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Exclusive: Yami Gautam says ‘no one thought I could do comedy’ until she did Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala
Yami Gautam shared how Bala changed her career, revealing people doubted her comic timing and thought she couldn’t pull off a fun, lighthearted role.
Actress Yami Gautam opened up about her journey in Bollywood and how Bala turned out to be a turning point in her career. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Yami shared that many people doubted her ability to perform in a comedy film, as they had always seen her in serious roles.
She recalled, “Bala was something I think no one saw it coming. I know they mean it as a compliment when a lot of people I met later in life, they say, ‘you know we called Amar when we heard he casted you. Aisa kaise Yami ko aap cast kar sakte ho? Kabhi aapne usse haste huwe dekha hain. She looks damsel in distress.’ Something like that. ‘I don’t think she could do comedy.’”
The Article 370 star added that people often misinterpret her personality based on how she carries herself. “Sometimes people just take it very seriously, the way you carry yourself. I think I have a very straightforward way of doing that, by no means of arrogance or anything. I like being very clinical in my approach when I’m working with someone,” she said.
Yami further mentioned that her director, Amar Kaushik, also faced similar doubts. “Then I asked Amar, he said, yeah, yeah, a lot of people did not believe that you could pull off a Pari. But I think it was a very special film for me, which changed a lot of things — the way people looked at me as an actor,” she added.
Yami Gautam: 'Bala changed how people saw me as an actor'
For Yami, Bala was not just a film; it was a turning point. The actor revealed that she once thought about quitting the industry before the film’s release. “That was a point in life where I kind of told myself with a lot of grace and with no hatred in heart, no negativity, no anger — just with a very calm mind — that if things don’t work out even after these films, I’ll go back and start farming on my small land in Himachal,” she stressed.
She clarified that the decision wasn’t easy but was rooted in her values. “No, it’s not easy, but I think the kind of person I am, for me, respect and dignity are really important in life. I cannot do something which I don’t have my heart in or I’m not enjoying working with the people,” Yami shared.
Bala, which was released in 2019, helped Yami Gautam showcase her comic timing and changed the industry’s perception of her as an actor who could handle both emotional and lighthearted roles with equal ease.
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