While Huma has built a reputation for choosing unconventional and performance-driven roles, she reveals that there is one genre she still hopes to explore. The actor says he would love to front a romantic or mainstream commercial entertainer, though such offers have largely eluded him. “If I do a commercial or a romantic film, I will do it in my own way. I’m not going to copy someone else’s idea.”
Huma Qureshi’s career marked by versatility
Over the last 12 years, Huma has shown her range through projects like ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Ek Thi Daayan’, ‘Badlapur’, ‘Tarla’, ‘Maharani’, ‘Monica, O My Darling’ and the upcoming ‘Delhi Crime 3’. His diverse choices reflect the same philosophy he espouses, refusing to be limited by expectations while constantly experimenting with different genres and characters.