Actor-turned-producer Saqib Saleem has opened up about the realities of backing an independent film, revealing that producing Baby Do Die Do was only one part of the journey. According to the actor, navigating the film‘s release without the support of a major studio has proved to be an eye-opening and humbling experience.

Saqib Saleem reflects on challenges of releasing Baby Do Die Do independently; says, “It’s a humbling experience”

Sharing his experience, Saleem said, “Producing a film and trying to bring it to theatres is a humbling experience. In today’s cluttered market, trying to find a place for a film that is not studio-led has been a completely different experience.”

Baby Do Die Do stars Huma Qureshi in the lead and marks the first co-production by the actor-siblings under their newly launched banner, Saleem Siblings. While Saqib and Huma had previously produced films such as Double XL (2022), those projects were backed by studios. This time, however, the duo has chosen to independently oversee the film’s production as well as its release strategy.

Looking back on his earlier experiences, Saleem admitted that while studio collaborations helped him understand the filmmaking process, he often felt disappointed with the way completed films were eventually marketed and released. He explained, “When it came to putting it out for release, I felt my film was not treated properly or didn’t get the showcasing it should have. If I did it independently, I’d be able to pull in more muscle because when other people are involved, you don’t have full control over how your film is positioned.”

Those experiences ultimately inspired him to create an independent platform that prioritises creative freedom and emerging storytellers. Describing the vision behind Saleem Siblings, the actor shared, “We want to create an ecosystem for interesting voices. We call ourselves a boutique production house because our bandwidth doesn’t allow us to do more than one film at a time. With Baby Do Die Do, we just wanted to make a good film. Whether this works or not, everything is on us. I have no one to blame. I have reached a point in my life where I want far more agency in the decisions I take and the creative choices I make.”

The film has also recreated the iconic song ‘Ishq Kameena’, originally featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, as part of its promotional campaign. Addressing the decision, Saleem revealed that the suggestion came from Tips chairman Kumar Taurani. He said, “The idea was to make more people aware of the film. When you recreate a classic, there will be people who don’t like it. But if the purpose is to make people aware that our film exists, it served that purpose.”

With Baby Do Die Do, Saqib Saleem is not only stepping into a stronger role as a producer but also embracing the challenges and responsibilities that come with complete creative independence, hoping to build a sustainable space for unique stories outside the traditional studio system.

Also Read : EXCLUSIVE: Rachit Singh on the atmosphere on the sets of Baby Do Die Do, “Every day, we were cracking jokes, supporting each other and just having fun”