For Uri: The Surgical Strike, Yami Gautam draws references from Jessica Chastain's performance in Zero Dark Thirty
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 21, 2018)

Set to feature as an intelligence officer in Aditya Dhar's Uri: The Surgical Strike, Yami Gautam drew inspiration from American actor Jessica Chastain, who essayed a similar role in Zero Dark Thirty (2012).

The actor, who counts the Kathryn Bigelow-directed thriller — which chronicled the story of the CIA's decade-long manhunt for Osama Bin Laden — among her most revered films, tells mid-day, "Jessica was at her best in the movie. So, watching it and noticing the nuances that the role demands, [was a learning experience]. Physical factors, such as the voice and body language, matter when playing an intelligence officer. Her character was truly inspirational. Watching her helped me before I began shooting for Uri."

Based on the 2016 surgical strikes by the Indian Army in retaliation to the attacks by Pakistan on unarmed Indian military persons, the film features Vicky Kaushal in the lead. Gautam chopped off her long tresses to adopt a serious look, in keeping with her character.