Huma Qureshi has been in the industry for nine years and has featured in some remarkable films like Gangs of Wasseypur, D Day, Dedh Ishqiya, Badlapur, and others. In 2019, she made her digital debut with Netflix’s Leila, and this year made her Hollywood debut with Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead.
Huma will next be seen in BellBottom which is all set to hit the big screens on 19th August 2021. While talking to PTI, the actress opened up about her role in the film, and said, “I play a special undercover agent, who works at the airport and is helping Indian agents get back to the hijacked plane and that's how she becomes crucial to the mission.”
“The film is about a mission and how all these people (agents) come together. I am glad I did this film, it has a lot of dramatic and edge-of-the-seat moments,” the actress added.
While talking about shooting the film during the pandemic, the actress said, “I knew we were in safe hands. For me, it was about supporting Pooja Films and Akshay sir who were trying to make a film at a time when the whole world had for the first time shut down. There was a sense of kinship and that we all are in this together and we can't let the pandemic affect us. We can't stop earning a livelihood and we have to get the industry up and running but we all have to be careful at the same time. It is important for all of us to support it.”
BellBottom will be the first Bollywood film to hit the big screens post the second wave of Covid-19 in India, and Huma hopes for things to get better and theatres reopen to full capacity across the country and the world. "But that can happen once the situation is under control. Having said that, we have to figure out new ways and strategies on how to work and release films. The magic of cinema will always be there. Everyone is wanting that social interaction and we are trying to do that through our film," the actress said.
While Huma has proved her mettle as an actor, we haven’t seen her much in female-led stories apart from Leila and Maharani. But, she believes that there is a market for female-led stories. She said, “The amount of films that should have been made with female-centric characters or women leading the cast is less. They are being made but I feel there should be more such films. There is a need for it and the market is also ready for these kinds of stories.”
After Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead, Huma is now keen to do more work in the West. The actress said, "My plan is to do some interesting work in the West. It is a great opportunity for me to work with good filmmakers and studios.”
Directed by Ranjit M Tewari, BellBottom also stars Lara Dutta and Vaani Kapoor.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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