Actor Yami Gautam has broken her silence after some social media users noticed that her account had liked a video seemingly throwing shade at Kriti Sanon for her recent Best Actress win at the Zee Cine Awards. Addressing the controversy, Yami clarified that the engagement on the video was not intentional and may have happened accidentally.
Yami Gautam addresses the controversy
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Yami explained how celebrities are frequently tagged in multiple posts daily and that her recent controversial interaction was likely an inadvertent click rather than a conscious action.
She clarified, “It has come to my notice that I apparently ‘liked’ a reel that is condescending toward another actor. We get tagged in multiple things every day, and this appeared during an award function reference like any other tag. It isn’t true and was definitely not done consciously; if anything, it may have been clicked accidentally.”
Yami further went on to strongly deny engaging in publicity tactics aimed at targeting other actors. She wrote, “Never in my life have I resorted to cheap PR tactics. I have always focused on my work and moved on. In the world of clickbait, it’s tempting for even dignified social media portals to harp on this and turn it into coffee-table gossip. But I would hope they would consider that I have earned a better reputation than that.”
The Haq actor further said that she does not rely on an elaborate publicity machinery. “I have no PR team, have respectfully cleared my stance on entertainment award shows long ago, and remain focused on my work (folded hand emoji),” she concluded.
About the controversy
The controversy started after Kriti won Best Actress at the Zee Cine Awards for her performance in Tere Ishk Mein. After the announcement, some social media users contended that Yami deserved the award for her role in Haq. A reel was shared by a fan on Instagram that showed Kriti happily posing with her trophy after the win. The clip was edited with an earlier quote from Yami in a THR India interview, where she had said, “You try everything, and it still doesn’t work. So, I’ve stopped seeking any kind of validation. If I get that award, then I am a good actress, and otherwise, I’m not. Nothing like that.”
The video ended with the question “Is it fair?”, directed towards Kriti winning the award over Yami. Some social media users even criticised the interaction, while others defended both actors.