Actress Yami Gautam, who has tasted success with Uri: The Surgical Strike, believes that the film was able to engage the audiences through emotions as heavy dialogues and sloganeering are not needed to generate the feeling of patriotism.
The film, written and directed by Aditya Dhar, has been declared the first blockbuster of 2019. It recently crossed the Rs 100 crore-mark at the box office.
Yami, who plays an intelligence officer in the film, says the movie's backbone was the Indian Army, but it was driven by strong sentiments.
"The subject was something which was real and was driven by emotions. It's definitely a mission-based film, but it is backed with strong emotions. The core of it was patriotism and the army. And it was really something that was there in the script," she told PTI in an interview.
Asked about the film's subtle take on nationalism, Yami says it was all in the "sublayering" and credited Dhar for the execution.
"I don't think you need to portray your sentiments or love for the country in words. That is why good writing is essential because not everything is vocal or in words. It's present in the sublayering," she said.
"The emotion is there which you can feel. It might not be said in words but the way everything is synchronised and the way the entire story is fused together, so you can still feel it throughout the film. That is the beauty of Uri," she added.
The actress added that she is grateful for the film's run at the box office. "There is a lot of gratitude, especially when you know that the entire team has worked so hard and has believed in one person and his vision. We all shared the responsibilities and the sentiments with which he (Dhar) wanted to make the film. Audiences have not only loved the film but also embraced it. It is really overwhelming," she says.
Prior to its release, the film, which also features Vicky Kaushal and Paresh Rawal, was labelled a "propaganda film" by many on social media, which Yami says was "disappointing". "At a personal level, I don't really bother about the negativity. I don't think about it. It was disappointing... (But) it was a very small section which had some opinion and (I think) everybody has a right to express what they think."
"If the film had any propaganda at all, it was only to instill or rather re-instill the feeling of patriotism, and connect to the valour of the Indian Army. People saw the positive side, which is to make the current generation feel connected with the Indian Army. Our jawans are the real heroes of the country but there are not many films that are made about them. This film was a humble tribute to them," she says.
Post Uri, the actress' reasons for signing a film remains the same: to play a character with purpose. "The intention with which I signed Uri will be the intention behind my next too, which is to do something diverse and feel new. I am hungry for very good, powerful and substantial roles. That doesn't mean the strength comes only when it is measured in the number of lines you have. Your role must have a sense of purpose or something substantial to do in the story," she concludes.
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