Yami Gautam Exposes Toxic Marketing Around Dhurandhar; Hrithik Roshan Shares Support
Just a day before the release of Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar , Yami Gautam stepped away from the usual promotional buzz and chose to address something far more pressing, the rising trend of manipulative hype and targeted negativity in the film industry. Her honest note sparked a strong reaction online, and even her Kaabil co-star Hrithik Roshan joined the conversation.
Calling this practice nothing less than “extortion,” she wrote, “There is something I have been wanting to express for a really long time. I feel today is that day, and I must. This so-called trend of giving money in the guise of marketing a film to ensure good 'hype' for that film, or else 'they' will continuously write negative things (even before the film is released) until you pay 'them' money, feels like nothing but extortion.”
She further pointed out how accessible this system has become, and why that is dangerous:
“Just because this arrangement is accessible to anyone-whether to 'hype' a film or spread negativity against another actor or a film-is a plague that will affect the future of our industry in a big way.”
Yami warned people against normalising this trend:
“If the truth is exposed about a million things under the guise of who and what 'success' is over the past five years, unfortunately, it won't be a pretty picture for many.”
She also praised the South Indian industry for staying united and not giving space to such tactics, urging Hindi filmmakers to follow that example.
He wrote, “More than anything, the golden thing that gets lost and leaves them and all of us impoverished is the journalist's true voice-a chance for them to inform all the creative forces behind a movie what they felt, thought, what they applaud and criticise. Only true opinions have the potential for feedback that helps us evolve. Their own right to freedom gets unknowingly usurped, and so does our chance of growth. Without freedom of expression, without the truth helping us evolve, what job satisfaction can they or any of us hope for?”
She added, “I say this as a deeply concerned member of the fraternity who, like many other industry professionals, wishes to see Indian cinema blossom to its best potential and not the other way around.”
Ending on a hopeful note, she reminded everyone that the joy of filmmaking should remain intact and that audiences should judge a film only after watching it.
They stressed that “a martyr is not a commercial commodity” and argued that portraying his life without consent violates their privacy, dignity, and emotional rights.
However, the CBFC cleared the film for release on December 5 with an ‘A’ certificate after several modifications, cuts, and replacements, though the runtime remains the same.
Yami Gautam’s Strong Message
Yami’s note openly criticised the growing influence of paid campaigns in deciding a film’s fate. She highlighted how Dhurandhar was already facing cancel-culture-like criticism even before reaching the theatres.Calling this practice nothing less than “extortion,” she wrote, “There is something I have been wanting to express for a really long time. I feel today is that day, and I must. This so-called trend of giving money in the guise of marketing a film to ensure good 'hype' for that film, or else 'they' will continuously write negative things (even before the film is released) until you pay 'them' money, feels like nothing but extortion.”
She further pointed out how accessible this system has become, and why that is dangerous:
“Just because this arrangement is accessible to anyone-whether to 'hype' a film or spread negativity against another actor or a film-is a plague that will affect the future of our industry in a big way.”
Yami warned people against normalising this trend:
“If the truth is exposed about a million things under the guise of who and what 'success' is over the past five years, unfortunately, it won't be a pretty picture for many.”
She also praised the South Indian industry for staying united and not giving space to such tactics, urging Hindi filmmakers to follow that example.
Hrithik Roshan Echoes Her Thoughts
Hrithik Roshan backed Yami’s concerns with a thoughtful comment, focusing on how paid hype affects creative voices and honest feedback.He wrote, “More than anything, the golden thing that gets lost and leaves them and all of us impoverished is the journalist's true voice-a chance for them to inform all the creative forces behind a movie what they felt, thought, what they applaud and criticise. Only true opinions have the potential for feedback that helps us evolve. Their own right to freedom gets unknowingly usurped, and so does our chance of growth. Without freedom of expression, without the truth helping us evolve, what job satisfaction can they or any of us hope for?”
She added, “I say this as a deeply concerned member of the fraternity who, like many other industry professionals, wishes to see Indian cinema blossom to its best potential and not the other way around.”
Ending on a hopeful note, she reminded everyone that the joy of filmmaking should remain intact and that audiences should judge a film only after watching it.
The Legal Storm Around Dhurandhar
A week ahead of the film’s release, the family of late Major Mohit Sharma approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay, claiming the film mirrors the officer’s life, including his Kashmir missions and martyrdom without permission.They stressed that “a martyr is not a commercial commodity” and argued that portraying his life without consent violates their privacy, dignity, and emotional rights.
However, the CBFC cleared the film for release on December 5 with an ‘A’ certificate after several modifications, cuts, and replacements, though the runtime remains the same.
About the Film
Dhurandhar, written, directed, and co-produced by Aditya Dhar under Jio Studios and B62 Studios, stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal. The supporting cast includes Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi.Next Story