Huma Qureshi Plans To Turn Zeba Into A Film

Huma Qureshi plans to turn Zeba into a film. Huma Qureshi, known for her versatile performances on the big screen, has now ventured into the literary realm with her debut novel, 'Zeba: An Accidental Superhero.' The book, set in a captivating fantasy land with its own unique geo- and socio-political dynamics, was launched at the 12th edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival (BLF) on December 2. The actor shared glimpses from the book launch on her social media platforms.

Delving into the narrative of 'Zeba,' Huma Qureshi explained, “The book is a fantasy fiction novel set very specifically between 1992 and 2019. It talks about a make-believe kingdom and an evil king and how this girl, Zeba, who has these superpowers, manages to defeat him.”

The book launch took place on the inaugural day of the Bangalore Literature Festival at The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru. Huma revealed that the foundational concept for her novel arose during the shooting of the dystopian television series 'Leila.'

Amid the Covid-imposed break, Huma utilized her time to commence the writing journey of 'Zeba.' She shared, “I started this book during Covid. I used to wake up every morning, take a shower, work out and then sit down to write. And I call this stream of consciousness writing – just sit down with a laptop and keep writing.”

Expressing her aspirations for the future of 'Zeba,' Huma expressed her desire to adapt the book into a film. She stated, “I would love to convert my book into a film someday. The original idea was to make a television series out of it. But that did not happen. And then I had this idea and I wrote a book, which I think is way cooler than writing a script. Inshallah, maybe one day it’ll become a film.”

Highlighting her artistic approach, Huma emphasized that whether through acting, writing, or producing, she sees these as various avenues to express her creativity. She added, “I'm just an artist, and I think whatever opportunity I get to express my art, I would just take that up.”

Describing the central character, Zeba, as a homage to misfits, including herself, Huma shared, “I think all acts of creation come from very selfish and a personal space. This book has come from a very personal space. I think it's funny. It's sassy. It's cool. It's present day. And I really had a lot of fun writing it.”

In conclusion, Huma Qureshi echoed the sentiment that genuine storytelling, rooted in specificity, holds the power to resonate universally. Quoting Luis Buñuel, she remarked, “I always believed that any piece of content, film, or book, if it’s told genuinely, and the most specific you are with the story, the more universally it'll touch different people.”

Huma Qureshi made her impactful debut with Anurag Kashyap’s 'Gangs of Wasseypur- Part 1.'