Actress Yami Gautam has called out the use of paid hype and negative campaigns targeting films, highlighting her husband Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, while Hrithik Roshan supports her call for genuine reviews and the freedom of creative expression in Indian cinema.
Yami Gautam condemned paid campaigns that manipulate hype for films.
New Delhi: On the eve of Dhurandhar’s release, Yami Gautam took to social media to address what she described as a worrying trend in Bollywood. In a detailed note, she criticised the practice of paying for positive hype or facing continuous negative publicity if payments are not made.
Calling it “nothing but extortion,” she highlighted that these tactics create unfair perceptions about films or the actors involved. She stressed that such campaigns are harmful for the industry and can damage careers and reputations. According to Gautam, thinking that paying for hype is a harmless trend is a grave mistake that will ultimately impact everyone in the film fraternity.
She also praised the South Indian film industry, noting that professionals there maintain unity and do not indulge in such manipulative marketing tactics. Gautam urged directors, producers, and actors across industries to take a stand against these harmful trends.
Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan echoed Gautam’s sentiments, focusing on the importance of authentic journalism and creative feedback. He noted that paid campaigns undermine the true voice of critics, depriving them of the opportunity to offer honest opinions that can help filmmakers improve. According to Roshan, without freedom of expression and genuine reviews, both critics and creators are deprived of valuable growth and job satisfaction.
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Yami Gautam also took the opportunity to appreciate the effort her husband, director Aditya Dhar, put into Dhurandhar. She described him as an honest filmmaker who invested his energy, vision, and grit into creating a film that reflects pride in Indian cinema. Gautam emphasized that the joy of filmmaking should not be overshadowed by manipulative practices and that the audience should ultimately decide a film’s success.
There is something iv been wanting to express since really long, I feel today is that day & I must .
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…— Yami Gautam Dhar (@yamigautam) December 4, 2025
Prior to its release, Dhurandhar faced a legal challenge from the family of late Major Mohit Sharma, an Ashoka Chakra and Sena Medal awardee. The family sought a stay on the film’s release, claiming that the trailer and promotional material mirrored Sharma’s military career and counter-terrorism operations without consent.
The Central Board of Film Certification approved the release on December 5, granting an A certificate after modifications and excisions were made. The filmmakers complied with the CBFC’s requirements while keeping the film’s running length unchanged.
The family argued that the portrayal infringed upon Major Sharma’s posthumous personality rights, privacy, and dignity, calling attention to ethical considerations regarding real-life inspirations in commercial films.
Dhurandhar is written, directed, and co-produced by Aditya Dhar under Jio Studios and B62 Studios. The ensemble cast includes Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal, with Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi in supporting roles. The film has generated significant attention for its high-octane action and patriotic themes, making its release one of the most anticipated in December.
