People Like Me Can Also Sustain: Yami Gautam On 'Camps' In Bollywood
Yami Gautam accomplished fame in Bollywood with her own distinct brand of movies.
ABP Network Ideas Of India 2023: Actor Yami Gautam talked about the business practises of the film industry and what it takes to thrive in Hindi film, having accomplished fame in Bollywood with her own distinct brand of movies. The 'Dasvi' actor spoke about shattering stereotypes and flourishing as an outsider during a discussion on 'Breaking the Mould' at ABP Network Ideas of India 2.0.
Yami On Stereotypical Roles
The actor disagreed when asked if one's appearance influences whether they get cast in certain stereotypical movies and said that it all depends on the opportunities that come your way.
"Nahi, agar aisa hota toh meri pehli film Vicky Donor nahi hoti. Maine toh apne career ki shuruwat hi aise film se ki thi jisme substance tha and at the same time intention tha ki audience tak pahunche. Par baat opportunities ki hoti hai, ki kya aapko waisi hi opportunities aage bhi mil rahi hai? (No, if that were the case, Vicky Donor would not have been my first film. I started my career with a film that had substance and, at the same time, the intention of reaching an audience. However, it is a matter of opportunities that you will have the same type of opportunities in the future)," the actor explained.
"Aapne aap ko hi samajhna ki aap kis tarah ki filmein karna chahte hain, kis tarah ki filmon se judna chahte hain, aap kis tarah se apne aap ko present karna chahte hain. Wo oppotunities ka milna aur apni samjh rakhna, uss taal mel mein thoda waqt lagta hai (To understand oneself, what kind of films you want to do, what films you want to associate with, and how you want to present yourself. Getting those opportunities and having an understanding of your own takes time)," she added.
On OTT vs Theater Debate
OTT has recently dominated the content landscape, and more prominent stars from the Hindi cinema industry are moving to these platforms. Nonetheless, there is still disagreement regarding whether theatres are better than other forms of entertainment. Speaking of the same, Gautam stated that 'first preference will always be theaters'.
"Aapke desires alag par waqt ki nazakat hai ki aapko improvise karna hai. Meri pichli 5 releases OTT pe aayi. Aur pancho ne hi aacha kiya hai. OTT par bhi parameters hote hain aapko pata chalta hai ki film ki kitni viewership hai. Toh hum actors hain, humara kaam hai ki the show must go on. Chahe OTT ho ya threaters, hum chahte hain ki audience khush rahe. Agar achi film hai, wo apni audience dhund hi legi (Your desires can be different, but because of the time you have, you have to improvise. My last 5 films were released on OTT, and all five of them performed well. Ott also has parameters that can show you the viewership. We are actors, and it is our job to see that the show must go on. Whether it is on OTT or in theaters, we want the audience to be happy. If the film is good, it will find an audience)," she further added.
On The Term Women-Centric Films
Films with strong female leads, which have been a boon for Bollywood, are commonly referred to as women-centric. Yet Yami insists that this made - up term must be discarded. She argued that the movie business is changing rapidly now.
"Har generation apne saath ek change leke aata hai. Mother India uss zamane mein bhi bani hai. Jis zamaane mein mujhe nahi lagta ye conersations hoti thi. Smita Patil jaisi actress uss zamane mein bhi rahi hai. Main unke interviews aaj bhi dekhti hun. Ki kitni awareness thi, jo female actors hai unka aap kis tarike se pradarshan kar rahe hain. Mujhe lagta hai iss waqt bohot zyada fark aa raha hai, bohot zyada awareness hai, aur definitely industry evolve kar rahi hai. Behtar kirdar likhe jayenge toh behtar performances bhi ayengi. Aur audience ko achi film se hi matlab hai (Every generation ushers in a new era. Mother India was made at a time when there was no conversation about this. Actresses like Smita Patil were there in that era. There was awareness about how to present the female actors. I think a lot of change is coming; there is awareness, and the industry is evolving. If better characters were written, there would be better performances too. Only a good film matters to the audience)," Yami said.
On Clans In Bollywood
The actor discussed one of the most hotly debated topics in Bollywood—the clans that exist within the business—as the session came to a close. "Party ki agar baat ki jaye toh woh har chetra mein hoti hai par meri jo field hai yahan two plus two four nahi hai. Aapke life ka decision waqai kisi ke haath mein hai. Main kabhi aisi nahi rahi hun ki mujhe kisi camp mein ya circle mein dikhna hai (Parties happen in every area, but in my field, two plus two is not four. Someone else makes your life decisions for you. I have never been a person who wants to be part of a camp or circle)," she said.
Yami continued by saying that outsiders like herself, who avoid these camps, can also be able to survive in the industry. "Mujh jaise log bhi sustain kar sakte hain aur kaam kar sakte hain (People like me can also sustain and work)," she said.
"Bohot ladke ladkiyan puchte hai ki humein kya karana chahiye, kya networking jaruri hai. Nahi, agar aapke dil se kisi cheez ke liye awaaz na aaye, please mat kariye(A lot of boys and girls ask us what they should do if networking is needed. No, if your heart is not agreeing to something, please don’t do it)," she added.
Ideas Of India Is Back
ABP Network Ideas Of India Summit is back for its second edition. On February 24 and 25, eminent personalities from all walks of life will share their thoughts on pertinent topics and issues, ranging from climate catastrophe to India’s position as a new global power player.
This year's speakers will share their thoughts on what constitutes ‘Naya India’, and how our country, now the fifth-largest economy, can position itself as a developed nation by 2047, marking 100 years of independence.
This year, the ABP Network Ideas Of India summit — co-presented by Dabur Vedic Tea and co-powered by Dr Ortho, Gallant Advance, and Rajesh Masala (driven by Maruti Suzuki and with tech partner Panasonic) — will see notable speakers such as Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Minister Of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar, musical artists Bickram Ghosh and Shubha Mudgal, authors Amitav Ghosh and Devdutt Pattanaik, actresses Sara Ali Khan, Yami Gautam, Asha Parekh and Zeenat Aman, actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Manoj Vajpayee, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, sports stars Jwala Gupta and Vinesh Phogat, and many more.
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