Huma Qureshi says 'negative comments' on her looks hurt her confidence, made her withdrawn: 'It really affected me'

Huma Qureshi has opened up on facing online criticism of her appearance and looks, which dampened her confidence early on in her career.

Actor Huma Qureshi has opened up about being affected by ‘negative comments’ on her looks and appearance early on in her career. The actor said that facing those comments dampened her confidence and made her withdrawn.

Huma Qureshi opens up on dealing with online criticism.

Huma Qureshi on facing body shaming

Huma is seen on the latest episode of Double Date, a chat show hosted by Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi. Huma appeared on the show alongside her brother and fellow actor Saqib Saleem. Speaking about her experience of dealing with trolling and body-shaming, Huma said, “After my second film, I started reading a lot of negative comments about my looks and appearance. It really affected me, and I became very withdrawn for a while. I think when you are constantly being judged, it starts impacting your confidence.”

In the deeply emotional conversation, Huma opened up about dealing with insecurities and online criticism and shared how, over time, she could begin her journey toward self-acceptance. “Over time, I realised I had to cut out the noise and focus on myself. I started meditating, writing about my feelings, journaling, and even taking therapy. Slowly, I became more secure about myself and the way I looked. Today, I can laugh at jokes, even crack jokes about myself, and take things in a much more positive way. I feel far more confident and comfortable in my own skin now,” Huma added.

Huma Qureshi's career

Huma Qureshi made her acting debut with Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012, which earned her critical acclaim. Later that year, she worked opposite Kunal Kapoor in Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. Over the years, Huma has tasted commercial success with films such as Dedh Ishqiya, Badlapur, Jolly LLB 2, while also garnering critical acclaim for her performances in Ek Thi Daayan and Monica O My Darling. In 2021, she made her Hollywood debut with a supporting role in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. The same year, she also starred in the political drama Maharani, which has since seen three more seasons. The show helped her gain more critical acclaim, leading to her role as the antagonist in Delhi Crime season 3.

The actor will next be seen in Geetu Mohandas’ Toxic, starring Yash in the lead role alongside Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Rukmini Vasanth, and Tara Sutaria. The film will release later this year.