Actor and producer Huma Qureshi made a notable return to the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend, appearing at the Red Sea Film Foundation's Women in Cinema gala. The actress, who also made stunning appearances on the red carpet, opened up about her Cannes aspirations and the inspiration she drew from Bollywood icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Huma Qureshi on Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Iconic Red Carpet Moments
During a conversation with Sucharita Tyagi, Huma reflected on her journey at the prestigious festival, which began with 'Gangs of Wasseypur'. Over the years, she has returned to Cannes with multiple projects, and this time she attended as a producer. Recalling how Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Cannes appearances left a lasting impression on her, Huma said, "I used to watch Aishwarya coming over here and doing her red carpet moments. I swear ever since that, I was like 'I want to do this once'."
The actor, who dressed in an elegant saree, quipped that her look paid tribute to Aishwarya's iconic appearance from the 'Devdas' premiere with Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. "My saree look is a homage to her Devdas look," Huma said, before jokingly adding, "I just made that up right now."
Huma Qureshi Credits Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for Making Film Festivals 'Important'
Praising the Bollywood star's long-standing association with Cannes, Huma added, "She's really sort of made these festivals so important." She emphasized the significance of film festivals in today's algorithm-driven world, where many filmmakers shy away from festivals due to fear of negative reviews impacting box office performance. Huma stated, "In a time like this, in a world that we live in, where everything is so dependent on the algorithm working or whatever the understanding is, I feel like film festivals like this are so important."
Describing the cultural value of global cinema events, she continued, "This is nuanced, geographically, filmmaking at its finest where you have emotionally evocative stories that cut across barriers."
Huma Qureshi to Star in 'Toxic'
On the work front, Huma will next be seen in the film 'Toxic', sharing screen space with Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth, Tara Sutaria, and Yash. According to the film's leading man, the female characters will be "badass women who have taken responsibility about their lives and who survive in any situation."
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