‘I’m comfortable with my body’

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Right from the onset of her career, Huma Qureshi was clear that she would not take the beaten track. Her choice of films — Gangs of Wasseypur, Ek Thi Daayan and Dedh Ishqiya are as unconventional as her appearance. So far, in her short yet eventful journey in filmdom, she has turned a deaf ear to her detractors who raised eyebrows at the few extra pounds she carries. Huma says she doesn’t believe in following norms.

“Monotony is so boring. There is no hard and fast rule that actresses have to be glam dolls. I consider myself fortunate to have bagged roles that are not run-of-the-mill. My choice of films reflects my sensibilities,” she says. When probed about the “weight issue”, Huma says, “I know I am criticised for my weight. Trust me, I’m very comfortable with my body. This is what I am and this is how I look. Yes, I do have the capacity to lose and put on weight to meet the demands of the role. Look at Meena Kumari and Madhubala. Did they worry about weight issues? I follow the old school of acting where your craft is more important than your weight. I’d like to applaud Vidya Balan for not succumbing to the trend of size-zero.” Given the way her contemporaries have been going all out to maintain their curves, does Huma ever feel the pressure? “Not at all! The actresses who started the trend of size-zero ended up getting flak for it. I’m blessed with good features and I am comfortable with my body. The only people who can convince me to change my appearance are my directors,” Huma adds.
Speaking of her directors, there has been a lot of talk about her alleged affair with Anurag Kashyap. “Yes, I have worked with him in two films but that doesn’t mean he is obsessed with me. If I were having an affair with him, he would have cast me in all his films. But we are not doing any film together now. Anurag is a friend and a filmmaker I look up to. Above everything else, he is a married man. I’d never stoop to the level of falling for a married man,” she says.
Huma also insists that there is no cold war between her and Kalki Koechlin. “We aren’t the best of friends but we are cordial when we meet. I have worked with Kalki in Ek Thi Daayan. You think we’d have pulled it off had there been any discomfort between us?” she retorts.
On the personal front, Huma has “no time for love”. “Most men cannot handle a successful woman. They are not willing to put up with the erratic hours their women have to put in at work. Right now I am busy trying to make a mark in the industry. I’m working 18 hours a day. If I am committed to man, I better give him time. And since as of now I cannot give time, I am still single,” she says.
But isn’t there a possibility of finding love while at work? “Most of my co-stars and filmmakers are married. That leaves me with no choice. If I start signing films that have a cast and crew comprising eligible bachelors, then there could be some hope,” she laughs.