Yami Gautam Dhar Talks About "Article 370" and Pregnancy Journey

Two "releases" are much anticipated by Yami Gautam Dhar. The first is the intense Article 370, which is portrayed by the actress and aims to provide an intimate look at the five-year-ago abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. Of course, Yami's first kid with producer-director Aditya Dhar is the second, expected in a few months. T2 spoke with the radiant soon-to-be mother about her enjoyment of her pregnancy and the political thriller that opens in theaters on February 23.

Cheers to the soon-to-be mother! It must be such a unique sensation.


I'm grateful. I am excited about this next stage of my life. Every day, reality sets in, and it's such a lovely sensation.

Did you record Article 370 while expecting a child?

Fortunately, all of the more difficult feats and training had already occurred. I had to strike a balance between everything else going on in my life and this picture, which has one of the most significant roles of my career. Fortunately, Aditya, Dhar's spouse and the movie's co-producer, was there, and everything went well. And now the movie is prepared. In a sense, my infant has shared in this adventure to the same extent that I have.

It seems that this was a physically and emotionally taxing part. You have excelled in a number of challenging and multi-layered tasks during the last several years. In what context would you compare this movie?

Compared to what I had done before, this was harder and different. That's what adds to its intrigue and enjoyment. This is the sort of movie where there is a lot of emotion present even in scenes devoid of action. Compared to all the parts I have played before, this one is a lot higher.

It must have been really satisfying artistically.

Of course! A movie is filmed in segments, with each scene being shot in a distinct sequence. Though there is no emotional development, you are aware of the chronology. The other scene may be a different flip, and you might be in an entirely different mood. Therefore, an actor must understand that this is how they are feeling at the moment, this is what they did, and this is how it will seem in the movie at this particular moment.

When I at last saw the movie, I was like, "Oh my God!" I can't wait to play this part in the movie. I was relieved that I could look back on this and tell my child, "Yes, we did a great job!" (laughs)

When you initially heard the script, how did you feel?

I perused the screenplay. Each time, I read my scripts. After I finished reading, I realized that certain things continue to astound you years after they occurred. We were unaware of the details behind the revocation of Article 370 when we first heard about it. I could feel the passion, the anguish, and the sense of redemption even though I am not a Kashmiri. And I thought it was amazing until I heard the tale of how it occurred.

Naturally, a two-hour movie can only include so much, but we've been able to demonstrate how skillfully and covertly several departments collaborated to make it happen. There are some very smart individuals working there, and this has to be one of the most amazing tales ever, in my opinion. The Army, intelligence services, and the prime minister's office were all operating in unison. We knew that something similar had occurred during the surgical strike while I was filming for Uri.

We consider ourselves lucky to have had the opportunity to present it on television. It's a relatively new genre that hasn't been thoroughly explored in our movies.

The fact that Aditya is a Kashmiri must have added to the emotional impact.

Of course! I recall that not much was taught about this throughout my early school years. There were maybe two or three sentences explaining how there had been ethnic cleansing and how a genocide had occurred. These two or three words stick in my memory. I was unaware of the extent of the incident and its effects on the local population.

I later met Aditya and his family, and at that time I learned several tales that you are curious about but also reluctant to hear. Making this movie was motivated by the belief that everyone should understand the significance of Article 370's repeal and why it represents a turning point in our political history.

It's good to see everyone in the state prospering these days. Because I was with Aditya then as well as now, I can relate to their feelings of delight and understand why most of them don't want to go through this difficult time. For all those who are connected to Kashmir, including the Pandits, the abrogation was a crucial step. There were a ton of enormous homes, a ton of visitors, and people walking about freely while we were filming the scene. They all agreed that things had improved significantly during the previous three or four years.

It goes without saying that I am speaking about the majority opinion; total agreement on this decision is unlikely. But the positive developments are evident to all of us. There was the G20 Summit held. We were overjoyed to see the Indian flag wherever we went. The finest sensation was that one.

In what ways does this movie forward the goals you've set out in the movies you've fronted over the last several years?

It has really aided in my development. You will most likely create an amoeba if you try to visualize the several genres I have worked in over the last few years! That's because there isn't a set pattern, she laughs. I have no desire to choose any one path. I don't want to make any claims and then not be able to back them up with the job that I perform. I have to be in tune with the kind of job I perform and I think it's important to give voice to my decisions. I seek excellent parts and compelling stories, not projects. No matter what, my standard will always be script first.

I'm proud of how far I've come. I don't work with trophies in mind. It goes without saying that I want my movies to be successful and that my audience enjoys them; the nicest feeling comes from having someone share your passion for my work.

Regarding the films that I am being presented, I have no complaints. I don't think this is the direction I should take my next movie in. It gives me tremendous pleasure to know that directors and producers are considering me for some significant projects, stating that they believe I'd be a fantastic fit for the role. To be honest, I don't have any names in mind or any standards for what constitutes success. With what I am doing, I am very content.

I try not to get very invested in my job. Among the most valuable lessons I've acquired is the ability to laugh at myself. Everything has a purpose and occurs according to schedule.

I'm aware that working makes you the happy. To what extent are you anticipating the break when the baby arrives?

I have another release (Dhoom Dhaam) coming out before that. No pun intended! I have also soft-committed to another movie (laughs). They're advising me to do it just when I'm ready, and they're being very kind and understanding.

During this time, I am purposefully not reading anything on the Internet. All I'm doing is enjoying my family, working, eating well, and taking breaks when the doctor tells me to. While I exercise caution, it's important to avoid overanalyzing and stressing out.

I had no notion what it should feel like to be pregnant, but your body tells you anyhow. Unaware that I was expecting, I abruptly lost interest in all of my favorite foods, including my all-time favorite, chai. I believe that's when I realized (laughs).

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.