Yami Gautam EXPOSES 'Paid Hype' Trend Before Dhurandhar Release, Backed By Hrithik Roshan, 'Only...'

Movie fanatics are eagerly waiting for Ranveer Singh starrer, Dhurandhar's release in theatres tomorrow, on December 5, 2025. One day before its release, however, instead of the movie catching headlines, it is Yami Gautam, the actress and wife of the film's director, who is making people talk. For those unversed, Yami Gautam has been married to filmmaker, Aditya Dhar since June 2021. Recently, the actress has voiced her concerns regarding the growing 'paid hype' trend in Bollywood. While some have taken offence to what the actress has said, her fellow actor in the industry, Hrithik Roshan, has publicly shown his support for her comment.  

Yami Gautam on the trend of giving money in the guise of film marketing  

Yami Gautam has been in the film industry for over a decade now, and it is safe to say that she knows the ins and outs of Bollywood. Today, on December 4, 2025, the actress shocked fans after openly voicing her opinion on the culture of using paid marketing tools to promote movies. Taking to her official Instagram account, Yami penned a long note about how some people in the industry like to 'extort' money in the name of film promotion. She urged her peers in the industry to stay away from these people and put an end to the culture of 'paid hype,' as it puts them at risk of negative media coverage before the film has even been released. In the note she wrote: 

“There is something I’ve been wanting to express for 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 (even before the film is released), until you pay ‘them’ money feels nothing but kind of extortion. Just because this arrangement is accessible to anyone- whether to ‘hype’ a film or spread negativity against another actor/a film is a plague that is going to affect the future of our industry in a big way.” 

Yami went on to warn her film industry peers by adding that if they feel that this trend is “harmless” and the “new normal”, they are solely mistaken, and eventually this trend will come back to bite everyone. She also noted that if she exposes what people call “success” in the industry, especially considering the last five years, “unfortunately, it's not going to be a pretty picture for many.” 

According to Yami, this trend is growing most rapidly in Bollywood and cannot be seen in other industries, especially the South Indian film industry. This is because their industry is bound by strong unity, while the same cannot be said for Bollywood. Additionally, she urged her peers and added: 

“I urge our esteemed producers, directors & actors to come together in order to arrest this termite of a culture at this stage itself & discourage it. I say this as a wife of an extremely honest man who has given everything to this film with his undying hard-work, vision & grit along with his team to create something that I know India shall be proud of. I say this as a deeply concerned member of the fraternity who, like many other industry professionals, wishes to see Indian cinema blossom with its best potential & not the other way around. Lets not kill the joy of film making & presenting it to the world & letting the audience decide what they feel. We need to protect our industry environment.” 

Hrithik Roshan's response to Yami's comments  

Hrithik Roshan, who was Yami's co-star in the film, Kaabil, backed her comment publicly, which showed how the claims Yami has been making are not untrue, but something that underlines Bollywood. Agreeing with Yami, he stated how all of this has led to a loss of honest journalism. Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, he wrote: 

“More than anything, the golden thing that gets lost and leaves them and all of us impoverished is the journalists true voice, a chance for them to inform all the creative forces behind a movie what they felt, thought, what they applaud and criticise. Only true opinions have the potential where feedback helps us evolve. Their own right to freedom gets unknowingly usurped and so does our chance of growth. Without freedom of expression, without the truth helping us evolve, what job satisfaction can they or any of us hope for?” 

What are your thoughts on Yami Gautam’s comments? Let us know.

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