Yami Gautam shares how she fell in love with Dhurandhar director Aditya Dhar: 'The way he commands respect'

Dubai: Behind every great love story is a moment when everything just clicks. For Yami Gautam and director Aditya Dhar, that moment came during the promotion of Uri: The Surgical Strike, the film that not only launched Aditya into Bollywood's big league but also brought them together.

Now, as Aditya's latest directorial venture Dhurandhar crosses the Rs 9 billion mark in just 19 days, Yami has opened up about the quiet, organic way their relationship began, and what made her fall for the man behind the camera.

When work becomes something more

In a recent chat with Humans of Bombay, Yami revealed that whilst she met Aditya during the filming of Uri in 2019, it was actually during the promotional tour that they properly connected.

"Aditya and I are extremely similar when it comes to work. We love to work and we just come back to a regular family at home," she explained. "We were never like, 'We need to go out, it is necessary.'"

During promotions, the cast of five would pass questions around, and Yami found herself paying attention to everyone's answers. "You are listening to all questions and answers and then there is suddenly one similar answer, you match the wavelength," she said. It was in those small moments that she began to see they were on the same page.

What drew her in

What really stood out to Yami was Aditya's calm, respectful approach to directing. "I have to say this not just as a wife but as an artiste who has worked with him, he is one of the most respected directors," she shared. "The way he commands, not demands, commands respect is phenomenal."

She was particularly impressed by something rare in the high-pressure world of filmmaking: his composure. "One of the most commendable things about Aditya is I have never seen him lose his cool. I still have no idea how he manages everything with that calm demeanour."

For Yami, who witnessed firsthand how stressful shooting can be, seeing someone remain patient and solution-oriented in the chaos was remarkable. "Looking at all this even during Uri, I had a lot of respect for him," she admitted.

No filmy proposal, just knowing

Their relationship evolved naturally, without any grand romantic gestures. "During promotions, we started talking and became friends. There was no 'I am going to propose to you' kind of moment, no filmy things, which was the best thing because I am not that kind of person," Yami said.

Instead, they simply knew. "We just knew we wanted to get married. Our families were extremely aligned and they were really happy for us."

A wedding in the hills

In 2021, the couple surprised everyone by tying the knot during the pandemic, choosing an intimate ceremony in the mountains with only immediate family present.

For Yami, it was exactly what she wanted. "I think we would have got married the way we did even if there was no COVID. For me, to have nature's blessings in the hills meant everything."

In a particularly touching detail, Yami wore her mother's saree and did her own makeup and hair. "I wanted to look exactly like my mum from the time she got married. There is nothing I would change about that moment."

The 'green forest' husband

After their wedding, Aditya earned a rather unique nickname online: "green forest." The moniker came after a video went viral showing him attentively looking after a pregnant Yami during the Article 370 promotions.

For Yami, though, this wasn't surprising behaviour at all. "My first instinct about Aditya was that he is a very nice man. Everybody was talking nice things about him, my makeup artist, hair person, all of them."

She recalled a telling moment from the Uri set when Aditya saw her makeup artist sitting on the floor eating lunch. "He immediately offered his chair to her. No one even thinks of something like this," she said.

Four years and counting

Now, four years into their marriage and parents to a son, the couple continues to support each other's work. Yami is clearly proud of Dhurandhar's extraordinary success. The film, co-produced by Aditya's production banner B62 Studios, has shattered box office records.

"It is not your parting-away gift of 2025; it is your welcome gift of 2026," she said confidently. "And I believe it won't just be the film of the year, but the film of many, many years to come."