Huma Qureshi is an Indian actress and producer who works primarily in Hindi cinema. She made her feature film debut with Anurag Kashyap's two-part crime saga Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and has since worked across mainstream Hindi films, web series, and international productions.
| Full name | Huma Salman Qureshi |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 July 1986, New Delhi, India |
| Education | Gargi College, University of Delhi (history) |
| Occupation | Actress, producer |
| Years active | 2012 onwards |
| Debut film | Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) |
| Family | Saleem Qureshi (father), Ameena Qureshi (mother); Saqib Saleem (brother, actor) |
Background
Huma Qureshi was born on 28 July 1986 in New Delhi. Her father, Saleem Qureshi, ran a chain of restaurants in the city. She is the only daughter among five siblings; her younger brother Saqib Saleem is also a Hindi film actor. She graduated in history from Gargi College, University of Delhi, and was active in college theatre.
Before her film career, she worked in Delhi-based theatre and appeared in television commercials. A commercial for Samsung directed by Anurag Kashyap brought her to the attention of the Mumbai film industry and led to her casting in Gangs of Wasseypur.
Career
Hindi cinema
Qureshi made her debut as Mohsina, opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui, in Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 and Part 2 (2012), directed by Anurag Kashyap. The films premiered at the Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight section and earned her several debutante nominations.
She followed this with roles in Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (2012), Ek Thi Daayan (2013), Dedh Ishqiya (2014) directed by Abhishek Chaubey, and Badlapur (2015) directed by Sriram Raghavan. She played the lead in Highway (2014) — the Malayalam version — and appeared in Jolly LLB 2 (2017) opposite Akshay Kumar.
Other notable films include Kaala (2018), the Rajinikanth-led Tamil film directed by Pa. Ranjith, in which she played Zareena; Partition: 1947 (2017) by Gurinder Chadha; Viceroy's House, the international version of the same project; and Army of the Dead (2021), the English-language zombie heist film directed by Zack Snyder for Netflix.
Web series and television
Qureshi played the title role in the political drama Maharani (2021– ) on SonyLIV, portraying Rani Bharti, a Bihar chief minister, across multiple seasons. She also appeared in Leila (2019), a Netflix dystopian series directed by Deepa Mehta and others, based on Prayaag Akbar's novel of the same name.
Production and other work
Along with her brother Saqib Saleem, Qureshi co-founded a production company. She produced and starred in Tarla (2023), a biographical film on cookery writer Tarla Dalal. She has walked at international fashion weeks and appeared on the cover of Vogue India and similar publications.
Selected filmography
- Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 and Part 2 (2012)
- Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (2012)
- Ek Thi Daayan (2013)
- Dedh Ishqiya (2014)
- Badlapur (2015)
- Jolly LLB 2 (2017)
- Partition: 1947 (2017)
- Kaala (2018, Tamil)
- Leila (2019, web series)
- Army of the Dead (2021)
- Maharani (2021– , web series)
- Tarla (2023)
- Monica, O My Darling (2022)
Recognition
Qureshi received a Screen Award nomination for Best Female Debut for Gangs of Wasseypur and a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Dedh Ishqiya. She has been included in industry lists of leading Hindi film actresses and is regarded as part of the wave of performers from independent Hindi cinema of the early 2010s who moved into mainstream and streaming work.
Significance
Qureshi's career trajectory — from Delhi theatre and advertising to Anurag Kashyap's parallel-cinema circuit, mainstream Hindi films, South Indian cinema, international productions, and OTT lead roles — reflects the broadening of opportunities for Indian actresses across formats during the 2010s and 2020s. Her crossover into a Hollywood production with Army of the Dead placed her among a small group of Hindi-film actresses with leading roles in major English-language streaming films.
Related topics
- Gangs of Wasseypur
- Anurag Kashyap
- Saqib Saleem
- Hindi cinema
- Maharani (web series)
- Army of the Dead
- Tarla Dalal
- Gargi College
References
- Festival listings, Cannes Film Festival – Directors' Fortnight, 2012.
- Profiles in The Times of India, The Indian Express, and The Hindu.
- Filmfare and Screen Awards nomination records.
- Production notes for Army of the Dead, Netflix.