Yami Gautam wants to move away from damsel in distress roles, says 'that was my past life I can't...'

Yami Gautam Dhar says she has been working consistently to create a filmography that is different from some of her roles in the past. The actor made her debut with Shoojit Sircar's Vicky Donor but played second fiddle to the hero in movies like Badlapur, Kaabil, and a few others.

Yami, who will next be seen in the romantic comedy Dhoom Dhaam on Netflix this Valentine's Day, has proved her mettle as a performer with films such as Uri: The Surgical Strike, A Thursday, and Article 370. The actor has no regrets and respects the choices she made at that point in her career.

"That was my past life. I can't recall anything," Yami told PTI when asked about moving away from damsel in distress roles. "No one's had this conversation in a long time with me. Sometimes I might address but I don't because (it's) in the past. It's been almost four or five years that the filmography I'm trying to be consistent with doesn't have those elements at all remotely," she said.

Her role in Dhoom Dhaam is the antithesis of a damsel in distress as a no-nonsense and fearless heroine who likes to be in the driving seat of her life. Looking back at that phase in her life, Yami said she always knew the kind of roles she was capable of but it took some time to prove that to others.

"There are a lot of factors... You have to be aware of yourself, face your own truth, and have that courage to stand your ground and tell yourself that, 'Okay, this is what I did till now. I respect myself and I respect those people who gave me that opportunity.' "(But) 'How do I prove to someone that this is what I'm capable of? The only way is that I'll have to take a very hard call that even if I don't have work, I'm going to be part of films or roles where I'm getting to do something meaningful and substantial."

The actor, who is married to filmmaker Aditya Dhar of Uri fame, said she had an unconventional debut in Vicky Donor and that happened because she had no fear as a beginner. 

The actor said she is grateful that she could pull audiences to theatres through her film Article 370 and she takes it as a "huge blessing".

Directed by Rishab Seth, Dhoom Dhaam also stars Pratik Gandhi and is produced by Aditya and Lokesh Dhar of B62 Studios and Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)