By Admin 
Netflix’s 2022 psychological drama Qala remains one of the most talked-about Hindi films of recent years — not just for its haunting story, but for the powerhouse performances that brought it to life. Directed by Anvita Dutt, the movie is a period piece set against the backdrop of 1940s India, exploring the tangled relationship between an ambitious singer and her demanding mother. If you’ve just finished watching it (or are planning to) and want to know exactly who played whom, this guide breaks down the full cast, character names, and the roles each actor brought to the screen.
About Qala: A Quick Overview
Before diving into the cast, it helps to understand the film itself. Qala is a Hindi-language period psychological drama that premiered on Netflix on December 1, 2022. Written and directed by Anvita Dutt — who also helmed the acclaimed Bulbbul — the film runs for 119 minutes and is produced by Karnesh Ssharma and Anushka Sharma under the Clean Slate Filmz banner.
The story follows Qala Manjushree, a gifted singer who has just won the prestigious “Golden Vinyl” award. As she navigates interviews and public attention, the film unravels her troubled past through flashbacks — revealing a childhood shaped by a mother’s grief, favoritism, and an unrelenting pursuit of perfection. Set in the 1940s, the film doubles as a tribute to the golden era of Indian playback singing while delivering a deeply personal and often unsettling character study.
The film’s music, composed primarily by Amit Trivedi with background score by Sagar Desai, plays a central role in the storytelling, since music itself is the battlefield on which the central relationships play out.
Full Star Cast and Character Names
Here’s a complete breakdown of who’s who in Qala.
Triptii Dimri as Qala Manjushree
Triptii Dimri plays the title character, Qala Manjushree — a talented singer wrestling with fame, guilt, and the ghosts of her upbringing. This is widely regarded as one of Dimri’s most demanding roles to date, requiring her to portray a woman constantly torn between ambition and emotional fragility. Her performance anchors the entire film, and much of the story’s emotional weight rests on her ability to make Qala’s inner conflict believable.
Babil Khan as Jagan Batwal
Making his acting debut, Babil Khan — son of the late actor Irrfan Khan — plays Jagan, an orphan boy taken in by Qala’s mother and groomed as a singer. Jagan’s presence in the household becomes a source of deep resentment for Qala, as he receives the affection and encouragement she craves from her own mother. Babil Khan’s debut performance received significant praise, with many critics noting how effectively he portrayed Jagan’s quiet vulnerability and eventual tragic arc.
Swastika Mukherjee as Urmila Manjushree
Swastika Mukherjee takes on the role of Urmila, Qala’s mother — a former singer whose own unresolved grief and rigid ideas about music and legacy shape every decision she makes. Urmila is arguably the film’s most complex character: cold and controlling on the surface, but driven by trauma from losing a child at birth. Mukherjee’s portrayal of this layered, often unlikeable mother figure is one of the film’s standout performances and earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Filmfare OTT Awards.
Amit Sial as Sumant Kumar
Amit Sial plays Sumant Kumar, a music industry figure connected to Qala’s professional life and rise to fame. His character represents the business and gatekeeping side of the music world Qala is trying to break into.
Sameer Kochhar as Chandan Lal Sanyal
Sameer Kochhar portrays Chandan Lal Sanyal, another figure tied to the film’s music industry backdrop, adding to the ensemble of characters surrounding Qala’s career.
Girija Oak as Sudha
Girija Oak plays Sudha, a supporting character in Qala’s world who appears during key moments of her personal journey.
Swanand Kirkire as Mansoor Khan Sahab
Noted lyricist and actor Swanand Kirkire appears as Mansoor Khan Sahab, a character connected to the film’s musical milieu, reflecting the film’s authentic depiction of the era’s music industry figures.
Tasveer Kamil as Naseeban Aapa
Tasveer Kamil takes on the role of Naseeban Aapa, part of the household or community surrounding Qala’s upbringing.
Varun Grover as Majrooh
Popular lyricist and writer Varun Grover steps in front of the camera to play Majrooh, adding another layer of authenticity to the film’s period music setting.
Abhishek Banerjee as Doctor Banerjee
Abhishek Banerjee, who also worked as a casting director on the film alongside Anmol Ahuja, appears on-screen as Doctor Banerjee.
Veera Kapur Ee as Rani Mandira
Veera Kapur Ee plays Rani Mandira, a supporting role within the film’s narrative.
Aadhya Jha as 10-Year-Old Qala
Aadhya Jha portrays a young Qala in flashback sequences, depicting the character’s difficult childhood and the roots of her complicated relationship with her mother. These younger-years scenes are essential to understanding the adult Qala’s psychology.
Anushka Sharma as Devika
In a special appearance, producer Anushka Sharma features as Devika, marking a rare on-screen cameo for the actress-producer in a film she helped bring to life.
Other Notable Cast Members
The film’s supporting cast also includes Rishi Gambhir as Dr. Williams, Guru Haryani in the role of a doctor, Alireza Jadidi as Jan, Neer Raao and Ashish Singh as journalists covering Qala’s rise to fame, Avinash Raj Sharma as Dr. Goyenka, and Abhitosh Singh Rajput as a recording engineer. These smaller roles help flesh out the film’s period setting and the media frenzy surrounding Qala’s success.
Behind the Camera: Key Crew Members
While the cast brings the story to life, Qala‘s crew deserves equal credit for its distinct visual and emotional tone:
- Director & Writer: Anvita Dutt
- Cinematography: Siddharth Diwan
- Music: Amit Trivedi (songs), Sagar Desai (background score)
- Editing: Manas Mittal
- Production Design: Meenal Agarwal
- Producers: Karnesh Ssharma and Anushka Sharma (Clean Slate Filmz, in association with Netflix)
The film was shot extensively in Kashmir, whose misty, atmospheric landscapes became almost a character in themselves, reinforcing the story’s brooding, melancholic tone.
Why the Cast of Qala Stood Out
What makes Qala‘s cast particularly memorable is the blend of established talent and fresh faces. Triptii Dimri delivered a career-defining performance, while Babil Khan’s debut announced him as a serious acting talent in his own right — drawing inevitable comparisons to his father’s legacy while carving out his own identity. Swastika Mukherjee, meanwhile, proved why she’s one of Indian cinema’s most underrated performers, turning Urmila into a mother figure audiences both feared and pitied.
The decision to cast real-life lyricists and writers like Varun Grover and Swanand Kirkire in small on-screen roles also added a layer of authenticity that music-industry insiders and cinephiles appreciated, grounding the film’s fictional narrative in the texture of a real musical era.
Awards and Recognition
The film’s performances didn’t go unnoticed. At the 2023 Filmfare OTT Awards, Qala received six nominations, including Best Web Original Film, Best Actress in a Web Original Film for Triptii Dimri, and Best Supporting Actress in a Web Original Film for Swastika Mukherjee. The film ultimately won Best Production Design for Meenal Agarwal’s work, a nod to the meticulous period detailing that brought the 1940s setting to life.
Where to Watch Qala
Qala is available for streaming exclusively on Netflix, where it has been available since its December 2022 release. It remains a popular pick for viewers interested in psychological dramas, period pieces, or films centered on the golden age of Indian music.
Final Thoughts
Qala is a film that lives and breathes through its performances. From Triptii Dimri’s haunted portrayal of the titular singer to Babil Khan’s breakout debut and Swastika Mukherjee’s chilling turn as a mother consumed by her own unresolved pain, the cast elevates a story about ambition, grief, and identity into something genuinely unforgettable. Whether you’re revisiting the film or watching for the first time, knowing the faces and character names behind this atmospheric drama adds another layer of appreciation for the craft that went into making it.
If you enjoyed this deep dive into Qala‘s cast, you might also want to explore Anvita Dutt’s earlier work, Bulbbul, which shares a similar visual style and thematic focus on women navigating oppressive family structures.