Huma Saleem Qureshi (born 28 July 1986) is an Indian actress, model, and producer who predominantly acts in Hindi language films. She has also been nominated for three Filmfare Awards. Qureshi earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Delhi, while also working as a theatre performer and model. She moved to Mumbai after appearing in various theater shows and got a two-year deal with Hindustan Unilever to appear in television commercials. Anurag Kashyap spotted her acting talent while filming a Samsung mobile ad and signed her to a three-film deal with his business.
Qureshi made her cinematic debut in the two-part criminal drama Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012. Her work in the film got her a number of nominations, including Filmfare Awards for Best Female Debut and Best Supporting Actress. That same year, she starred as the lead female in the romantic drama Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, followed by a role in Ek Thi Daayan.
She played protagonists in the anthology Shorts (2013), Dedh Ishqiya (2014), and Badlapur (2015), as well as supporting roles in the Marathi road drama Highway (2015). Later roles for Qureshi include Jolly LLB 2 (2017) and Dobaara: See Your Evil (2017). With the 2019 dystopian drama Leila, she makes her web series debut. Huma received accolades for her depiction of Rani Bharti in the SonyLiv online series Maharani.
Early life and education
Qureshi was born on July 28, 1986, in New Delhi, India, into a Muslim household. Her father, Saleem Qureshi, owns a restaurant franchise (Saleem's), while her mother, Ameena Qureshi (a Kashmiri), is a housewife. She has three brothers, one of which is actor Saqib Saleem. When Qureshi was a toddler, his family moved to Kalkaji in South Delhi. She earned her bachelor's degree in history with honors from Gargi College, University of Delhi. She later joined the Act 1 theatre group and appeared in a couple plays. During her theatre days, N. K Sharma was her mentor and acting teacher. She has worked with various non-profit organizations and supported a documentary filmmaker.
Career as an actor
Television commercials
She traveled to Mumbai in 2008 to audition for film roles, including Junction, which was never made: "I never thought of coming to Mumbai or being an actress." But when a friend contacted to ask me to audition for a film called Junction, it got me thinking. Unfortunately, the film was never made." Hindustan Unilever signed Qureshi to a two-year contract to feature in their television advertisements. She endorsed several brands, including Samsung Mobile (with Aamir Khan), Nerolac (with Shah Rukh Khan), Vita Marie, Saffola oil, Mederma lotion, and Pears soap. Director Anurag Kashyap was delighted with her acting talents during a shoot for a Samsung Mobile ad and offered to cast her in a film. "I didn't believe him then," Qureshi recounted. In our field, you hear a lot of such stories, so I wasn't holding my breath." Kashyap, on the other hand, maintained his promise, signing her to a three-film deal with his business Anurag Kashyap Films.
début and breakthrough in film
After beating out 700 other contenders in an audition, Qureshi was set to make her film debut in Billa II, a Tamil gangster thriller directed and produced by Chakri Toleti. Despite being cast as the female lead, Qureshi departed the production due to other job obligations when the film was delayed. When asked if she had any regrets, she replied, "I have no regrets." It would have been nice if it had worked out, but it didn't. I'm not the type to sit around and mope about things. I was approached for several other south films as well, but the roles weren't right for me."
Qureshi made her feature film debut as the loving wife of a criminal (played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui) in Anurag Kashyap's critically acclaimed two-part crime drama Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 (2012). "Mohsina tries to copy everything she sees on the big screen in her own little ways," she said of her character, a small-town airhead who believes she is the prettiest girl in the community. Bollywood has a strong influence on her." The film premiered at the 65th Cannes Film Festival, and critics praised both the film and Qureshi. Govind Nihalani praised her film presence, comparing her to Smita Patil, saying she had "an earthiness, sincerity, intensity, and warmth of personality, qualities that distinguished Smita, aside from the fact that she was a very fine and instinctive actress." Huma is a competent enough actress on her own, capable of standing out from the pack and holding her own." "Huma Qureshi, who's introduced much later in the film...is wonderful," said Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama. "When it comes to looks, [Huma] is different from the typical Bollywood actors," the Express Tribune stated. Qureshi was named third on Rediff.com's annual list of "Bollywood's Top Ten Debutants" (male and female) in 2012. Following the popularity of the first installment, she returned as Mohsina in the sequel to the Gangs of Wasseypur series, Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2. With its prequel, the film premiered in the Cannes Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. It debuted to widespread critical acclaim, and her performance drew praise once more. "Huma Qureshi, with her gaudy clothes, designer sunglasses, and unusual attractiveness, is the hottest cheez in Wasseypur," wrote Madhureeta Mukherjee of The Times of India. Taran Adarsh described her as "simply fantastic" as she "beautifully lends support as a powerful man's 'prouder' better-half, even in his worst crimes." Both films got her nominations for Best Female Debut and Best Supporting Actress at various award events (including the Filmfare Award). Gangs of Wasseypur was described as a "life-changing film" by Qureshi.
That same year, Qureshi finished her three-film deal with Anurag Kashyap Films by starring in Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, a romantic comedy about a quest for a historic family delicacy called Chicken Khurana. She plays Harman (Kunal Kapoor's love interest) in the film, which was directed by Sameer Sharma. The film was a financial success, and according to Rediff.com, "Huma Qureshi looks right for the role, and she delivers a wonderful performance." According to Aniruddha Guha of the Daily News and Analysis, "[Qureshi] is charming as the fiery Punjabi, Harman." Her delightfully genuine playing technique amazes once more in a part reminiscent of her portrayal in Gangs of Wasseypur." Anupama Chopra, on the other hand, thought her performance was "a little bland."
Additional works (2013-present)
Qureshi was cast as a witch in Emraan Hashmi's supernatural thriller Ek Thi Daayan (2013), with Konkona Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin. The film, which dealt with witchcraft themes, was based on 'Mobius Trips,' a short story written by Konkona Sen Sharma's father. It earned mixed reviews from reviewers but proved to be a profitable box office endeavor. Qureshi's performance was also lauded. According to the Indian Express, "Qureshi has only a few good moments, but he makes the most of them," and "Qureshi has a remarkably pleasant and confident screen presence," according to Koimoi. "The three leading ladies are smashing in their roles...Each plays their given role with frighteningly good flair, and each deserves a big hand," Raja Sen commented of the female cast. Following her appearance in Ek Thi Daayan, Qureshi co-hosted the 60th National Film Awards ceremony with R. Madhavan, an event organized by the Directorate of Film Festivals to celebrate the Best Films of the Year (then 2012) in Indian Cinema by the President of India. The ceremony took place on May 3, 2013, at the Vigyan Bhavan, under Pranab Mukherjee's President.
Soon after, Qureshi starred as the title character in the short film Sujata, which was released as part of Anurag Kashyap's anthology film Shorts. She portrayed the title character, a little girl who is trying to escape the hands of her cruel cousin brother (Satya Anand). Before its release, the film was shown at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, where it garnered generally excellent reviews, and Qureshi's performance was critically acclaimed, earning her a Special Mention Award at the ceremony. Her subsequent release that year was the underworld drama D-Day, in which she played Zoya Rehman, an explosive R.A.W agent with Irfan Khan, Arjun Rampal, Rishi Kapoor, and Shruti Haasan. During the screenplay reading, director Nikkhil Advani gave Qureshi the option of playing Suraiya (eventually played by Hassan) or Zoya; she chose Zoya to broaden her horizons as an actress. The film was a box office disappointment and received mixed reviews from critics, although Qureshi's performance received praise; Subhash K. Jha stated that Qureshi's acting is "effortlessly appealing and effective."
Qureshi appeared in Abhishek Chaubey's 2014 black comedy Dedh Ishqiya, a sequel to the 2010 film Ishqiya, alongside Madhuri Dixit, Arshad Warsi, and Naseeruddin Shah. Dedh Ishqiya was a commercial success, grossing 270 million rupees (US$4.1 million) in India and internationally, and Qureshi was praised for her performance as the promiscuous companion of a con woman (played by Dixit). Raja Sen wrote in a 5-star review, "Qureshi uses her fiercely intelligent eyes to great effect," and Mohar Basu agreed, noting, "Huma Qureshi is brilliant and confident." The actress exudes vibrant energy, which demonstrates her talent." Qureshi's most recent appearance in 2014 was in Rochak Kohli's music video "Mitti Di Khusboo," in which he co-starred with Ayushmann Khurrana. According to India Today, "the chemistry between Ayushmann and Huma onscreen has the raw flavor of a country romance."
The next year, Qureshi co-starred with Varun Dhawan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a prostitute in Sriram Raghavan's criminal thriller Badlapur. Raja Sen commended her performance, writing, "she is hauntingly good as a call-girl." The film was a commercial success, and Qureshi was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Highway, directed by Umesh Kulkarni, marked her debut in Marathi cinema. Critics gave it mixed reviews, and movie was a moderate box office success. She appeared in the joint film X: Past Is Present the same year. It was directed by an eleven-person team, with Qureshi participating in "Knot," a section directed by film critic Raja Sen, alongside Anshuman Jha. With White, Qureshi made his Malayalam film debut in 2016. She co-starred in the film with Mammootty in a dual role. The film received mainly unfavorable reviews from critics at its initial release.
Qureshi's debut film in 2017 was the courtroom comedy drama Jolly LLB 2, in which she co-starred with Akshay Kumar. The film earned mixed reviews from reviewers and was a box office triumph as a sequel to the 2013 film Jolly LLB. Viceroy's House, a British-Indian historical drama directed by Gurinder Chadha, was her second feature. The film, which chronicles the story of Viceroy's House during India's partition in 1947, was screened at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. She then co-starred in Prawaal Raman's horror film Dobaara: See Your Evil (2017), a replica of Mike Flanagan's Hollywood film Oculus (2013), alongside her brother Saqib Saleem. Flanagan also served as the film's executive producer. In the Tamil film Kaala, Qureshi co-starred with Rajinikanth. On June 7, 2018, it was released. She also became a judge on the reality show India's Best Dramebaaz in 2018.
Qureshi starred as the titular character in the Netflix dystopian series Leila, based on the novel of the same name, in 2019. Deepa Mehta, Shanker Raman, and Pawan Kumar directed the series, which premiered on 14 June 2019 to largely positive reviews from critics, with special praise for Qureshi's portrayal. According to Hiba Beg of The Quint, Qureshi's "raw presence in the show is as real as it gets on screen." In 2021, she also appeared in the web serial Maharani, in which she played Rani Bharti, which was warmly praised by critics and earned her the Filmfare OTT award. Later that year, she finished the American picture Army of the Dead, her Hollywood debut. She has made a comeback on television, hosting the reality show Fit Fab Feast in Zee Cafe. She then appeared in Akshay Kumar's flick Bell Bottom and a second Tamil film called Valimai.
Mithya, a replica of the British series Cheat, was her third online series in 2022. In 2022, she will also appear in Monica, O My Darling, and Double XL. Qureshi went on to play chef Tarla Dalal in her biography in April 2022. Piyush Gupta directed the film, which was produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, and Nitesh Tiwari.
Her personal life has been complicated by her relationship with Indian director and writer Mudassar Aziz.
 | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 | Mohsina | |
| Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2 | |||
| 2012 | Trishna | Herself | Special appearance in song "Maintenance" |
| 2012 | Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana | Harman | |
| 2013 | Ek Thi Daayan | Tamara | |
| 2013 | Shorts | Sujata | Appeared in segment "Sujata" |
| 2013 | D-Day | Zoya Rehman | |
| 2014 | Dedh Ishqiya | Muniya | |
| 2015 | Badlapur | Jhimli | |
| 2015 | Highway | Mahalakshmi | Marathi film |
| 2015 | X: Past Is Present | Veena | Appeared in segment "Knot" |
| 2016 | White | Roshni Menon | Malayalam film |
| 2017 | Ek Dopahar | Raina | Short film |
| 2017 | Jolly LLB 2 | Pushpa Pandey | |
| 2017 | Viceroy's House | Aalia | English film |
| 2017 | Dobaara: See Your Evil | Natasha Merchant | |
| 2018 | Kaala | Zareena | Tamil film |
| 2020 | Ghoomketu | Herself | Cameo appearance |
| 2021 | Army of the Dead | Geeta | American film |
| 2021 | Bell Bottom | Adeela Rehman | |
| 2022 | Valimai | Sophia | Tamil film |
| 2022 | Gangubai Kathiawadi | Dilruba | Special appearance in song "Shikayat" |
| 2022 | Double XL | Rajshri Trivedi | |
| 2022 | Monica, O My Darling | Monica Machado | Netflix Original |
| 2023 | Tarla | Tarla Dalal | Completed |
| TBA | Pooja Meri Jaan | TBA | Completed |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Upanishad Ganga | Pundalik's wife Nati Hussaini | Television series |
| 2018 | India's Best Dramebaaz | Judge | Reality show |
| 2019 | Leila | Shalini | Web series |
| 2021–Present | Maharani | Rani Bharti | Web series |
| 2021 | Fit Fab Feast | Host | TV show |
| 2022 | Mithya | Juhi Adhikari | Web series |
| Year | Title | Singer(s) | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Mitti Di Khushboo | Ayushmann Khurrana | Rochak Kohli |
| 2016 | Tumhe Dillagi | Rahat Fateh Ali Khan | Rahat Fateh Ali Khan |
| Year | Film | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 and Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2 | BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actor (Film) Debut—Female | Won |
| Filmfare Awards | Best Female Debut (also for Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana) | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| Screen Awards | Most Promising Newcomer–Female | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |||
| South African Film and Television Awards | Debut Actor of the Year—Female | Won | ||
| Star Guild Awards | Best Female Debut | Nominated | ||
| Stardust Awards | Searchlight Best Actress (also for Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana) | Nominated | ||
| Times of India Film Awards | Best Debut Female | Nominated | ||
| Shorts | Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles | Special Mention | Won | |
| 2013 | D-Day | BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actor in a Thriller Film—Female | Nominated |
| 2014 | Zee Cine Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role—Female | Nominated | |
| Ek Thi Daayan | Screen Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| Dedh Ishqiya | Stardust Awards | Breakthrough Supporting Performance—Female | Won | |
| 2015 | International Indian Film Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Badlapur | Filmfare Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
| 2021 | Maharani | 2021 Filmfare OTT Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Won |
| 2023 | — | Bollywood Hungama Style Icons | Most Stylish Ott Entertainer | Nominated |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Huma Saleem Qureshi |
| Profession | Actor |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height | in centimeters- 165 cm in meters- 1.65 m in feet & inches- 5′ 4¾” |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | TV: Upanishad Ganga (2012) as Pundalik’s wife Nati Hussaini Film, Hindi: Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 (2012) Film, Malayalam: White (2016) Film, Hollywood: Viceroy’s House (2017) Film, Tamil: Kaala (2018) Web-Series: Leila (2019) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 28 July 1986 (Monday) |
| Age (as in 2022) | 36 Years |
| Birthplace | New Delhi |
| Zodiac sign | Leo |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | New Delhi |
| College/University | Gargi College, New Delhi |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation in History Honours |
| Religion | Islam |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Hobbies | Playing Basketball, Reading Autobiographies, and Travelling |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Family | |
| Parents | Father- Saleem Qureshi (Restaurateur) Mother- Ameena Qureshi |
| Siblings | Brother(s)- 3 • Naeem Qureshi (Elder, Businessman) • Haseen Qureshi (Elder, Businessman) • Saqib Saleem (Younger, Actor) |
| Favourite Things | |
| Food | Shaami Kebabs, Biryani, Sushi, Galauti, and Malai Tikkas |
| Actor(s) | Ranbir Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan |
| Film(s) | Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Om Shanti Om (2007), Titanic (1997), and Blue Valentine (2010) |
| Perfume | Daisy by Marc Jacobs |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV Land Rover |
I love books. In fact, I was a geek in college and school. I became an actor by mistake. Now I have become fashionable, but initially, I used to wear my dad’s shirts. In my home in Delhi, I still have more books than clothes.”
Dad felt that too much of studying had affected my mind. My parents suggested me to go abroad and do an MBA. But when I told dad that all my life I’d regret not being able to fulfil my dreams because of him, he became emotional. The very next day, he brought me to Mumbai. He said, ‘If nothing happens in a year, come back to a normal life.”
While my dad could afford to get me an independent house and a car, I did not want to ask him for too much money when I shifted to Mumbai. I stayed as a PG in Juhu with four other girls in a tiny place where each of us had a bed and a cabinet and we would have fights everyday on who would use the washroom first. I would eat from dabbas, travel in a rickshaw, sometimes even walk to save the money. I had decided to give myself one year before I returned.”
We were shooting Gangs Of Wasseypur in Varanasi. Vatika was the only restaurant serving vegetarian, Italian and continental cuisine. We used to go there for lunch and sometimes coffee. Everything there was cheese based, because of the Italian influence. So I would order a customised dish and instruct them how to cook it. Other guests at the restaurant, too began requesting for the same dish. So the owner named that particular dish after me.”
,-Biography,-Wiki,-Age,-Boyfriend-&-More-134.jpg "Surabhi-Samriddhi Mehra (Chinky Minky), Biography, Wiki, Age, Boyfriend & More")
