Huma Qureshi: Huge responsibility to surpass first season

Huma Qureshi in the show

It's time for Huma Qureshi to shed the glamour and step into the shoes of Rani Bharti, an uneducated but clever politician, again. Encouraged by the praise Maharani earned on its release earlier this year, the suits at SonyLIV have greenlit its second season. The team, led by director Karan Sharma, will begin shooting in the first week of December.

"The love and appreciation I got for my role was overwhelming," says Qureshi, who will be Bhopal-bound soon. With the political drama set in Bihar, it is heard that the unit will recreate parts of the state in Bhopal. The series, written by Nandan Singh and Uma Shankar Singh, is said to be loosely inspired by Rabri Devi's journey who was thrust into politics in 1997 after her husband and then Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was under scrutiny for corruption charges in the Fodder Scam.

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While the first instalment saw Rani learn the ropes of politicking, with a few highs and some missteps along the way, the second edition will focus on her rise to power. As someone driving the narrative ahead, the actor knows she will have to up her game in the forthcoming season. "It will be quite challenging as I have to work hard and make sure to surpass the first season's success. It is a huge responsibility to do better than that. Walking in the steps of Rani Bharti will always be an empowering experience." The month-long Bhopal stint will be followed by schedules in Mumbai and parts of Bihar.

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