Huma Qureshi
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; May 31, 2018)

After making her debut in Malayalam films opposite Mammootty two years ago, Huma Qureshi is now sharing screen space with megastar Rajinikanth in Kaala. The trailer of the movie released recently, and the actress, who has sported different looks throughout the film, spoke to us about her role, her equation with Rajinikanth, and the stereotype attached to actors who start their career with an unconventional movie. Excerpts...

When you get an offer to star opposite someone like Rajinikanth, do you even see what the role is or you just say an instant yes?
What happened is that Dhanush called me for Kaala. He, in my opinion, is a fabulous actor and in the past, we have discussed doing a film together. So, I assumed the call was for a movie with him. But then he told me, the project is with Rajini sir, which he’s producing. To be honest, any role in a Rajinikanth film is a big deal. What moved me is the script. It’s such a powerful script and has amazing characters.

You age through the film from 20 to 50...
My character (Zarina) and Kaala’s character transition from 20 to 50 years. How that happens, is something I can’t talk about because it will give away a lot of the story.

There’s a huge age gap between you and Rajinikanth...
There’s a lot of effort and energy put into these characters. The team has done the styling correctly. My character has travelled the world but she comes to Dharavi. She is independent, headstrong and well read. She’s the stark opposite of Rajini sir’s character. People like different pairings now. Today, people like to see an Alia (Bhatt) with a Shah Rukh Khan or me with an Akshay Kumar. It just makes the film more interesting and gets more eyeballs.

Was it difficult to shoot confrontational scenes with Rajinikanth?
See, he is a mega star and I’ve to admit that I was very intimidated. I was not on my home ground — I was acting in a language I didn’t understand. The first two-three days were difficult, but then, thanks to the team, it all worked out well. I did a lot of improvisations and the team would sit with me for an hour every day. Once I got comfortable, it was a blast. Anyway, it was a difficult film to shoot. We were shooting in Dharavi and other parts of Mumbai and then, they constructed this mega set a little outside Chennai, which is a replica of Dharavi. It was hot, dusty and plus you are working with Rajini sir, so my brain was in death mode (laughs).

How did you break the ice with your co-star?
There was no ice to break actually. The first time we met, he was quiet, but eventually, we ended up talking so much. We did a photoshoot together before we began filming. He was very sweet. He is one of the most humble people I have met. He’s spiritual and fond of books; so we connected on that.

Do you think that because of your choices so far, filmmakers haven’t approached you for masala cinema?
I feel blessed that directors come to me with strong roles. But meaningless scripts bhi bahut milte hain (laughs). I want to do fun stuff, especially a comedy. I have grown up watching mass entertainers and I love comedy movies. When you debut with a film like Gangs Of Wasseypur, you get a certain image. That also happened because of the independent films that I have done. I’m conscious about doing the right kind of commercial entertainers. Which is why a movie like Jolly LLB 2 comes along. When a commercial actor does a meaningful film, people applaud him. But when a person, who has debuted with an unconventional film, tries to do the opposite, he’s called a sellout. Why should it be that way? I’m an actor and I will do everything.