The year was 2012. A newcomer, Huma Qureshi, arrived at the 65th Cannes Film Festival for the world premiere of her debut feature film, Anurag Kashyap’s gripping two-part crime drama, Gangs of Wasseypur. Qureshi’s stellar performance earned her widespread international acclaim along with a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and the rest, you can say, is history. Naturally, then, the festival holds a truly special place for the actor, marking the beginning of her big Bollywood dream.
More than a decade later, Qureshi returns to the Croisette not just as an actor, but as a producer, author, and bona fide performer. “Returning to the Cannes Film Festival always feels extremely special; it’s like homecoming,” reflects Qureshi. “This was the first place where I saw myself on the big screen, and I saw how people responded to world cinema at a stage like this.” Attending the festival for the fourth time, the actress’s 2026 Cannes wardrobe fell in line with the woman she has become: refined, confident, and undeniably classic.
Earlier this week, the actor attended the Red Sea Film Festival’s Women in Cinema gala, in a crisp Gabriella Hearst pant suit that was equal parts powerful and chic. Celebrating female artists across the globe, the evening carried particular significance for Qureshi, who has consistently advocated for female-centric roles in the Indian film industry throughout her career.
Few evenings later, Qureshi hit the Cannes red carpet, attending the premiere of Paper Tiger in a stunning all-black dress. Styled by Leepakshi Ellawadi, the actor wore a monochromatic black evening gown by Saudi designer Eman Alajlan. With a sculpted bodice and layered sheer skirt, the mood, unsurprisingly, was effortlessly old Hollywood. A touch of je ne sais quoi, if you will.
Ahead, in an interview with Vogue Singapore, the inimitable actress opens up about her longstanding relationship with Cannes, her look for the premiere, and her go-to red-carpet mantra.
You’ve had a longstanding relationship with Cannes, going back to Gangs of Wasseypur. Does returning here feel special each time?
Returning to the Cannes Film Festival always feels extremely special; it’s like homecoming. When I started my career, this was the first place where I saw myself on the big screen, and I saw how people responded to world cinema at a stage like this. I remember the time, a joke would get cracked on screen or an emotional moment would be shown, people would gasp in the audience or laugh out loud, and that is when I really understood the power of storytelling, which cuts across language barriers as well, and that was really my introduction to world cinema. Very grateful to be here again, this is my fourth year at Cannes, and each year I get to meet a lot more people from all over the world; filmmakers, artists, producers, and festivals like this really need to be preserved because of what they do for society and how they take storytelling forward.
You celebrated women in cinema with the Red Sea Film Festival a few evenings ago. How has the landscape for women in film changed and what does it mean to you personally?
It was a very special evening for women from all over the world, not just the Arab world. Still, in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, women from around the world came together for a wonderful evening. Initiatives like this go a long way in fostering a deeper understanding of each other’s experiences and storytelling format. For me, as an actor from the Hindi film industry primarily, although I’ve done some work pan-India or even in Western Hollywood, the positive change is the narrative styles that are emerging and the nuanced characters that are being written for women. Of course, there is a long way to go.
Still, I do believe that there has been a massive shift in the last ten years, where we are not just writing female characters as accessories to the male gaze or journey, but as people with far more agency than was the case earlier, and I really appreciate that. When I was growing up, there were not enough role models for me to look up to and aspire to be like. There were very few and far between, but I do hope that the work I’m doing today and the work my female friends and colleagues are putting out in the world will inspire many more young girls to dream bigger and live their lives more authentically.
Let’s talk about the look for the premiere of Paper Tiger. Who are you wearing, and what do you love most about it?
2026 Cannes has been about ‘less is more’. Elegance never needs to scream from rooftops, and I think that is what I am channeling tonight. I am wearing Eman Alajlan, it’s very beautiful, it’s black, it’s got this corset meets sheer skirt which makes it a structured look, and I think it’s the perfect kind of glamour a movie star needs at the Cannes red carpet.
Your beauty looks are always incredibly considered. What was the mood or inspiration behind tonight’s notes?
Clean, classic, and timeless. Over the years, of course, the fashion moments have been part of the pop culture mythology, but Cannes is really special in that sense, and I am so happy I’ve been coming here. Tonight’s make-up is abit more old school; a bit more classic; very clean, but at the same time very modern.
Do you have any go-to red carpet rituals, routines, or mantras that help you feel your best before hitting the carpet?
Honestly, I love getting a massage; that would be perfect. I definitely do a sheet mask, which is first put in the freezer as it shrinks all my pores, moisturises my skin, and is good for lymphatic drainage. Also, a couple of cups of espresso, as they always do the trick, because now I’m super wired to go on the red carpet and they take care of my jitters.
If you had to describe your look in one word, what would it be?
One word for my look would be classic!
What are you most excited about seeing tonight?
Apart from the most amazing red carpet moments, I am very excited to watch the film itself. James Gray is a fantastic, phenomenal director, and I’ve always admired his work. I am also a huge fan of Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, and I cannot wait to watch them bring their magic onto the big screen.
When you finally step onto the carpet, what do you hope people take away from the look?
My hope for anyone who sees me on the red carpet or anywhere in life is that they know I am bringing my whole energy and presence to the carpet, that I am not following any trends, and that I always choose to be eternally classic and timeless. Over the years, I have been on a quest to find my original style and not follow trends, and that is what I want people to take away from tonight’s look.
