Indian actress and producer Huma Qureshi said her upcoming film is an original story rather than a remake or a copy [3].
Qureshi's stance marks a deliberate effort to shift her career trajectory away from type-casting. By prioritizing original narratives and refusing stereotypical roles, she is challenging the traditional tropes often assigned to South Asian women in global cinema.
Speaking in May 2026 during the Cannes Film Festival, Qureshi addressed her approach to character selection and industry competition. She said that she is no longer interested in roles that lean on specific clichés. "I won’t play the ‘impoverished brown woman with a problem’ any more," Qureshi said [2].
This commitment to originality extends to how she views her peers. During an interview on the Croisette, she said she wants to be judged on her own merits rather than against other performers. "I’m not interested in being compared to anyone else; this film is my own story," Qureshi said [1].
In a separate interview with India Today TV, she reiterated the nature of her latest project. "It’s an original story, not a copy or a remake," Qureshi said [3].
Qureshi is a frequent presence at major international cinema events. This visit marked her fourth appearance at Cannes [1]. Additionally, she has attended the Berlin Film Festival twice [1], and the Toronto Film Festival once [1].
Her focus on original scripts is part of a broader push to diversify the types of stories told about Indian women. By avoiding remakes, she aims to bring fresh, untapped narratives to the screen — a move that aligns with her goals as both an actress and a producer.
“"I won’t play the ‘impoverished brown woman with a problem’ any more."”
Qureshi's public rejection of 'impoverished' stereotypes suggests a growing trend among South Asian talent to demand more nuanced, high-agency roles. By positioning herself as a producer of original content rather than a performer in remakes, she is attempting to gain greater creative control over her image and the representation of brown women in international film markets.
