Actor Yami Gautam's new film Ginny Weds Sunny premiered recently on Netflix, and she is now gearing up for shooting her upcoming horror comedy, Bhoot Police, starring Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez.
The actor, known for her distinctive oeuvre that includes a host of interesting and different roles, got candid in this chat arranged as part of Time Pass, a series of webinars organised by The New Indian Express group, and hosted by senior journalist Kaveree Bamzai.
Gautam, speaking from her hometown Chandigarh, confessed that the lockdown has been a roller-coaster ride for her, a time during which she learned to reconnect with herself. According to her, the pandemic has turned out to be a wake-up call that has reinforced the importance of humanity and the healing power of love.
Talking about OTT, Gautam affirmed that streaming platforms have emerged as a saviour during such tough times for both audiences and the film fraternity. "It is a huge game changer," the actor stated, and noted how in previous years, artistes used to think twice before signing for OTT content. The actor believed that theatres would continue to have their charm, even as streaming has established itself as a lucrative parallel.
The actor has a new theatre release with Bhoot Police and is also set to star in an original OTT release, A Thursday directed by Behzad Khambata. Sharing her experience on dubbing Ginny Weds Sunny during the pandemic, the actor admitted that it was difficult to get into the skin of a joyous character during the tumult of the Covid-19 crisis.
Shooting for her Bhoot Police begins in Himachal Pradesh where the infection rate is relatively lower. The actor questioned whether the film industry is financially and mentally prepared to start shooting with the necessary precautions in place.
When the topic veered to the nepotism debate, she said that the discourse on this topic is deep-rooted. She said that while someone from the fraternity launching their friends or close ones is fair, what is unfair is when someone is elevated at the cost of another’s opportunity.
"For me, it is not just about nepotism, but favouritism. That is the bigger picture," she added. Gautam ended the conversation, adding, "My acting philosophy is not dependent on any formula. I would like to try out all kinds of roles."