'Naina is the most intense role of my career so far,' says Yami Gautam Dhar

Yami Gautam Dhar, who plays the lead in the recently released film A Thursday, is garnering praises from viewers and critics alike. The actress has stepped out of her comfort zone to essay Naina, a playschool teacher who takes children as hostages. Free Press Journal caught with her for an exclusive conversation. Excerpts:

You haven’t done a character like Naina before. How was it playing her in A Thursday?

Not just me, I haven’t seen any female actor playing such a role in the recent past. Characters like Naina aren’t written so often too. When I read the script, I thought, I really want to be a part of this story, not just because I am headlining it. I feel this should not be the prime motivation to do a film for any actor. One needs to be convinced and feel that a story like this should be told. Naina is the most intense role of my career so far. While playing her, I could feel her weight and emotions running through her. It felt worthwhile and good after portraying her. When we wrapped the film, I felt relieved but very emotional. To be in Naina’s shoes wasn’t easy.

Was shooting with kids for the film challenging for you?

I feel shooting with kids was both challenging and relaxing. We all had to play our parts well. I would like to give the whole credit to my director Behzad Khambata and the production team. Forget the fact that we shot A Thursday with 16 kids, but they shouldn’t feel pressurised. They should not feel what kind of film we are shooting. I love kids, but for this film, I kept a distance and built a wall to play my part. I believe if I had become overfamiliar with them, the final cut wouldn’t have turned out this well. I used to get big tight hugs from them, listen to their stomach issue stories, and we would also play at times.

A Thursday is your second outing with RSVP after URI: The Surgical Strike…

When the film came my way in 2020 through RSVP, I was sold then and there. They didn’t tell me what the film was all about, but I knew it had to be something special and credible. Barely a script comes to me, and I don’t read it. I love reading them all. A Thursday is one of the best scripts that has come my way so far. Ronnie Screwvala has always believed in backing good subjects. I love his clinical style of working. He is a thorough professional, and so is his team. It’s nice to collaborate with like-minded people.

Did you train to hold a pistol and shoot?

There was an action director on the sets who was supervising all of this. However, I have been petrified by the noise of the pistol bang since childhood, so it was difficult for me. I can’t even bear with Diwali crackers. When the camera rolled, I wasn’t only firing the gun but also had to deal with that particular emotion in that moment.

Do you feel that you have become wiser with your film choices post-URI: The Surgical Strike?

Firstly, you grow with time, and I feel it is important too. As Shoojit da (Sircar) says, nurturing is important. It’s not about hopping from one film to the other. It’s about growing with every film you do. It may take a while to get certain scripts and roles and build trust amongst writers, filmmakers, and producers, especially when trying to make a path for yourself regardless of whom you are working with. For me, it was important to be patient and look for characters like Naina. 2019 was a turning point in my life when I got to do films like URI: The Surgical Strike and Bala.