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Actor Huma Qureshi has candidly admitted that not every film she has done was driven purely by creative satisfaction, saying financial responsibilities also played a role in some of her career decisions.

Speaking on ABP Network's podcast Inside Out with Megha Prasad, Huma was asked whether she had ever signed a film solely for the money. Responding without hesitation, she said, "Yes, I have. EMIs have to be paid too, just like everyone else."

The actor's remark offered a rare glimpse into the financial realities faced by actors, even after achieving success in the industry.

During the conversation, Huma also spoke about her upcoming film Baby Do Die Do, in which she plays Baby Karmarkar, a Marathi character who is both deaf and mute. She said she does not utter a single word throughout the film, relying entirely on her eyes, facial expressions and sign language to convey emotions.

Explaining her preference for powerful female characters, Huma said she has never known a woman who wasn't strong. Referring to the common saying that "women should be seen, not heard," she pointed out that her character challenges that idea despite being unable to speak or hear.

Huma also revealed that the film has been produced by her and her brother, actor Saqib Saleem, who spent the last two years working on the project. She admitted feeling immense pressure as both the creative and financial responsibility rests on their shoulders.

Father Initially Didn't Want Her To Join Bollywood

Reflecting on her journey into films, Huma said she came from a supportive family but acknowledged that acting is often viewed as an unrealistic career choice in middle-class households.

She recalled that her father was initially apprehensive about her moving to Mumbai. Huma said she told him she would give up the dream if he objected, but she would always regret not trying.

Her father eventually gave her one year to pursue acting, with the condition that if things didn't work out, she would return to pursue an MBA or join the family's restaurant business.

Bollywood Has Used Only 5% Of My Talent'

In the rapid-fire segment, Huma named herself as Bollywood's "most underrated" actor, saying the industry has utilised only "5%" of her talent and that she still has much more to offer.

She also revealed that she has often been told she was "not heroine material" at the start of her career but said she proved her critics wrong through her work.

During the rapid-fire segment, Huma also named Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem as the industry's biggest "gossip king or queen," said she would like to hack Priyanka Chopra's Instagram account, and named Christopher Nolan as the one director she would work with without reading the script. She ended the conversation by revealing that her favourite dishes are nihari and Kakori kebabs from her father's restaurant, while admitting that she does not know how to cook.