Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Mar 6: Actor Yami Gautam has addressed a viral social media post that appeared to criticise Kriti Sanon, saying the reel was “liked” unintentionally and that she had no intention of endorsing any content that was condescending toward another actor.
The controversy erupted after a reel circulated online comparing Kriti’s Best Actress win at the Zee Cine Awards for the film Tere Ishq Mein with an earlier clip of Yami speaking about not seeking validation through awards. The video, which questioned whether the award decision was fair, was reportedly liked from Yami’s account, triggering speculation and debate among fans.
Breaking her silence on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Yami issued a clarification stating that the interaction was accidental.
“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,” she wrote.
The actor also stressed that she has never relied on publicity tactics to gain attention. “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,” she added.
The debate began after Kriti won the Best Actress honour at the Zee Cine Awards for her performance in Tere Ishq Mein. Social media users compared the win with Yami’s performance in the film Haq, which had also received critical acclaim.
The viral clip juxtaposed Kriti celebrating her award with Yami’s earlier remarks about awards and validation. In the video, Yami is heard saying that she has stopped seeking validation from awards, adding that an actor’s ability should not be judged solely on whether they win trophies.
Tere Ishq Mein, directed by Aanand L Rai and co-starring Dhanush, is considered a spiritual successor to the 2013 film Raanjhaana and performed well at the box office.
Meanwhile, Yami’s film Haq, co-starring Emraan Hashmi and directed by Suparn Verma, drew attention for its storyline inspired by the landmark Shah Bano case and earned praise from critics.