Yami Gautam on award shows: The way they are functioning, they are themselves saying, ‘Don’t take us seriously'

AS grasp for her young shoot Haq, based on the famous shah of iran Bano caseful, continues to pour in, Yami Gautam Dhar has already signed four new films. “It’s the producer’s prerogative to announce,” she smiles when we prod for details. But she’s more than willing to talk about being the audience’s darling and how staying away from trends and formulas has worked for her.Your fans are betting on a National Award for Haq. Are you expecting one, and how much do awards mean to you?I’m only imagining the headlines out of this because I have no idea how to answer this question. I’m really trying to be so careful and measured. I don’t want to sound like anything that I’m not. But I’m sure you’ve read the social media posts...I have, and it’s my audience saying it. So, I think that in itself is a really big thing for me. I’m here because of them and, of course, the belief of certain directors in me when probably not many believed. I don’t go to any award functions, with all due respect to them.Yes, you are not seen at parties and award functions as such, but it’s said that the film industry is all about networking at such events...That must be true. There is no denial about it. But if I don’t connect with that, then how do I work? How do I tell someone that I want this opportunity? I’ll work really hard, identify the right scripts and wait for that opportunity from certain directors to take that chance with me, which is what happened in 2019 with Uri, with Aditya (Dhar, filmmaker and her husband). But socially or in terms of going against my personality, something that doesn’t make me happy, or I feel I’m being asked to do something or fit in a system, if that is the system, that’s not me. That was never me. The only way out was work, slowly and steadily. Then yes, awards. There’s a certain section that may believe (in them), so whatever works for you. But the way award functions have been functioning of late, it’s like they themselves are saying ‘Don’t take us seriously’. And I’m not saying it. The audience is saying it now. That means tomorrow, if someone’s there in my position, they will know that both can coexist. If you believe that (awards) is what makes you happy, go ahead. There's nothing wrong in it. And if you feel that, no, I have my own journey, I want to carve my own path, and it's a different route, but that's what I believe in, then go ahead. Can you still be successful? 100%, yes. So, the idea of new age cinema also goes hand in hand with the new way, the culture that we are inculcating and we see in the industry, which I'm so happy has been received, it's been respected and applauded equally or more than the existing, if there were any norms.So, a newbie can take a leaf out of your book then, that let me do it the way Yami did?I really believe that everyone is special and I know that feeling of not feeling that you belong, you know, and yet you want to be here, right? Otherwise, you can go back. There's no problem in that. But you still want to be here and yet you want to do it in some other way. I'm not alone. There are certain actors, certain good actors who believe, who feel the same way. Your son Vedavid is just 1.5 years old. But do you think about which films of yours you’d like to show him later?I think we’ll come to that when he reaches that age. He’s too young right now, as you said, and I really haven’t thought about it. But my mother said something very sweet to me when I was expecting him, I was shooting for Article 370 (2024) and of course, the mind of a first-time mother or just any mother... It’s your first baby, you’re working in a film like this, and the gazillion questions! The one thing she said was, ‘If you’re fit to work, don’t worry. Your son inherently will value the importance of being a hard worker, like his mum. So you’ll be very proud. You go for it, you give your best. We’re here to take care of you.’ So I used to literally feel the two of us working in every scene. I think that is going to be really special because I’d be like, ‘You are part of that film, you know?’Also starring Emraan Hashmi, Haq released in theatres on November 7.