Born
Huma Saleem Qureshi
28 July 1986 (age 31)
New Delhi, India
Nationality
Indian
Alma mater
University of Delhi
Occupation
Actress Model
Years active
2012–present
Relatives
Saqib Saleem (brother)
Qureshi obtained a bachelor's degree in History Honours from the University of Delhi, She worked as a theatre actor and model. After working in several theatrical productions, she moved to Mumbai and signed a two-year contract with Hindustan Unilever to appear in television commercials. During the shoot for a Samsung mobilecommercial, Anurag Kashyap noticed her acting ability and signed her for a three-film deal with his company.
Qureshi made her film debut with a supporting role in the two-part crime dramaGangs of Wasseypur (2012). Her performance in the film earned her several nominations, including the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut and the Best Supporting Actress. That same year, she played the lead female role in the romance Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, and followed it with a role in Ek Thi Daayan. She portrayed protagonists in the anthologicalShorts (2013), the black comedy Dedh Ishqiya(2014), the revenge drama Badlapur (2015), and the Marathi road drama Highway (2015), and featured briefly in the collaborative film X: Past Is Present (2015).
Early life and modelling career
Qureshi was born on 28 July 1986[2][3] into aMuslim family in New Delhi, India.[4] Her father, Saleem Qureshi, is a restaurateur who runs a chain of restaurants (Saleem's);[5] her mother, Ameena Qureshi (a Kashmiri), is a housewife.[6][7] She has three brothers that includes actor Saqib Saleem.[7][8] The family relocated to Kalkaji, South Delhi, when Qureshi was a child. She completed her bachelor's in History Honours from the Gargi College—University of Delhi.[9][10] Later, she joined Act 1 theatre group and performed in few theatre productions. Qureshi has worked with several NGOs and assisted a documentary filmmaker.[6]
In 2008, she moved to Mumbai to audition for film roles, auditioning for a film Junctionwhich was never made: "I never thought of coming to Mumbai or being an actress. But when my friend called me for an audition for a movie called Junction, it set me thinking. Sadly, the film never got made".[6] Qureshi signed a two-year contract with Hindustan Unilever to appear in their television commercials.[11] She promoted a range of products, including Samsung Mobile (withAamir Khan), Nerolac (with Shah Rukh Khan), Vita Marie, Saffola Oil, Mederma Cream and Pears Soap.[11][12] During a shoot for aSamsung Mobile commercial, director Anurag Kashyap was impressed with her acting ability and promised to use her in a film. Qureshi recalled, "I didn't believe him then. You hear lots of such stories in this industry so I wasn't waiting with bated breath". Kashyap kept his promise, though, signing her for a three-film deal with his company Anurag Kashyap Films.
