Here's how Huma Qureshi transformed herself into Tarla Dalal for the forthcoming biopic

Back in March, Huma Qureshi was rumoured to be preparing to play famed chef-cookbook author Tarla Dalal in a biopic until the announcement was made. The actor has been shooting for the Ronnie Screwvala, Nitesh, and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari projects for over a month. While the script and her own study helped her learn about the late home chef's rise to fame, dressing the character was difficult.

Thanks to her tall frame, Qureshi's body is nothing like Dalal's. Speaking about the same, a source told Mid Day that since Dalal had top-of-mind recall value among millions of Indian ladies, playing the part was important. Qureshi underwent a series of look tests with filmmaker Piyush Gupta in order to eventually nail the avatar, which included her wearing spectacles and having buck teeth. 

The actor would wear the dentures for long periods of time before the film went into production about two weeks ago to ensure she was comfortable with them. She was well aware that even the tiniest suggestion of struggle or discomfort would be captured by the camera. As a result, she used to wear them all day and practice speaking with them on.

Qureshi consumed hours of footage as part of her preparation, catching up on the cookbook author's accent, intonation, and mannerisms.

Earlier, in a statement, the actor had shared her excitement about stepping into the shoes of Dalal. She has said that Tarla Dalal takes her back to her childhood. The actor's mother kept a copy of her book in the kitchen and would frequently try many of her recipes for her school lunch. Qureshi also vividly recalls helping her mother make Tarla's homemade mango ice cream. This role has transported her back to her childhood, and the actor is grateful to Ronnie, Ashwini, and Nitesh for believing in her enough to cast her in this awe-inspiring role.