"I Wanted to Do This Once": The Inspiration
Reflecting on her personal journey—which famously began at the festival in 2012 when Gangs of Wasseypur premiered at the Directors' Fortnight—Huma got emotional about what drew her to the international stage in the first place:
The Pathlsat: "I used to watch Aishwarya coming over here and doing her red carpet moments. I swear ever since that, I was like 'I want to do this once'," Huma confessed.
The Blueprint: Huma credited Aishwarya for single-handedly bridging the gap between global cinema events and Indian households. “She’s really sort of made these festivals so important,” Huma added, noting that before Aishwarya's legendary multi-decade run, global film festivals felt distant to both Indian actors and audiences.
The 'Devdas' Saree Homage
Proving her quick wit, Huma arrived on the red carpet draped in a beautiful traditional ensemble and immediately drew a historical parallel:
The Jibe: She joked that her traditional look was an intentional, poetic nod to Aishwarya's watershed 2002 Devdas premiere alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
The Confession: "My saree look is a homage to her Devdas look," Huma laughed, before playfully adding, "I just made that up right now!"
A Producer’s Vision in an Algorithmic World
Beyond the fashion, Huma—who attended this year not just as an actor but as a producer—strongly advocated for the preservation of physical film festivals. In an era where many creators fear negative reviews might hurt a movie's immediate box office opening and choose to bypass festivals, Huma pushed back:
"In a time like this, in a world that we live in, where everything is so dependent on the algorithm working... film festivals like this are so important. This is nuanced, geographically, filmmaking at its finest where you have emotionally evocative stories that cut across barriers."
SantaBanta Verdict:
While recent days have seen the internet get bogged down in toxic debates over red-carpet optics and paparazzi angles, Huma Qureshi’s tribute to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is a timely reminder of true legacy. By pointing out that Aishwarya created the very platform today's stars walk on, Huma brought the focus back to mutual respect. Furthermore, by balancing a sharp Western power suit with a stunning Banarasi saree that brought Varanasi to the French Riviera, Huma proved she knows exactly how to respect her roots while commanding a global room.
