Huma Qureshi recalls parents mistook film offer for scam

Actor Huma Qureshi recently opened up about her early struggles while stepping into Bollywood, revealing that her parents were initially alarmed when she received her first film offer. Huma shared that her parents feared the offer was part of a “prostitution racket.”

‘They didn’t believe it,’ says Huma

Huma recalled her parents’ disbelief when she told them someone wanted to cast her in a movie. “My parents didn’t believe it. They thought, why would somebody cast you? I think it was the most audacious thing they had heard. They thought it was a prostitution racket; they were convinced,” she said.

She added that it took considerable effort to convince them to let her pursue acting. “Now, when I look back, I’m like, you really had no faith in my ability to gauge anything for myself. But yeah, it took a bit of convincing, and of course, my parents don’t come from this world. Even now, I don’t think they have too much understanding of how the industry works.”

The film that never got made

Despite their reservations, Huma decided to take a chance. She met the filmmakers, read the script, and even did a screen test. Unfortunately, the project never materialized. “The film was never made, which made me sad,” she revealed.

Rise to fame with Gangs of Wasseypur

Before entering Bollywood, Huma appeared in several short films and advertisements. Her big break came with Anurag Kashyap’s acclaimed crime drama Gangs of Wasseypur: Part 2 (2012), which earned her wide recognition.

Versatile career and recent projects

Over the years, Huma has portrayed a variety of roles across genres — from Ek Thi Daayan and Badlapur to Jolly LLB 2. While some films like Dedh Ishqiya and D-Day didn’t perform as expected, Huma continued to make her mark with strong performances.

Recently, she was seen in Maharani Season 4, reprising her role as the sharp and determined politician Rani Bharti. She also starred as a cop in Bayan, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and appeared in Jolly LLB 3. Huma will next be seen as the antagonist in Netflix’s Delhi Crime 3.