Huma Qureshi to star in the investigative drama Bayaan

Huma Qureshi is all set to headline the upcoming investigative police procedural drama Bayaan, the makers announced on Saturday. It is jointly produced by Shiladitya Bora (Platoon One Films), Madhu Sharma (Summit Studios), Kunal Kumar, and Anshuman Singh and has been developed at Film Independent, Los Angeles.

It is helmed by writer-director Bikas Mishra, best known for Chauranga (2014), which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles in 2015 and was declared Best Indian Feature at the Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI) in 2014. Bayaan also features Chandrachur Singh, Sachin Khedekar, Avijit Dutt (Piku), Shampa Mandal (Sonchiriya, Sherni), Priti Shukla, Vibhor Mayank and Aditi Kanchan Singh in pivotal roles. It is set to begin shooting in Rajasthan this month.

The drama is set against the ravishing landscape of Rajasthan and follows the story of a father-daughter duo. "Roohi, a female detective, is sent to a small town in Rajasthan to probe the first case of her career as a lead investigator. She is, however, doomed to fail as her opponent’s influence runs deep within the system. Roohi must strive to live up to her father’s legacy, who is a legend in the world of law enforcement," the logline reads.

The film is supported by the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund and was developed at LA Residency, a part of the Global Media Makers (GMM) program of Film Independent, Los Angeles. During the course of the residency, Bikas was mentored by Craig Mazin (creator of HBO’s Chernobyl, The Last of Us, Hangover 2 and 3) and received advice on the script from writer Jeff Stockwell and story editor Ruth Atkinson.

Speaking about being part of the film, Huma said, "The sheer passion of the director-producer duo, Bikas and Shiladitya, moved me. Collaborating with such dedicated professionals, who care deeply about filmmaking, is truly exciting. It's a rare combination: a fantastic script, a talented crew, and their complete dedication to their work. Their energy is infectious. I am excited about Bayaan!"

Bikas Mishra said in his statement, "I feel humbled by the unconditional support Bayaan has received from Shiladitya and Huma. Having assembled the best cast and crew, there is no stopping now. We are going to make a film that will speak to the world, to tell a story we care a great deal about."

Producer Shiladitya Bora said a film like Bayaan perfectly aligned with the vision of his production house. He said, "As a producer, I am always looking for that one script that will be a breakout film for everyone involved. My job is to back the director's vision and empower him to create a film that will take us places. Huma's backing reaffirms my faith in the project."

Bayaan is going to be shot by Udit Khurana (Ghaath, Hunt for Veerappan), while Vinay Vishwakarma (Disney+ Hotstar's Candy) will serve as the production designer, and Shilpi Agarwal (Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise, Indian Predator: Murder in a Courtroom) will serve as the costume designer.