A day prior to the theatrical release of Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar, actor Yami Gautam, wife of the film’s director Aditya Dhar, urged her peers in the film industry to end the culture paid marketing tools to promote their movies. She said there’s a ‘growing trend’ of giving money to ensure good hype of a film.
Taking to her Instagram handle, Yami posted a long note about ‘extortion’ of money and how people who refuse to pay become targets of negative coverage, even before their film’s release.
‘Trend of giving money in the disguise of marketing’
“There is something I’ve been wanting to express since really long, I feel today is that day & I must. This so-called trend of giving money, in the disguise of marketing a film, to ensure good ‘hype’ for a film is created, or else ‘they’ will continuously write negative things (even before the film is released), until you pay ‘them’ money feels nothing but kind of extortion. Just because this arrangement is accessible to anyone- whether to ‘hype’ a film or spread negativity against another actor/a film is a plague that is going to affect the future of our industry in a big way,” it read.
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The actor further added, “Unfortunately, if anyone feels- it’s harmless & let’s do it because it’s the new ‘normal’, is mistaken. This monster of a ‘trend’ is eventually going to bite everyone. If truth is exposed about a million things under the garb of who & what ‘success’ is over the past 5 years esp, unfortunately, it’s not going to be a pretty picture for many.”
‘Say this as a wife of extremely honest man’
She also mentioned that the South industry is more united when it comes to such concerns. “In South no one can dare do such things because the industry stands united on lot of fronts. I urge our esteemed producers, directors & actors to come together in order to arrest this termite of a culture at this stage itself & discourage it,” she wrote.
“I say this as a wife of an extremely honest man who has given everything to this film with his undying hard-work, vision & grit along with his team to create something that I know India shall be proud of. I say this as a deeply concerned member of the fraternity who, like many other industry professionals, wishes to see Indian cinema blossom with its best potential & not the other way around. Lets not kill the joy of film making & presenting it to the world & letting the audience decide what they feel. We need to protect our industry environment,” the note concluded.
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Hrithik Roshan backs Yami Gautam
Her Kaabil co-star Hrithik Roshan also backed her and commented on X, “More than anything , the golden thing that gets lost and leaves them and all of us impoverished is the journalists true voice , a chance for them to inform all the creative forces behind a movie what they felt , thought , what they applaud and criticise. Only true opinions have the potential where feedback helps us evolve. Their own right to freedom gets unknowingly usurped and so does our chance of growth. Without freedom of expression, without the truth helping us evolve , what job satisfaction can they or any of us hope for?”
Dhurandhar release
Dhurandhar is set to hit the theatres on December 5. After Ranveer’s mimicry of the Daivas (as played by Rishab Shetty in Kantara 2) at IFFI Goa went viral on social media, the actor has been facing flak by a section of people for offending their feelings. While he has apologised for his actions, a section of social media is demanding for his boycott.
On the other hand, while the makers have denied that the film is based on late Major Mohit Sharma, his family filed a legal case against the film. They alleged that it exploits their son’s life story and sacrifice without their consent or approval from the Indian Army.






