From Films To Motherhood, Yami Gautam Dhar Opens Up On Career Shift, New Purpose And Evolving Cinema Journey

Yami Gautam Dhar fronts the latest issue of Grazia India at a moment of firm change, both on screen and at home. After a series of deliberate choices since 2019, Yami Gautam Dhar is balancing acclaimed roles with early motherhood, while holding on to a steady inner focus that shapes every decision.

Looking back at a key shift in work, Yami Gautam Dhar links it to “Bala” and “Uri” in 2019, just before Covid. “Somewhere if I have to tie that thread in, post Bala and Uri in 2019, just before Covid. That's when I think the shift happened for me, directors started seeing me in a different sort of sense that maybe she's trying to pivot.”

Yami Gautam Dhar and Grazia India trace a career pivot through films and roles

This pivot showed in later choices such as “A Thursday” (2022), “Dasvi” (2022), “OMG2” (2023) and “Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga” (2023). Yami Gautam Dhar calls “Article 370” (2024) “a massive shift” while also noting that the film coincided with a personal milestone, since Yami Gautam Dhar was expecting a baby then, before moving on to “Haq” (2025).

For Yami Gautam Dhar, the way roles are written now has changed the idea of who leads a story. “All these definitions of main characters have changed now, and I think Dhurandhar is the best example”, she says. Yami Gautam Dhar feels each part leaves a mark because characters now carry more detail and weight on the page.

Yami Gautam Dhar on Grazia India cover: cinema, Dhurandhar and audience energy

Yami Gautam Dhar connects this shift to older industry ideas about “hero” and “female actor” that are slowly fading. “Each and every character has left an impression because the characters are written in that sense. I've understood this also stems from a sense of industry culture, that this is the female actor, this is the male actor, this is the hero – it's possible to dismantle that completely and chase brilliant characters and writing.”

Pointing again to that 2019 turning point, Yami Gautam Dhar adds that moments of success carry a longer story. “Which is why I always go back to 2019 to Uri and Bala, because when you are celebrating a moment, it is never about just that, it's about the journey that led you to it.”

Yami Gautam Dhar, Grazia India and a focus on craft, scripts and spontaneity

Yami Gautam Dhar views cinema as driven foremost by scripts and direction. “This is why I said it was always a director's medium – it was always script and all those basic things that make a film, a film. The basics are back, so that's a massive shift.” The response to “Dhurandhar” underlines that change for Yami Gautam Dhar.

For Yami Gautam Dhar, box office numbers tell only part of that story. “It's not just about a film doing well and new box office records I don't think Dhurandhar's success is telling us only that. We were struggling to get people into theatres, and we were figuring and toying around with things. But people thronging theatres tells you we are ready, we want you to make amazing films, we'll watch, and yes, we'll come repeatedly.”

When Yami Gautam Dhar considers what keeps the work exciting, the audience within remains important. “Something new, something fresh not just as an actor but also from an audience's lens. Even the audience in me must be equally excited. That's what I'm looking at, that motivation and excitement to just keep giving my best. You could make endless lists, but this is what I want to do.”

Talking about preparation, Yami Gautam Dhar notes a balance between planning and instinct. “There's always a time where you feel that you could have done something better, but that's where the director's vision and perspective come in. Even on set though I'm prepared, moments before the scene or any shot, I'm still thinking, is that okay, or let's try this and I'm just trying to bring it alive in my head. It's not that I do too many rehearsals, I like to go in with a lot of spontaneity.”

Yami Gautam Dhar with Grazia India: motherhood, family support and staying grounded

Navigating an infant’s needs alongside shooting schedules, Yami Gautam Dhar credits a strong family network. “It's because of the support system I have; it would have been difficult otherwise. We need help, there's no denial in that, but we must acknowledge it, and when that help is given, there's nobody else than your own family. I'm very grateful to my mother because that's how I can do what I do.”

Yami Gautam Dhar also explains why a film set is not ideal for a very young child. “With a baby so young, even a set is not the right place perhaps for a child. It's literally your heart outside your body, and who do you trust with your heart when both the parents are working.”

Despite professional highs and personal changes, Yami Gautam Dhar believes daily life with Aditya Dhar remains simple. “Nothing has changed us as people. That also comes from Aditya, and the kind of person he is, very unaffected and extremely humble. I've seen him through different phases, there are highs and lows and vulnerable phases – but it's not like during that phase we expressed our frustration or let it out.”

Faith anchors that approach for Yami Gautam Dhar. “Both of us are extremely thankful to God, for us spirituality is very important, we believe in the Almighty.” As Yami Gautam Dhar notes, “Good things happen to good people. What's meant for you may be delayed but never denied.” The Grazia India cover captures this phase of steady growth, where Yami Gautam Dhar continues to shape a path on personal and professional terms.