Shabana Azeez, known for her role as Dr. Victoria Javadi in HBO's acclaimed medical drama The Pitt, has been cast in Unrequited, an independent romance that marks the directorial debut of Lynn Q. Yu. The project sees Azeez return to smaller-scale filmmaking after her breakout success on a major television series, taking on a lead role in a queer love story described as blending humour, charm and sensuality.

Based on Yu's original script, Unrequited follows former college roommates and one-time lovers Trish and Anjali, with Azeez playing Anjali. When Anjali reveals she is leaving the US to return to India, Trish takes her on a farewell road trip through California, sampling the state's diverse food scene while trying to persuade her to stay. The film is produced by Jake Casey and Danielle Benedict of The Dazey Phase alongside John Gray, with Rich Freeman and Rick Berg executive producing for Code Entertainment; production is set to begin in California next spring. Yu previously wrote the Black List script Unnie, adapted into the K-pop thriller Perfect Girl, and Azeez's other credits include Netflix's Run Rabbit Run and the upcoming SBS drama The Airport Chaplain.