Jun 18, 2026 11:58am IST
Huma Qureshi, Saqib Saleem Say ‘Baby Do Die Do’ Is Their Answer to Calls for Original Stories in Hindi Cinema (EXCLUSIVE)
Siblings Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem have embarked on a creative collaboration with their upcoming film “Baby Do Die Do.” The thriller represents more than just another project for them. Interestingly, it has allowed both actor-producers to push beyond familiar storytelling and create a film that they believe offers something new to the audience.
At the center of the film is Baby (Huma Qureshi), a hearing and speech-impaired hitwoman who is haunted by the voice of her dead sister. But for Qureshi, who wears both the producer and actor hats on the project, the challenge was ensuring the film never felt superficial.
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“As a producer, I was always thinking about whether the film was saying something new. As an actor, I was always thinking about whether Baby was true. Luckily, both questions had the same answer. The producer in me wanted to make sure we weren’t making a film that dressed up a conventional story in a female body. And the actor in me wouldn’t let me play Baby as a symbol; she had to be a person. Those two voices kept each other honest throughout the shoot. If one of them was satisfied and the other wasn’t, we went back and did it again,” Qureshi tells Variety India.
Her dual perspective shaped the film’s development from the outset. The makers never approached Baby only as an invincible assassin. Rather, they focused on the character’s true emotions.
For Saqib, the ambition behind “Baby Do Die Do” was always tied to a larger conversation around original stories in Hindi cinema. He says the project was conceived as a response to audiences seeking better narratives that move beyond familiar formulas.
“Baby Do Die Do was always meant to be more than just a thriller. I kept hearing people ask, ‘Why don’t we get more original stories from Bollywood?’ And in many ways, this film is our answer to that. At its heart is a desi hitwoman you haven’t really seen before, but what excited us wasn’t just the suspense; it was the person behind it,” Saqib says.
While thrillers are often about high-stakes action and plot twists, “Baby Do Die Do” appears to place equal emphasis on character-driven storytelling. Saqib shares, “We wanted every twist and every moment of tension to come from the characters, their relationships, and the choices they make. If the audience is on edge, it’s because they are emotionally invested, not just waiting for the next surprise. We wanted to tell a story that keeps you hooked in the moment, but also stays with you long after you’ve left the theatre. More than anything, we hope people walk away feeling like they’ve experienced something new.”
“Baby Do Die Do” is slated to release in theatres on July 3, 2026.
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