I have had no affair in my life so far: Yaami Gautam

Yaami Gautam, 25, is simple by heart, strong, sensitive and brittle, for whom the journey to stardom is as important as the success itself. Her father once told her, ‘More than a yes, it’s important to say a no.’ And that has stayed with Yaami as she speaks her mind and does something only when she believes in it. She is emotional and strong-headed.By a stroke of coincidence, her first TV serial, ad commercial and feature film have been directed by Bengalis. Of course, her mentor Shoojit Sircar will always remain the most special to her. She has stopped losing her patience when people call her Yummy or Yamini instead of Yaami. Ahead of her second film Total Siyapaa, she talks to Bombay Times about growing up in Chandigarh, downsides of being opinionated and her dream of working with Amitabh Bachchan. Excerpts:
Let’s talk about your childhood?
I was born in Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh as my parents are both pandits from there. But I was brought up in Chandigarh. My grandfather started a school for the underprivileged in Chandigarh and that is why we moved from Himachal to Chandigarh. It was a small school, where even I would teach while in school. He was also the one to have started the Ramlila in Chandigarh. I have memories of going on a cycle with him to get it started. My dad had directed a serial called India’s Most Wanted and is now vice president with PTC channel based in Chandigarh. While post my grandparents not being there, the school and Ramlila have both shut down, my father believes that somewhere it is those blessings that every subsequent generation we have has grown, in terms of being more successful. My dad studied theatre and I am an actress in Mumbai. I was a good student at Punjab University and that is why the director of the university did not want to hand over my transfer certificate to me as he felt I should complete my studies. I was a kind of geek and was happy to be a champu oiling my hair and going to give my exams. All my friends were Sikhs, Jats and Punjabis. I learnt Punjabi from my neighbour and can now read and write it.
How did you bag the role in Vicky Donor?
I was in second year when destiny played its part. My father’s old friends from Mumbai were on their way to Himachal and decided to stop by at Chandigarh. Aunty worked for a TV show. I had not met uncle and aunty since I was 10. I served them tea and they looked at me, found me good-looking and suggested to my mother that I take theatre workshops. I ran away from there with my books and told my mother to not entertain such a conversation. I was extremely shy and coy and fully into only studying. However they took some random home pictures from my mother and gave it to some TV production houses in Mumbai. They liked it and contacted my parents and wanted me to come to Mumbai to audition. That was the first time I was travelling and taking a flight. So I came to Mumbai and auditioned and as destiny would have wanted it, I was selected by Partho Mitra, a Bengali and the director of the TV serial. It was pretty surprising as I had been extremely shy till then and could not even think of facing the camera. After doing three serials, I started doing ads. Anurag Basu directed my first ad commercial for Fair & Lovely. After doing a few ads, I auditioned and got selected by Shoojit Sircar for Vicky Donor. But I think I have something to do with Bengali directors. Anurag sir told me, ‘Don’t get married to a Bengali.’
Talk about your early experiences in Mumbai?
Initially, I stayed with my family friends. Hindi films are so deceptive. I thought Mumbai was this big, grand, beautiful city with sea facing flats. But all that I could see was buildings, traffic, dust, garbage, chaii chaii, pai pai... there was nothing else I could see. The houses here are so small and I felt bathroomkhatam ho gaya. I didn’t tell them as they had been so sweet, but in my head a different reel was going on. I felt like a lost cow. Then I moved on to my own. Going back was not an option for me. While I was not exactly clear about what I would do in Mumbai, I knew that having come to Mumbai, I would take it to the finishing line. The only regret I had was that I could not finish my graduation, so I still need to give my exams to complete my graduation. I was extremely ignorant. I would sit after the shot and wait for my makeup person to take out my makeup after pack-up, not knowing that while they would put makeup, you were supposed to take it out yourself. I once went for an audition and was sitting amongst all these models waiting, when someone said to me, ‘Can you please touch up your pimple?’ I said, ‘I don’t have a pimple, I have a dimple’ but thought to myself was that the reason I was not getting ads. But luckily, Vinil Mathew selected me and I was in that ad for Breeze. But Mumbai is a place where you need to adapt yourself very fast and yet you need to retain your own personality. It’s not just about achieving success, the journey is equally important for me.
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