Yami Gautam opens up on her Bollywood journey, says 'goals keep changing'
Bollywood actor Yami Gautam, who has been a part of the film industry for more than a decade, recently opened up about her journey and how she landed her first Bollywood film.
While speaking to ANI, Yami discussed her journey and shared how "true satisfaction" is hard to achieve.
"Satisfaction, I don't think you ever feel like you've achieved it. If you set a goal and when you reach it, it feels like, 'Oh, I wanted this, but now it's okay.' Maybe the goal 10 years ago was something else. Now I'm here, and now the goal is different. I might not be able to explain my goal in words because there's nothing in my mindset that says I want to make a film in this way or with these people. Whenever I read a script, my perspective is always that someone is offering me a script for the first time," she said.
Speaking about the happiness she feels when people appreciate her work, the actress shared, "It has been a journey... I feel good when I see happiness on the faces of the people and they appreciate my films. I have no grudges or complaints in my mind. This is a journey that one has to travel alone, whether you are from the industry or an outsider. The final verdict lies with the audience."
Yami then recalled how she got her first Bollywood film Vicky Donor. She revealed that she got the role through an audition.
"Audition. Jogi ji, our casting director, had called me for an audition for another film. But for some reason, I couldn't give that audition. It didn't work out. Then he said that that film wouldn't work out, but there's another one. I asked, 'Okay, Jogi ji, what's this film about? What's the concept?' So, he had prepared a small audition with a few lines and asked me, 'Can you do this?' I said, 'Of course, I would love to do it.' There was something about Vicky Donor that excited me," she said.
The 2012 release Vicky Donor, which also starred Ayushmann Khurrana, was lauded for its progressive content and for initiating conversations about issues that were previously treated as 'taboo'.
Yami was recently seen in Dhoom Dhaam, which released on Valentine's Day. The film is produced by her husband, Aditya Dhar, along with Lokesh Dhar and Jyoti Deshpande.
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Hi Dubai
07-05-2025
- Hi Dubai
New Releases, Big Returns: Your May 2025 Movie & TV Roundup
Get ready to mark your calendars, because May is bringing a thrilling lineup of movies and TV shows you won't want to miss! Whether you're into edge-of-your-seat action, heartwarming dramas or epic sci-fi adventures, this month has something for every screen lover. From blockbuster hits to hidden gems, the entertainment world is about to get a whole lot more exciting. Grab your popcorn, settle in and dive into the hottest new releases you'll be binge-watching and talking about all month long! Best Movies Releases This May Popeye The Slayer Man 📆 May 1 | 🎬 In Theatres A group of thrill-seeking friends break into an eerie, long-abandoned spinach factory to uncover the truth behind a local ghost story; the terrifying legend of the 'Sailor Man.' Armed with cameras and curiosity, they think they're chasing shadows. But something in the darkness is watching… waiting. As the night unravels, so does their grip on what's real. 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Campaign ME
25-04-2025
- Campaign ME
Enchanteur reveals strategy behind bold Valentine's move that won the internet
For Valentine's Day in 2025, romance took centre stage in Dubai as fragrance brand Enchanteur, in partnership with brand partnerships and media solutions agency Hikaya, rolled out a public activation that turned a proposal into a nationwide moment of magic. The activation featured a grand proposal orchestrated at SkyDive Dubai, curated with all the sensory beauty Enchanteur is known for — flowers, music and a touch of theatrical flair. The visual spectacle was captured and shared through a masterfully edited short-format video, spreading organically through platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Meta, and top-tier influencer handles. The campaign generated more than 9 million views — 1.5 million organic and more than 7.5 million through paid media — amplified further by coverage in more than 20 media platforms such as Gulf News, Lovin Dubai, Khaleej Times, Arabian Business Week and Filmfare Middle East. The virality drove organic pick-up across influencer and audience networks. City-based influencers voluntarily joined the wave, resharing the content and offering their commentary, underscoring the authenticity and relatability of the moment. Hikaya, the agency behind the campaign, took charge from concept to execution, handling every aspect end-to-end from the strategy and creative concept to the production and digital media rollout. All touchpoints including ideation, filming, editing and media buying were handled by them. In conversation with Campaign Middle East, Huzefa Siamwala, Founder, Hikaya, said, 'We knew emotional storytelling would be key. So rather than a typical ad, we designed a live public moment — a grand proposal — that embodied love in its purest form. Our strategy was rooted in three pillars: virality, emotional engagement, and the chery on the top was the couple who performed the stunt was a real couple originally from the UK & Mexico at SkyDive Dubai with an experience of more than 20,000 jumps under their belt.' The initiative went beyond tugging at heartstrings to light up social media feeds, trending across major news outlets and online channels and solidifying Enchanteur's status as a brand synonymous with love. Siamwala added, 'We believe in storytelling that not only sells but also stirs. This activation was a beautiful confluence of brand vision and cultural relevance. Enchanteur gave us the freedom to create an emotional spectacle, and we're incredibly proud of how it resonated with audiences across the region.' The campaign went live on Valentine's Day and continued through to the end of February, with extended coverage and audience interaction organically sustaining the campaign even post the core activation period. Influencer management and PR were managed by the brand. Nazneen Shabir, Marketing Controller, Wipro Yardley, said, 'At Enchanteur, we wanted to go beyond conventional product campaigns. Valentine's Day is about emotion — and we know the strongest stories are the ones rooted in real people. This campaign allowed us to connect with our audience at a deeply emotional level while reaffirming Enchanteur's place as the fragrance of love.' The success metrics were benchmarked on performance: reach and impressions across digital platforms, earned media value through PR pickups, and qualitative sentiment from audience comments and influencer engagement. Most importantly, it sparked conversations, reshared moments and emotional responses. Priyadarshee Panigrahi, Senior General Manager of Wipro Yardley, concluded, 'For Enchanteur, we believe romance should be nothing short of magical — just like this breathtaking proposal high above Dubai.' CREDITS: Client: Enchanteur, Wipro Yardley Agencies: Hikaya
Khaleej Times
24-04-2025
- Khaleej Times
Producer Anand Pandit on why Bollywood films struggle at the box office
Multiple high-budget Hindi films have been posting disappointing box-office collections and movies on OTT are thought to be attracting more viewers, says film producer Anand Pandit, because of a lack of originality as well as a forceful inclusion of item songs in recent years. in an interview to ANI on Tuesday, Pandit recalled the era of [screenwriting duo] Salim-Javed when films did spectacularly well at the box office just on the basis of the credit rolls. "I think there are two to three reasons. Earlier films were made, now more projects are made. Earlier, we writers and directors used to focus more on creative people," said Pandit. He added: "You must have seen a time when films were sold in the name of Salim-Javed. In the last five years, you might not even know that a big writer's film was sold. So, I think it's very important that we focus on how the film will perform at the box office." He complained of filmmakers ignoring the importance of the box office in India and said their primary focus remains on how to sell their films on OTT platforms rather than to the audience in theatres. "There was a time in the 80s and 90s when there was no collateral business," he said. He added, "Box office was the only business. So, keeping the audience in mind, whether they will buy the ticket and come to the cinema hall or not, keeping that in mind, films were written and made. Today, unfortunately, this is not happening because the mentality of OTT is different, the mentality of satellite is different, overseas is different." "The second issue is that we have completely become an inspired industry. We are inspired by the South, we are inspired by Korea, we are inspired by this language. So, the originality that was there earlier, that originality is not there today," he added. While giving the example of regional films, the producer spoke about the importance of spending money on writers. "The director has a vision, the producer has a vision, they have a conviction about the project, about the film. I think we should not move from there. But sometimes, the director is not so confident, or the producer is not so confident, and your hero becomes very overpowering," he added. The lack of conviction leads to a change in the scripts and the inclusion of unnecessary material in the movies, such as item songs. "And then, not according to the project, but according to their character, they make the change, then this project is ruined. So, the item number is sometimes very important for promotion. If you get a good item number, it is very helpful for promotion on television or social media." "And because of that item number, your music rights also increase. But if you forcefully put an item number, I think that picture also becomes boring, and its track is lost. So, I think, these things should be taken care of," he said.
