Bollywood actress Yami Gautam, fresh off the success of her recent film ‘Haq’, recalled an amusing incident from her early theatre days where she dramatically misdelivered lines yet managed to leave a lasting impression.
During the promotions for ‘Haq’, Yami shared how her delivery of a particular line cracked everyone up. She reminisced, “I remember there was a new theater teacher at school, and theatre was just being introduced. There was a line that I still remember, ‘Keep still, you little devil, or I will slit your throat’. Now there were 35 of us, the students, and everyone had to say their lines in their own way, and then it would be your turn again. I said it in such a weird way once that everyone burst out laughing. I was being very serious on my part. She was like, ‘You sounded like a street, like a pocket man’. I said, ‘I don’t know what else to do, but at least you remember my lines. I gave it a shot’.”
Yami also highlighted the crucial role of a director in shaping a story and keeping the narrative focused. She believes actors are instrumental in realizing the director’s vision. “The director is there to hold you back. You can perform a character in 10 different ways, and there’s nothing right or wrong in those 10 different ways. But, we are in the director’s world; we are an illustration on screen of the director, so we as actors have to follow their vision, and that is the fun.”
Discussing ‘Haq’, the film draws inspiration from the landmark case of Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum. Shah Bano, a 62-year-old Muslim woman, sought maintenance from her husband after being divorced through triple talaq. The Supreme Court ruled in her favor under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, affirming that maintenance applies to all citizens, regardless of religion.