Before Anurag Kashyap`s Gangs of Wasseypur made her a household name, Huma Qureshi almost had the chance to debut in a film backed by Aamir Khan. During a conversation on mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist, the actor went down memory lane and shared a lesser-known story about auditioning for Taare Zameen Par, which could have marked her debut.
Huma Qureshi dismissed a call from Aamir Khan Productions as a prank
“I got a random call from someone who said, ‘Hi, my name is Tanmay Mohan. I work with Aamir Khan Productions, and we’re making a film. There’s a small part opposite him.’ I was only 19 at the time, living in Delhi, and honestly thought someone was just having fun at my expense,” Huma laughed.
Coming from a modest background where her father ran a kebab shop and her mother was a homemaker, Huma couldn’t believe a production house like Aamir Khan’s would reach out to her. “I remember saying, ‘Tell Mr Khan I’ll meet him in Bombay,’ and hanging up. The next day, I got another call asking me to come to their office in Khar. That’s when I realised it was serious,” she recalled.
Huma Qureshi auditioned for Taare Zameen Par
Huma admitted she had no idea where Khar was back then, but came down to the city for the audition as she was also doing plays in the city. When she arrived at Aamir Khan’s office, she was completely starstruck. “I saw Suchitra Pillai sitting there, and I assumed she was auditioning too. Then I saw Imran Khan and Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na had just released and I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, I have so many stories to tell my friends back home!’” said the actor.
Though the role didn’t eventually work out, it was later played by a Marathi actor named Shailja; the experience left a lasting mark on her. “It didn’t happen, but for me, it was such a big moment,” she remarked.
For Huma, the story isn’t about a missed opportunity but about part of her journey that led her to where she is today.
