Yami Gautam Slams 'Extortion-Like' Paid Negativity Ahead of 'Dhurandhar'; Urges Industry To Unite: 'It'll Bite Everyone'

'It's a plague that is going to affect the future of our industry,' said Yami Gautam ahead of 'Dhurandhar'.

Team THR India
By Team THR India
LAST UPDATED: DEC 08, 2025, 15:55 IST|5 min read
Yami Gautam; Ranveer Singh in 'Dhurandhar'
Yami Gautam; Ranveer Singh in 'Dhurandhar'

Actor Yami Gautam has claimed that there has been a rise in the trend of paying money—framed as “marketing”—to manufacture positive hype for a film, warning that those who refuse are often met with sustained negativity. She called the practice a form of “extortion,” making the remarks ahead of Dhurandhar, the big-budget actioner directed by her husband, filmmaker Aditya Dhar.

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"There is something I have been wanting to express since really long, I feel today is that day & I must," Yami began her tweet. The actor then slammed the culture of paying money to manufacture hype for a film in the guise of film promotions.

"This so-called trend of giving money, in the disguise of marketing a film, to ensure good ‘hype’ for a film is created or else ‘they’ will continuously write negative things (even before the film is released), until you pay ‘them’ money, feels nothing but kind of extortion."

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"Just because this arrangement is accessible to anyone, whether to ‘hype’ a film or spread negativity against another actor/a film is a plague that is going to affect the future of our industry in a big way. Unfortunately, if anyone feels- it’s harmless & let’s do it because it’s the new ‘normal’, is mistaken. This monster of a ‘trend’ is eventually going to bite everyone," she added.

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The actor claimed that if "truth is exposed" about what individuals and their "success", especially in the last five years, "unfortunately it’s not going to be a pretty picture for many."

Yami also said such an extortion-like practice can never be dared in the Southern film industries as the artists there stand united.

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"I urge our esteemed producers, directors & actors to come together in order to arrest this termite of a culture at this stage itself and discourage it. I say this as a wife of an extremely honest man who has given everything to this film with his undying hard-work, vision & grit along with his team to create something that I know India shall be proud of. "

"I say this as a deeply concerned member of the fraternity who, like many other industry professionals, wishes to see Indian cinema blossom with its best potential & not the other way around. Let's not kill the joy of filmmaking & presenting it to the world & letting the audience decide what they feel. We need to protect our industry environment," she added.

Dhurandhar features a powerful ensemble cast consisting of Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt.

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