A day before the release of Dhurandhar, Yami Gautam has started a strong conversation in the Hindi film industry. She posted a long note on X and spoke about the growing culture of “paid hype.”
She said many people are now paying money in the name of marketing to create fake positivity around films. The actress also said that those who refuse to pay are often targeted with negative stories, even before their films come out.
Yami Gautam Calls Out Extortion And Paid Hype In Industry
Yami said she felt the need to speak now. She shared that she could not stay quiet anymore, especially when this trend keeps growing. As the wife of Dhurandhar director Aditya Dhar, she said she has seen how much effort the team has put into the film. She added that this practice is not only unethical but also harmful for the future of Indian cinema.
In her post, she wrote, “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.”
She continued, “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.”
Yami pointed out that such a trend would not be allowed in the South Indian film industry. She believes the South stands united and does not let such culture grow. She urged Bollywood producers, directors and actors to take a stand and fix this problem before it becomes worse.
In her final words, she wrote, “I say this as a wife of an extremely honest man who has given everything to this film with his undying hardwork, 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. Let’s not kill the joy of filmmaking & presenting it to the world & letting the audience decide what they feel. We need to protect our industry environment.”
Hrithik Roshan Reacts
Her post received support from Hrithik Roshan. He said this trend takes away the true voice of journalists. He wrote, “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… Without freedom of expression, without the truth helping us evolve, what job satisfaction can they or any of us hope for ?”
About Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh, Sara Arjun, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt and R Madhavan. The film has already seen some controversy. A section of people online have called for a boycott after Ranveer Singh mimicked the Daivas from Kantara Chapter 1 at IFFI Goa 2025. During the act, he called the Chamundi Daiva a “female ghost,” which upset many. He later apologised. But some viewers still believe the film may face backlash.
Dhurandhar releases on December 5. The debate around it continues, but Yami Gautam’s post has opened a larger conversation that many in the industry can no longer ignore.
Yami Gautam: Work Front
On the work front, Yami Gautam was last seen in the legal drama HAQ, inspired by Shah Bano case. Emraan Hashmi also featured in the film, which failed to get Hit tag at the box office despite praise for their performances.
