All quiet on the northern front

Yami discusses how her film Article 370, which traces the 2019 revocation of J&K’s special status, was shot in a hush-hush manner; recounts her prep with the NSG

In today’s age of social media, it’s almost impossible to keep the details of a film under wraps. But the makers of Article 370, led by Yami Gautam Dhar, ensured that they kept the project hush-hush while they shot it in Kashmir last year. “No one knew what the movie was about. It had to be kept a secret. We are thankful to the police, the CRPF [Central Reserve Police Force] and the Armed Forces for taking care of us during the shoot,” begins the lead actor. 

Director Aditya Suhas Jambhale’s political thriller looks at the events around the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu & Kashmir in terms of autonomy. Gautam portrays a National Investigation Agency intel officer, who played a role in maintaining peace in the Valley. Aware that retelling a real-life story on celluloid is a big responsibility, she walked into the Jio Studios and B62 Studios’ venture armed with prep.

“We’ve seen some of the best [weapons] in the world. I loved the weeks of training. [It taught me] how to hold a gun with precision, and treat it not as an object in my hand, but as a part of me. Retd Col Keshvendra Singh and Bhushan [Vartak] sir from the NSG [National Security Guard] guided us so that we could keep things as authentic as possible.” Before the shoot, Gautam also trained at the NSG centre in Mumbai. “When we entered the NSG compound, thanks to Colonel Kirpal Singh ji, it was a different experience altogether. To practice there was very enriching as we got an exposure to the kind of precision they work with, when you can hear each and every breath, for example. To be a small part of that work and make it come alive on celluloid was the best experience.” 

Article 370 will be a memorable movie for Gautam for a personal reason too - during the shoot, the actor learnt that she was pregnant. The mother-to-be looks radiant as she says, “When you are pregnant, you have so many questions, so many firsts. I’m lucky to have Aditya [Dhar, filmmaker-husband] by my side.”

Was shooting an action thriller at such a stage tricky? She says that fortunately, all action sequences were canned before she learnt of the pregnancy. Being more centred and cautious was her mantra for the rest of the filming. “You have a life growing inside you, you’re responsible for it. At the same time, [you have to] balance it with commitment to work. Precautions are important; I have to be cautious, but not conscious.” 

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