With four back-to-back successes on streaming platforms, Yami Gautam is on a roll but the actor says she never signs a film thinking whether it is for OTT or theatre.
The actor is currently receiving praise for her performance in "Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga". The suspense thriller became the most viewed Indian film on Netflix within two weeks of its premiere on March 24.
While this is her consecutive fourth release on a streaming platform after "A Thursday", "Dasvi", and "Lost", Gautam said she isn't someone who discriminates between audiences or mediums.
"For me, an audience is an audience...I'm coming from a background that whatever you do, you get labelled by some bracket. I don't want to be under any kind of labels. I'm just very thankful to have found an audience," the actor told PTI in an interview.
Gautam said she often gets lines like "so now you are the queen of" OTT or "now you are doing such roles" but she takes such comments with a pinch of salt as she believes she has earned the trust of her audience.
"Audience has started developing this faith that if Yami is a part of a film, it must be something interesting... Even before the pandemic, 'Uri' and 'Bala' were the last two theatrical releases I had and I was fortunate that they were an amalgamation of not just successful films but good films," the actor said.
"I'm an actor, when I sign a film I don't think in my head if this for OTT or theatre. A film is a film. Our job is to entertain, engage the audience and we will continue doing that. I would love to dabble between both the mediums," she added.
"Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga", directed by Ajay Singh, revolves around Neha, an air hostess (Gautam) and her businessman beau Ankit (Sunny Kaushal) who are on a mission to steal diamonds to free themselves from the clutches of a loan shark. However, the heist goes horribly wrong when the very plane carrying the diamonds is caught up in a hostage situation.
Playing a layered character like Neha was a "fun, heartbreaking, and emotional" experience, she said.
"This is what inspires me as an actor... What's the new challenge, story? How is it different? I ask these questions to myself as an audience...
"When you are given such complex characters, sometimes that overthinking can lead to digressing from the story... The clearer the script, the easier for me as an actor to understand and then work on my character. So, I had a lot of fun... This is the film that really surprised me when we started shooting," added the 34-year-old actor.
Produced by Amar Kaushik and Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films, "Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga" ends with a cliffhanger teasing the viewers that Ankit will be back with a vengeance. The makers are yet to officially greenlight the sequel of the movie.
What does Gautam expect from part two, if and when it happens?
"I would love to be surprised if it happens. I come with zero thoughts. It's up to Dino (Vijan), Amar," she simply said.
This was her fourth project with Maddock Films and second with Kaushik, who directed the actor in "Bala", a movie she said "resurrected" her career.
"Amar and Dino gave me 'Bala' when I really needed a film. That's a film, which I tell everyone, resurrected my career. It was a well-written part, so credit to Niren Bhatt for that. There's certain trust, faith (in working with Vijan), hope this continues. Amar comes with thoughts that are fun for both artists and audience," she added.
Gautam's upcoming releases are action comedy "Dhoom Dhaam", written and produced by "Uri" director and her husband Aditya Dhar, and the sequel of "Oh My God".
