In an industry powered by perception and promotions, Yami Gautam has mastered the art of letting her quietest choices speak the loudest. The actor has been winning accolades for her nuanced performance as Shazia Bano in the marital drama Haq. Inspired by the famous Shah Bano case of the 1980s, in which a Muslim woman legally challenged her husband for maintenance, Gautam says the story remains painfully relevant, as women—irrespective of religion or status—continue to navigate a patriarchal society.
“When I was prepping for the film, I asked my mother—it’s been over four decades since the case, will the story still resonate today? She simply reiterated what I knew deep down: this is still deeply relevant. It goes beyond the story of one woman who fought for her rights; in her, she embodies all women who are constantly fighting for their rights and dignity,” she says.
Directed by Suparn Varma, the film has ridden on strong word of mouth and glowing reviews, remarkable for a story that steers clear of mainstream formulas. As Gautam points out, in today’s cinematic landscape, where the industry is still trying to decode shifting audience behaviour, word of mouth remains the most powerful currency.
“You can never be prepared for how the audience is going to react and respond. It has been overwhelming. Post-Covid19, no one can be sure what’s going to work, but what’s going to be definitely worth taking is risk. The risk of getting fresher ideas and making a kind of film. We could have told the story in different ways, through the lens of politics or as a biopic, but we chose to tell it through emotions. This is an amalgamation of fiction and drama,” she says.
She is candid when she admits that there has been a disconnect between the industry and its audience, who now have an array of choices that the industry struggles to keep up with. “This is, in a way, good too, as it would push writers and directors back to the medium which belongs to them. I can try whatever I can as an actor, but a film has to stand on its own. It cannot be just driven based on the first-day box office. It might be true for big stars, even today, but that number is really going down, right? The trend is for the film to hold on to its own perspective.”
Her own filmography stands true to her artistic evolution. Like many outsiders, her career began with television and small projects before she made her debut as a leading lady in Shoojit Sircar’s Vicky Donor. Critically acclaimed performances in Badlapur and Kaabil followed, but it was the 2019 hit Bala that marked a turning point. Her role as an ambitious social media influencer showcased a new facet of her versatility. She followed it with A Thursday, Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, OMG 2, and the 2024 political thriller Article 370.
Gautam says her choices remain instinctive, not strategic. “I am totally focused on the present. I am the same person who made her debut in Vicky Donor, and who wished for someone to take notice and give those kinds of roles of substance, diverse roles that have an impact, are conversation starters. But then you have to go through the journey, which is important to open up your perspective. Irrespective of whether your first film is a success or not, you must see the other side as well, of what not to do, and what adds value to your craft and life.”
She credits her directors, including her husband Aditya Dhar, who was among the first to cast her in a war drama like Uri: The Surgical Strike. “There have been directors who took a chance on me and saw me beyond my so-called image,” she says. “Some people weren’t sure whether I could play a tough part. I was seeking to identify those directors who believed in me and were willing to give me roles beyond industry perceptions,” she says. As Gautam continues to take challenging roles, her personal expression becomes her work, which she believes to be the most powerful way to tell one’s story.