Huma Qureshi Is About to Give Hindi Cinema Its Most Unique Female Hitwoman

Hindi cinema has explored crime and suspense in countless ways over the decades. But a deaf-mute woman working as a cold-blooded contract killer at the centre of a Mumbai underworld thriller? That’s new territory - and that’s exactly what Huma Qureshi is bringing to the screen on July 3.

Speaking to the media in Jaipur on Sunday, ahead of unveiling a massive cutout of the film at World Trade Park, Qureshi was candid about what drew her to Baby Do Die Do - not just as an actor, but as one of its producers too.

“As a producer, I kept asking myself - is this film actually saying something new? And as an actor, I needed to know whether Baby felt real and believable,” she said. “Fortunately, both questions had the same answer.”

That dual role - wearing two hats on the same project - shaped every decision on set. If either the actor or the producer in her wasn’t satisfied with a scene, they’d reshoot. No compromises.

Who Is Baby Karmakar?

The film’s central character, Baby Karmarkar, is a woman who cannot hear or speak. But far from limiting her, that silence seems to be her weapon. A skilled, enigmatic contract killer operating in the shadows of Mumbai, Baby leaves a trail of mysterious deaths across the city - deaths that police and press are completely unable to trace back to her.

She carries a red umbrella everywhere she goes. It looks ordinary enough. It isn’t.

Hidden inside is a gun. The umbrella is both her signature and her most lethal tool - a visual metaphor that gives the film much of its distinct style and intrigue.

Qureshi is clear that Baby is not meant to be a symbol or a statement. “I didn’t want her to be an idea. I wanted her to be a human being - flawed, unpredictable, impossible to ignore,” she said. “She’s dangerous, yes. But she’s also deeply human. That contradiction is what makes her special.”

A Mumbai That Doesn't Forgive

Director Nachiket Samant has built the film’s world around an unforgiving version of Mumbai - a city where loyalties shift without warning, danger is constant, and no one’s life comes with any guarantee. It’s the kind of setting where a woman like Baby doesn’t just survive; she thrives.

The film blends action, suspense and dark humour - a combination Qureshi believes will keep audiences hooked from the first frame. “Baby lives on her own terms,” she said. “Her world is full of danger, but she doesn’t back down from any of it. I believe audiences will connect with that journey.”

A Family Affair

Produced in collaboration between Salim Siblings and Pune 04, the project also gave Qureshi the rare experience of working alongside her brother, actor-producer Saqib Saleem. The cast includes Sikandar Kher, Chunky Pandey, Rachit Singh, Marudha Shekhawat, Vidya Malavade, Arun Kushwah and Himanshu Malik in key roles.

Baby Do Die Do releases in cinemas on July 3, 2026.