Actor Huma Qureshi, known for her powerful performances in Maharani and Tarla, has revealed a troubling phone call from a casting agent who advised her against playing mature characters. The unsolicited advice left the actor stunned, prompting her to question why women in the industry are constantly pressured to appear younger.
Speaking at the India Today Indo-UAE Conclave during a session titled The Maharani of Reinvention: Breaking Stereotypes, Empowering Women, Huma opened up about the incident. “After the success of Maharani and Tarla, which brought me immense love, a casting director called me and said, ‘You’re such a beautiful woman. Why are you ageing yourself by playing these characters? Try doing younger parts,’” she recalled.
The actor said she was baffled by the comment. “Why does the burden of playing younger always fall on girls? Why are we expected to look younger than we are? I’ve done my fair share of singing and dancing around trees, but if a great script comes my way, why should I say no just because the character is older than me?”
Taking charge of her own narrative
Huma went on to discuss the double standards and unrealistic expectations placed on female actors. “The problem is either I get cosmetic surgeries and wait at home for certain filmmakers to call me, or I can go work with people who are telling exciting stories and want to work with me. There’s a huge shift when you start taking control of your life and your narrative.”
What’s next for Huma?
The actor will next be seen in Jolly LLB 3, directed by Subhash Kapoor and featuring Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Amrita Rao, and Saurabh Shukla. She is also set to return as Rani Bharati in the fourth season of her hit OTT political drama Maharani. The show, created by Subhash Kapoor and directed by Saurabh Bhave, has received critical acclaim since its debut in 2021. Season 3 premiered in March 2024, with fans now awaiting the next installment.