Rajasthan is calling Huma Qureshi back. Two months after wrapping up Jolly LLB 3’s schedule, the actor is returning to the state to begin her next, Bayaan. Shiladitya Bora, who is co-producing the police procedural drama, is thrilled that Qureshi—who was the first actor to whom director Bikas Mishra pitched the script—gave her nod to the role.

“Bikas had met Huma in Los Angeles in 2019, during the Film Independent residency. She is the first actor Bikas had pitched the story to, and we’re so excited that it worked out with her,” he says.

In the drama that rolls mid-month, Qureshi plays an investigator, who is sent to a small town in Rajasthan to lead her career’s first case. Bayaan is supported by the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund and was developed at LA Residency. Mishra, who previously helmed Chauranga (2014), was mentored by Craig Mazin, the creator of Chernobyl (2019) and The Last Of Us (2023), on his second feature film. If Mazin’s guidance helped him enrich the story on paper, he trusts Qureshi to elevate it on screen.

Mishra states, “Huma is a powerhouse of performance and enthusiasm. Her ability to inhabit complex characters is undeniable, and her energy will elevate Bayaan to a new level.”

The film also stars Chandrachur Singh and Sachin Khedekar. Bora reveals that he approached Singh hesitatingly. “We believe in contrarian casting. We knew that Chandrachur is known for playing the charming hero. But he is such a warm and receptive actor that he instantly agreed to this part.”