Huma Qureshi Birthday Special: A Guide To Actor's Best Films And Shows

Even in her very first film, Huma Qureshi was hard to ignore. Her debut cinematic outing, Gangs of Wasseypur went on to acquire a cult status and along with that, Qureshi’s strong screen presence and innate charm propelled her into the big league. Since then she went on to deliver critically acclaimed performances in movies such as Ek Thi Daayan, Dedh Ishqiya, and Badlapur among others.

Qureshi turns a year older today, 28 July. To mark the occasion, here is a guide to her best films and shows.

Huma Qureshi Birthday Special:

Gangs of Wasseypur

Centred around the organised crime syndicates and the underlying power struggles, politics, and vengeance between three crime families, the movie became a massive hit and cult classic. Huma Qureshi played a supporting role in the movie and her career witnessed a sharp rise after its release.

Ek Thi Daayan

Qureshi was cast as a witch in the supernatural thriller Ek Thi Daayan (2013), alongside Emraan Hashmi, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin. Dealing with the themes of witchcraft, the film was based on Mobius Trips, a short story written by Konkona Sen Sharma's father. It received mixed reviews from critics but proved to be a profitable venture at the box office.

Jolly LLB 2

Based in Lucknow, the story of Jolly LL.B 2 revolves around a lawyer (Akshay Kumar) who fights a case against a ruthless and powerful advocate to bring justice to the deceased victim of a fake encounter involving a corrupt police officer.

Leila

Based on Prayaag Akbar's 2017 novel of the same name, Leila is a gritty six-episode Netflix series that delves into the issues of authoritarian rule, class and religious divide and environmental crisis, apart from depicting a mother's search for her daughter. Directed by Deepa Mehta, Shanker Raman and Pawan Kumar,  It showcases the fight of Huma's character for her lost daughter amidst undesirable situations and frightening experiences in the fictional world of Aryavarta.

Maharani

Huma Qureshi in Maharani

The first season of Maharani saw Huma Qureshi’s character Rani Bharti as an underdog, figuring her way into the murky world of politics after she is thrust into power. The second season sees her go against the man who made put her into power  — her husband Bheema Bharti, played by Sohum Shah.

After a decade of playing different roles, some less consequential than others, Qureshi found the SonyLIV web series that put her character front and centre. In an interview, the actor said, “With Maharani, I have tasted blood. I have shouldered a series by myself. Then, to do one song and two scenes . I have realised I can contribute so much more as an artiste."

Mithya

In this six-episode Zee5, adapted from the British show Cheat, Hindi literature professor Juhi Adhikari (Qureshi) accuses first-year student Rhea Rajguru (Avantika Dassani) of plagiarism when the latter submits her end-of-term dissertation. The allegation sets off a twisty chain of events as the younger woman seethes with rage.

Suggested Reading: Common Sense and Wisdom Is What Matters: Huma Qureshi Talks To SheThePeople