‘Why can’t a hitman be a woman?’: Huma Qureshi says audiences are finally ready for female action heroes

Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi believes the time has finally come for female-led action films to take centre stage in Indian cinema, saying audiences are now more open than ever to seeing women as powerful action protagonists.

The actress, who is currently receiving attention for her latest film Baby Do Die Do, plays a unique and unconventional role a deaf-mute assassin who uses her limitations as strengths rather than weaknesses.

Speaking about the role, Huma challenged long-standing stereotypes in the action genre.

“There is a stereotype of a hitman always being male. But why can’t it be a woman?” she said, highlighting how cinema is slowly evolving to reflect changing realities.

In ‘Baby Do Die Do’, Huma’s character silently eliminates targets using an umbrella in public spaces, making it one of the more unusual action concepts seen in recent Hindi cinema.

The actress said the shift toward women-led action stories is a natural reflection of society, where women today are active in every field from journalism and entertainment to law enforcement and the armed forces.

According to Huma, popular culture must evolve alongside these social changes.

She stressed that women make up a major part of the workforce and deserve representation in strong, empowered roles on screen. For her, action films are no longer a male-dominated space but a genre where women can thrive equally.

ALSO READ : Yogi Babu’s Biggest Gamble Yet? Actor to Play 11 Roles in New Pan-India Thriller, Surpassing Kamal Haasan’s ‘Dasavathaaram’ Buzz

Huma also admitted that action is one of her favourite genres, both as an actor and a viewer.

“I love doing action, I love watching action movies,” she said, adding that audiences are now ready to appreciate women in such dynamic roles.

Interestingly, ‘Baby Do Die Do’ is currently facing a box office clash with Alia Bhatt’s spy thriller Alpha, another female-led project. But Huma sees this not as competition, but as progress.

She welcomed the idea of two women-centric films releasing together, calling it a strong sign of how far the industry has come.

Directed by Nachiket Samant, the film also stars Seema Pahwa, Sikander Kher, Chunky Pandey and Rachit Singh.

Produced under the banner of Saleem Siblings, founded by Huma and her brother Saqib Saleem, the film marks another bold step in expanding female-led narratives in mainstream Bollywood.

As the action genre continues to evolve, Huma Qureshi’s confidence reflects a broader industry shift one where women are no longer sidekicks, but the heroes driving the story forward.