Favouritism And Nepotism Does Exist In Bollywood Industry, says Huma Qureshi

Actress Huma Qureshi says she often feels the need to have some guidance from an “elder person” to cut through the nepotism which runs in Bollywood.

The actress thinks to say that there is no favouritism in Bollywood would be a lie, but adds that people from within the industry are very hardworking.

“The fact is, yes there is nepotism. One will be lying if one said there is no nepotism. There definitely is. But it is there in every walk of life. When I say that, I dont want to take away anything from a lot of my friends who are also from the industry,” Huma says in an interview.

“They are very hardworking and passionate people. You have to give credit for the hard work and talent but being from here (industry) makes it easier.”

The actress says unlike her friends from the industry, she does not have the advantage of knowing the nitty-gritty of things.

“A lot of times, I dont know who to call, how to plan my career, what films to sign. You really want that, an elder person around to help you plan it. They have the advantage of that. Its just there.”

Huma made her debut in the two-part crime saga “Gangs of Wasseypur” in 2012 and got wide spread critical acclaim for her performance opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

She will now be seen in the upcoming “Jolly LLB 2″ opposite Akshay Kumar, two years after her last big release “Badlapur”.

The 30-year-old actress says post “Badlapur” and “Gangs…“, she was offered similar characters.

“After Badlapur I got offered very similar characters. Our industry is quite myopic in that sense. When I did Gangs, I was only getting offered the earthy, rustic girl characters. I met some people and they were like oh you can speak English?.

“Thats what happens. You are as good as your last release. Since I am not from Mumbai, people didnt know me here back in the day, they didnt know how to place me after my first film.”

The actress, however, did not sign “any film coming her way” and waited for the right one as she does not believe signing movies is a rat race.

“When I did Badlapur also, I realised people would just give you the kind of work youve done before. I was very clever I waited for the right film to happen. I read, travel, write, have several hobbies. I kept myself busy. I am not in the rat race to sign my next film.”

Huma, who recently shared the frame with Akshay Kumar for the first time in The State vs. Jolly LL.B 2, says the actor “is amazing to work with”. “He is a perfect example of what hard-work and discipline can do to your life. He does three or four films a year. It is incredible how he manages to strike that balance between family and work. Sometimes, I get so busy that I don’t get the time to talk to my mother, and I feel so guilty about it. One needs to know how to balance life.”

Directed by Subhash Kapoor, the courtroom-drama-comedy is a sequel to the 2013 film “Jolly LLB” and is scheduled to release on February 10