Yami Gautam: Affected me when people said it must be airbrushed

Yami, who has promising films in Lost and A Thursday, says it was “liberating” to open up on her skin condition keratosis pilaris

It’s hard to steal some time from Yami Gautam who has been “mad busy” shooting films back-to-back throughout 2021. The actor will soon be seen in Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Lost. Quiz her whether there is enough room for creativity in such a tight schedule, and she says, “I don’t underestimate the importance of giving enough prep-time for my characters. When you are this busy, that is sacrosanct. The quality of work speaks louder than the volume. Every film is an exhibit to get better work. Prep is not just about physical training; it is about being emotionally on the same plane as your character. I ensure that I know my script thoroughly, nuance my part with imagination, and nail the body language.”

Gautam with Roy Chowdhury

Chowdhury’s emotional thriller tackles the subject of media integrity, with Gautam playing a crime reporter. For the actor, it was an all-consuming project. “If we are talking about media integrity in today’s times, it must feel authentic. The characters have to feel familiar. Tonyda [Chowdhury] gives the freedom to be as natural as possible. It makes me proud to be part of a film that stands for certain values. In a fast-paced world driven by competition, emotions don’t hold the same value. Lost and A Thursday are two films that have made me discover a lot about myself.”

Films aside, her unafraid attitude reflects in her social media posts too. Recently, she opened up on battling keratosis pilaris, a condition that leaves the skin patchy and with small bumps. Having been the poster girl for glowing skin for over a decade, Gautam’s post was a reminder to be real at a time when the beauty industry propagates perfection. “Writing the post wasn’t difficult; it was liberating. The journey from the time when I learnt of my condition to the day I put the post out, was challenging. When people saw me at shoot, they would talk about how it should be airbrushed or concealed. That would affect me a lot. It took years to accept it and wear my confidence. I was overwhelmed to see the response to the post.”

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