With several successful films to her credit, actor Yami Gautam Dhar has been a part of the entertainment industry for over a decade. But she still doesn’t feel like she has made it. In response to a user calling her “underutilized” on X recently, she said, “Some people are great at marketing their talent (or lack of it), some people only want their talent to speak... will get there eventually, one film at a time.”

The 34-year-old feels that it’s not merit, but social media and being in the right place at the right time that plays a key role in casting. “After watching my film, a producer said, ‘You are so good. Why didn’t we think of casting you for so-and-so role?’ They answered their own question, ‘Oh, we kept seeing that star (the actor who was cast) being papped on social media’. I understand we are in showbiz and marketing is important, but when it comes to decisions like casting, I wish this factor didn’t play a pivotal part,” she says.

However, Dhar is thankful to the makers who noticed her potential: “They trusted that I could carry a film on my shoulders. It’s my job to make sure it’s worth [their money].”

With films such as Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), A Thursday (2022) and OMG 2 under her belt, she adds, “The hope to reach there keeps you motivated. When you reach [a certain level], you want more.”