Yami Gautam is not happy that social media following decides casting

Yami Gautam has not had the conventional way to success: she started with television, and then successfully switched to films with Vicky Donor (2012). And after facing a lull, she even went on to lead led films. Her latest, OMG2 is a big hit. Which is why it came as a surprise to people when she penned down something emotional on X recently.

Replying to a user who said she was ‘underutilised’, she had written, “Some people are great at marketing their talent (or lack of it), some people only want their talent to speak... will get there eventually, slowly but steadily, one film at a time.”

But the question arises: why does she still feel she is not ‘there’ (as in made it) yet? She quips, “I don’t know how to put it. ‘There’ will always be far, that’s what keeps you motivated. Maybe it is somebody else’s version of whatever it is... you can never put a full stop in front of ‘there’. When you reach there, you want more. I didn’t how to express it in any other way.”

But sometimes, the criteria for choosing an actor doesn’t depend solely on merit, feels Gautam. She cites an example, “A producer once said after watching one of my films ‘Oh God, you are so good. Why didn’t we think of casting you for this and this role?’ Then that person answered their own question ‘oh, we keep seeing that star (who was cast) papped, everyone is on social media’ But my question is: I understand you are in showbiz and marketing is a pivotal part of the industry, be it marketing of films or marketing yourself. But when it comes to such important decisions like casting, what role is suitable for whom , who has the potential to pull off a role- I just wish these factors are not the one to play a pivotal part.”

The 34-year-old, who has starred in films such as Kaabil, A Thursday and Bala, is thankful to the makers who saw the potential in her. “They trusted that I can carry a film on my shoulders. I take it as a huge responsibility, it becomes my job to make sure it’s worth. That’s the kind of mindset I come from. I am conditioning myself to it,” she adds.