Yami Gautam: ‘If I like a script, I just go for it ’
Eastern Eye spoke to the actress to talk about OMG 2, her journey from television, being self-made and the art of choosing good projects.
By Mohnish SinghAug 26, 2023
WITH her most recent films Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, Lost, Bhoot Police, A Thurs - day, Dasvi and Ginny Weds Sunny having streaming site premieres, Yami Gautam returned to cinema screens with the new release OMG 2 after a gap of four years.
The satirical comedy-drama sequel sees her star opposite Akshay Kumar and Pankaj Tripathi. She plays a no-nonsense lawyer in the story that combines a legal battle, morality, sex education and di - vine intervention. Eastern Eye caught up with the actress to discuss the film, her journey from television, being self-made and the art of choosing good projects.
You play a lawyer in OMG 2. What kind of preparation did you do for the role?
My preparation in - volved a lot of reading. I like to be very thorough with my script to the point where I am tired, but every time I read it, I feel that there is something different I felt this time. For this part, I worked on my diction, my enunciation and in what different way you say a line as a lawyer. You are not just delivering lines. Your audience should feel that emotion and diction. You play a lawyer in the film, who goes up against the everyday man played by Pankaj Tripathi. How was that? Well, he is very entertaining. He is very funny and that was just because the char - acter has to be. It is Pankaj Tripathi, he has his own style of comedy. There is no exaggeration but only situational comedy.
Did you have any apprehensions be - fore signing a film that talks about sex education?
As an actress, I have never shied away from taking up such roles. I spoke with Akshay Kumar also that it’s very important that the kind of audience this film is catering to should not feel embarrassed or shy away at any point. I feel very happy that I decided to go ahead with this film. When I read a script and if I like it, I don’t over analyse, I just go for it. I just go with my first instinct. So far, it has been in sync with the audience. So, I hope even this one does too.
You started on television before venturing into films. What was that experience like?
My first TV serial (Chand Ke Paar Chalo) didn’t do well. It ran for just three or six months. But, a lot of people told me, ‘You were very good in it’. I have very faint memories of television. I just re - member working at a stretch for hours and hours, without going home. I didn’t know what to do or cry without glycerine. You need to cry a lot on TV.
Is that why you decided against working for TV?
I took a sabbatical. I said, ‘I want to try auditioning to see the world now which is beyond this, because I am not enjoying what I am doing creatively’. Of course, television comes with its own financial security but that’s not my priori - ty. I wanted to do something else. Films are, of course, altogether different.
Was transitioning to films easy?
You feel, ‘oh, what’s so difficult?’ If you are a good actor, that’s it. First film hit, what more can go wrong? Fantastic! But that’s not how it is and we all know that. It takes a lot to be here and come to a point where you can give voice to your choices.
Do you feel proud of the fact that you are a self-made actor?
There is nothing called a self-made ac - tor. Even though I am from another city with no background, there are always people behind you and rooting for you. Be it your family, certain fans, that one producer, or a director who is willing to take that punt on you, saying, ‘I want to cast her and let’s see what happens’.
You have always chosen characters that are different from one another. Are all these choices intentional?
They are very much intentional. It is not possible that you’re making these choices and not be aware of what you are doing. In fact, a lot of work and thought goes into it. Maybe that thought was always there, even when there weren’t many opportunities. I am very proud of that phase also. Now where I have the choice to make those choices, I pick good films. OMG2 is definitely a part of it.
The uniqueness started with your debut Bollywood film?
I started my career with a film like Vicky Donor. If I tell you, a lot of people had said, ‘what a time is this, that a film on such a (taboo) subject is being made’. But it turned out to be a family enter - tainer and a cult film because of the path-breaking writing.
How do you make sure that you don’t repeat yourself?
It come from nuances. It comes from depth, your speech, how good your Hin - di is or whatever language you are speaking, for that matter. Even if you are not talking, sometimes silences are more powerful than words. So, all that comes from, I think, your director and the actor’s understanding.
Your films have performed well on multiple platforms, but is the joy of a theatrical hit more powerful than a streaming platform success?
This just reminds me that OMG 2 is my first theatrical release after Bala in 2019. 2019 gave me Bala, URI: The Surgical Strike and my husband (director Aditya Dhar). Absolutely, the joy of a theatrical release is unparalleled. It’s something else. Films were meant for the big screens and made to be enjoyed in a dark hall, where you are sitting next to strangers, your family or friends. You are just transported to this whole new world. Times change. We never saw it (Covid-19) coming and completely changing the viewer watch - ing experience.
Did this in - form your choices?
As an actor, when I sign a film, I don’t think even one bit that okay, this is for OTT and for theatrical. If it’s like that, then I don’t do that film. A film has to be good and should be. It’s a producer’s prerogative, a hard call that what should we do next. Unless it’s already a pre-sold with
Fragments of Belonging is Nitin Ganatra’s first solo exhibition
Opens Saturday, September 27, at London Art Exchange in Soho Square
Show explores themes of memory, displacement, identity, and reinvention
Runs from 3:30 PM to 9:00 PM, doors open at 3:15 PM
From screen to canvas
Actor Nitin Ganatra, known for his roles in EastEnders, Bride & Prejudice, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is embarking on a new artistic chapter with his debut solo exhibition.
Titled Fragments of Belonging, the show marks his transition from performance to painting, presenting a deeply personal series of works at the London Art Exchange in Soho Square on September 27.
Exploring memory and identity
Through abstract forms, bold colour, and layered compositions, Ganatra’s paintings reflect themes of memory, displacement, and cultural inheritance. The exhibition has been described as a “visual diary,” with each piece representing fragments of lived experience shaped by migration and reinvention.
What visitors can expect
The exhibition will showcase original paintings alongside Ganatra’s personal reflections on identity and belonging. The London Art Exchange promises an intimate setting in the heart of Soho, where visitors can engage with the artist’s work and connect with fellow creatives, collectors, and fans.
The event runs from 3:30 PM to 9:00 PM on September 27, and is open to all ages.
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£1 tickets available for families receiving Universal Credit
The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure runs at Hampton Court Palace from 25 July to 7 September 2025
Trail includes interactive games, riddles and character encounters across the gardens
Children can meet a larger-than-life Peter Rabbit in the Kitchen Garden
Special themed menu items available at the Tiltyard Café
£1 tickets available for families receiving Universal Credit and other benefits
Peter Rabbit comes to life at Hampton Court
This summer, families visiting Hampton Court Palace can step into the world of Beatrix Potter as The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure takes over the palace gardens from 25 July to 7 September 2025.
Explore the Kitchen Garden, Tiltyard and WildernessHRP
The family trail, officially licensed by Penguin Ventures on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co., combines the palace’s historic gardens with the much-loved tales of Beatrix Potter. Visitors will encounter interactive activities, puzzles and games while exploring the Kitchen Garden, Tiltyard and Wilderness.
Interactive activities and wildlife learning
Along the trail, children can try Mrs Tiggy-winkle’s washing equipment to make music, search for Peter Rabbit under wheelbarrows, or test their hopping skills alongside Beatrix Potter’s characters.
The experience also highlights Potter’s role as a committed environmentalist. Young visitors are encouraged to look for real wildlife such as hedgehogs, squirrels and toads while learning about habitats and conservation in the palace grounds.
Children can meet a larger-than-life Peter Rabbit HRP
Meet Peter Rabbit and enjoy themed treats
Peter Rabbit himself will make appearances in the Kitchen Garden at set times each day, where families can take photos among the seasonal produce. Fresh fruit and vegetables grown in the gardens will feature in special Peter Rabbit™ menu items at the Tiltyard Café.
After completing the trail, children can also explore the Magic Garden playground or visit Henry VIII’s Kitchens inside the palace, where live cookery demonstrations take place each weekend.
Tickets and access
The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure is included in general admission:
Off-peak (weekdays and bank holidays): Adults £27.20, Children (5–15) £13.60, Concessions £21.80
Peak (weekends and events): Adults £30.00, Children £15.00, Concessions £24.00
HRP Members go free
Families in receipt of Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits can access £1 tickets throughout the summer (advance booking required).
Membership offers unlimited visits to Hampton Court Palace and other Historic Royal Palaces sites, including seasonal events such as the Hampton Court Palace Food Festival and Henry VIII’s Joust.
For more details and booking, visit
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The former Match of the Day presenter was voted best TV presenter by viewers at the ceremony on Wednesday
Gary Lineker named best TV presenter, breaking Ant and Dec’s 23-year run
Former Match of the Day host left BBC after social media controversies
Netflix drama Adolescence wins two awards, including best drama performance for 15-year-old Owen Cooper
Gavin & Stacey takes home the comedy award
I’m a Celebrity wins in the reality competition category
Lineker takes presenter prize after BBC departure
Gary Lineker has ended Ant and Dec’s record 23-year winning streak at the National Television Awards (NTAs). The former Match of the Day presenter was voted best TV presenter by viewers at the ceremony on Wednesday.
Lineker stepped down from Match of the Day in May after 26 years, following controversy around his social media posts. Accepting the award, he thanked colleagues and said the prize showed “it is OK to use your platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice.” He added: “It’s not lost on me why I might have won this award.”
Asked if he might work with the BBC again, Lineker said he was uncertain but was “really looking forward to working with ITV.”
The last winner before Ant and Dec’s run was Michael Barrymore in 2000.
Netflix drama Adolescence scores double win
Netflix’s hit drama Adolescence won best new drama and best drama performance for 15-year-old Owen Cooper. The show, which follows the story of a teenage boy accused of murder, became a national talking point earlier this year.
Cooper beat fellow nominee Stephen Graham, who plays his on-screen father, though neither attended the event.
Gavin & Stacey named best comedy
Gavin & Stacey’s Christmas finale, watched by more than 20 million viewers, was named best comedy. Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa, accepted the award and joked: “Alright, calm down. I’m going to the bar now for a pint of wine.”
Backstage, Jones paid tribute to co-writer and co-star James Corden, who could not attend, and addressed reports of a new Apple TV+ project, saying nothing had yet been confirmed.
I’m a Celebrity beats The Traitors
In the reality competition category, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! triumphed over The Traitors, Love Island, and Race Across the World. Presenters including Coleen Rooney and Oti Mabuse collected the award.
Other winners of the night
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show won the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award
Molly-Mae Hague’s Behind It All won best authored documentary
Wallace & Gromit received a special recognition award
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UN human rights office urges India to drop cases against Arundhati Roy
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Mary Roy, who insisted her children call her “Mrs Roy” in school, belonged to the Syrian Christian community. She does not seem a very nice person.
The Financial Times, which interviewed Arundhati at her home in Delhi, reveals: “In an episode to which the writer makes oblique reference early in the book but withholds until later — because of the pain it caused — she returned from boarding school for the holidays, aged 13, to find that Mrs Roy had had her beloved pet dog, Dido, shot and buried as ‘a kind of honour killing’ after Dido mated with an unknown street dog.”
In 1996, someone tipped me off that a publisher had won an auction by paying £1 million for The God of Small Things by an unknown Indian writer. This was unprecedented for a debut novel. But the buzz among the bidders was that the novel was a possible contender for the Booker Prize.
As I was writing my story at the Daily Telegraph, the night editor, Andrew Hutchinson, leant over and quipped: “Writing about your sister again?” As we know, Arundhati Roy did win the Booker in 1997. I had actually met Arundhati two years previously when she had stuck up for Phoolan Devi, the subject of Shekhar Kapur’s movie, Bandit Queen, based on Mala Sen’s biography.
Phoolan had been repeatedly raped by upper class Thakurs (the men were later lined up in the village of Behmai and executed by Phoolan’s gang in 1981). The film was exploitative, claimed Arundhati, because for Phoolan, it was like being raped again. She wrote a piece in Sunday in Calcutta (now Kolkata), headlined, “The Indian rape trick”.
Mala arranged for me to interview Phoolan who was refusing to talk to Channel 4 which was making a documentary in India on the controversial movie. In public, she supported Arundhati, but behind the scenes did a deal with C4 which paid her £40,000.
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The mural has been covered and is being guarded by security
A new mural by street artist Banksy has appeared on the Royal Courts of Justice building in central London.
The artwork depicts a judge hitting a protester, with blood splattering their placard.
It comes days after nearly 900 arrests at a London protest against the ban on Palestine Action.
The mural has been covered and is being guarded by security; Banksy confirmed authenticity via Instagram.
Banksy’s latest work at the Royal Courts of Justice
A new mural by the elusive Bristol-based street artist Banksy has appeared on the side of the Royal Courts of Justice building in central London.
The artwork shows a judge in traditional wig and black robe striking a protester lying on the ground, with blood depicted on the protester’s placard. While the mural does not explicitly reference a specific cause or incident, its appearance comes just two days after almost 900 people were arrested during a protest in London against the ban on Palestine Action.
Security and public access
Social media images show that the mural has already been covered with large plastic sheets and two metal barriers. Security officials are guarding the site, which sits beneath a CCTV camera.
Banksy shared a photo of the artwork on Instagram, captioning it: “Royal Courts Of Justice. London.” This is consistent with the artist’s usual method of confirming authenticity.
Location and context
The mural is located on an external wall of the Queen’s Building, part of the Royal Courts of Justice complex. Banksy’s stencilled graffiti often comments on government policy, war, and capitalism.
Previous works in London
Last summer, Banksy launched an animal-themed campaign in London featuring nine works. The series concluded with a gorilla appearing to lift a shutter at the London Zoo. Other notable pieces included piranhas on a police sentry box in the City of London and a howling wolf on a satellite dish in Peckham, which was removed less than an hour after unveiling.