Huma Qureshi on people disappointed with her short role in Army of the Dead: I have to be realistic, it was my first Hollywood film

A host of Indian actors have been venturing into the West, and joining that list recently was Huma Qureshi. Army of the Dead, which featured her in a pivotal role, became one of the most watched films on an OTT platform, and she is naturally happy.

“I want to say to all my fans that I love them. Indian fans are the best, I love how much love they give us, and back us. They root for us, and it is really heartening to see this undiluted support,” she gushes.

However, there was a section which felt disappointed at the screen space her character had, compared to the buzz that was created before the release. The 34-year-old says, “I would want to remind them that my first film ever was Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), a really big ensemble film. I was barely there for 15 minutes, and that film changed my life. Army of the Dead again, ironically, happened almost 10 years after that, it was my debut film in Hollywood. That was a big ensemble with a really acclaimed director (Zack Snyder).”

Qureshi adds that when she read the script, she knew it had a big ensemble cast. “I knew the part. I felt what was important is not the length but how the character is moving the story forward. For me, Gita’s story was a very important plot point. You take that away, aur film khatam hi ho jaati,” says the actor, who was also seen recently in Maharani which got her rave reviews.

She feels that what makes a character memorable is if the character has any effect on the story. Qureshi says, “I have to be realistic. As much love as I get here, this is my first Hollywood film. I hope inshallah, it will open doors not just for me, but all other Indian actors.”

There have been more actors from the country in the past who had to face the same response on screen time. Qureshi feels it is okay. “It all comes out of love, and not any negative space. It is going to be the fans only who will ensure… ultimately, we are a billion plus eyeballs. 100%, territory agnostic content is the future. It is the fans wanting to see actors that look like them on screen which will make sure these kind of changes happen on screen,” she signs off.