New Delhi: Huma Qureshi has carved a niche for herself in Bollywood with varied roles in movies like ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Badlapur’, ‘Bell Bottom’ and ‘Leila’ among others.
Huma, who was seen in SonyLIV’s web series ‘Maharani’ in which she played the role of Rani Bharti, had earned acclaim for her performance from critics and the audiences alike.
Now, the makers are back with the season 2 of the much-anticipated series ‘Maharani’, starring Sohum Shah and Huma in the lead.
In an exclusive interaction with UNI, Huma talks about the show, her journey and more.
On how her character Rani Bharti evolving in season 2, Huma said, “Rani Bharti was innocent and naive in Season 1. She was still figuring things out, but now in season 2, she is the CM: brave, responsible, courageous, and fearless. Despite fierce opposition, she promises to confront thugs with authority and control.”
Were there any apprehensions regarding the role ?, the 36-year-old actress said, “Yes, there were. I had never encountered a character like Rani Bharti before. I wasn't sure how to get through the Bihari accent, mannerisms, and other factors. But now my DNA is bound to Rani Bharti.”
Talking about the most intimidating part of the script, the ‘Valimai’ actress said, “Rani Bharti was a naive character, and she switched to taking on responsibility for the increased violence, so the whole change of character from a stay home woman, not so powerful to taking over the state as a CM was the most intimidating part of the script.”
On her on/off screen bond with Sohum, Huma said, “Off screen Sohum is a great and funny person. While we were shooting, he kept doing things, cracking jokes, being obsessed with himself and everything that he did, and in that way, he kept us entertained throughout. I can call him our box of entertainment.”
When asked if she has become more conscious in choosing the projects after ‘Maharani’, the ‘Mithya’ actress said, “As an actor, I love exploring myself with new roles and scripts and giving my best. So there hasn't been any change in choosing the projects after Maharani.”
Talking about the writing for women characters in Bollywood, Huma said it has changed over the years.
“The portrayal of women in Bollywood has changed throughout the years, moving from the role of the self-sacrificing mother to that of the empowered woman. The roles portrayed by women in Hindi films have changed along with the times,” she said.
Huma, was also a part of the ensemble cast in ‘Army of the Dead’, an American zombie heist film directed by Zack Snyder. Does she finds any difference in Hollywood & Bollywood, Huma said, “There isn't much of a difference; what matters is your talent and dedication.”
On the aspects she considers before signing any project, “I enjoy exploring and experimenting with new roles and scripts, so I'll select a project that allows me to learn a new character and become a better version of myself.”
Huma, who made her film debut in 2012 with Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, has a 10-year-long career. Whether her journey was a cakewalk, she said, “My Bollywood experience has been wonderful. I've learned a lot in the last 10 years. Every little thing, such as appreciation and compliments, helped me in becoming a better version of myself. I'm grateful for everyone's unending love and support, which kept me going throughout.”
Talking about OTT, she said, “OTT is treating me fantastically. It's a completely different experience. I've received a lot of supportive responses to my work, and that has greatly helped my development as an actor.”
One trend in the industry that she doesn’t like, Huma said, “Trends should only be taken as trends because they change overnight.”
Asked if the box-office performance affects her, Huma said, “A film or series requires an enormous amount of effort, time, and people. Also included are the audience's expectations. So a good box-office performance for a movie on which I worked makes me happy because it means that all of our hard work was praised.”
Huma also revealed that her dream role is to play a superhero.
In season 1, Rani Bharti was thrust into the tumultuous realm of politics; in season 2, she is set to reign and bring fair and transparent administration to the citizens of her state. But will she succeed, as every move matters in this game of chess?
The show is produced by Kangra Talkies and directed by Ravindra Gautam. Subhash Kapoor and Nandan Singh serve as show runners and writers of the show.
‘Maharani 2’ also features Amit Sial (Naveen Kumar), Vineet Kumar (Gauri Shankar Pandey), Inaamulhaq (Parvez Alam), Kani Kasturi (Kaveri Sridharan), Anuja Sathe (Kriti Singh), Pramod Pathak (Mishra), and Neha Chouhan (Kalpana Kaul).
It will stream on August 25 on SonyLIV. (UNI)
