Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi pose for a photograph. File photo

Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi is set to headline the upcoming investigative police procedural drama “Bayaan.” The film will go on floors this month in Rajasthan. Set against the backdrop of Rajasthan, the film follows the story of a father-daughter duo. Roohi, a female detective, is sent to a small town in Rajasthan to investigate the first case of her career as a lead investigator. She is, however, doomed to fail as her opponent’s influence runs deep within the system.

The film is helmed by Bikas Mishra and features Chandrachur Singh, Sachin Khedekar, Avijit Dutt, Shampa Mandal, Priti Shukla, Vibhor Mayank, and Aditi Kanchan Singh. Talking about the film, Huma said: “The sheer passion of the director-producer duo, Bikas and Shiladitya, moved me. Collaborating with such dedicated professionals who care deeply about filmmaking is truly exciting. It’s a rare combination — a fantastic script, a talented crew, and their complete dedication to their work. Their energy is infectious. I’m excited about ‘Bayaan.’”

The film is supported by the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund and was developed at the Los Angeles Residency, part of the Global Media Makers (GMM) program of Film Independent. During the residency, Bikas was mentored by Craig Mazin and received advice on the script from writer Jeff Stockwell and story editor Ruth Atkinson.

Director Bikas Mishra said: “I feel humbled by the unconditional support ‘Bayaan’ has received from Shiladitya and Huma. Having assembled the best cast and crew, there is no stopping now. We are going to make a film that will speak to the world, to tell a story we care a great deal about.” The film is jointly produced by Shiladitya Bora of Platoon One Films, Madhu Sharma of Summit Studios, Kunal Kumar, and Anshuman Singh.

Producer Shiladitya Bora said a film like ‘Bayaan” perfectly aligns with the vision of his production house. “As a producer, I’m always looking for that one script that will be a breakout film for everyone involved. My job is to back the director’s vision and empower him to create a film that will take us places. Huma’s backing reaffirms my faith in the project,” he said.

Meanwhile, Huma has started working on “Jolly LLB 3,” starring Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi. The first instalment of the ‘Jolly LLB’ franchise, directed by Subhash Kapoor, was released in 2013. It told the story of a lawyer locking horns with a senior lawyer regarding a hit-and-run case involving a prominent figure’s son. The second part of the dark comedy courtroom drama had Akshay playing the title role in 2017.

Her career progressed with roles in the horror film “Ek Thi Daayan,” the black comedy “Dedh Ishqiya” (2014), the revenge drama “Badlapur” (2015), the comedy “Jolly LLB 2” (2017), and the Tamil action drama “Kaala” (2018).  She was praised for her portrayal of the lead role in the crime drama series “Maharani” since 2021. She received praise for her performance in the crime comedy “Monica, O My Darling” (2022).

Indo-Asian News Service