Hrithik Roshan joins Yami Gautam in criticising Bollywood’s ‘Monster Trend’ of paid publicity

Bollywood actress Yami Gautam, fresh off the success of Haq, has raised a red flag over what she believes is a damaging practice quietly shaping the industry - the rise of paid hype. Taking to X, she criticised a tactic where money fuels online buzz, and warned of targeted negativity against films that refuse to participate. Her candid remarks struck a chord, prompting co-star Hrithik Roshan to voice his support.

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Yami Calls Out The ‘Extortion’ Tactics

In a heartfelt post, Yami acknowledged that she had been wanting to speak up for months. She wrote, “This so called trend of giving money, in the disguise of marketing a film, to ensure good ‘hype’ for a film is created or else ‘they’ will continuously write negative things (even before the film is released), until you pay ‘them’ money feels nothing but kind of extortion…” (sic)

She further stressed that this system empowers anyone to manipulate public perception, adding, “Just because this arrangement is accessible to anyone- whether to ‘hype’ a film or spread negativity against another actor/a film is a plague that is going to affect the future of our industry in a big way.”

A Warning About A ‘Monster’ Trend

Yami cautioned those normalising the issue, stating, “Unfortunately if anyone feels- it’s harmless & let’s do it because it’s the new ‘normal’, is mistaken. This monster of a ‘trend’ is eventually going to bite everyone…”

She hinted at the unpleasant truths hidden beneath glossy narratives, emphasising that exposure could be disastrous for many.

Unity As The Missing Link

Yami also highlighted the differences between industries, asserting that the South film industry appears more resistant to such practices due to its internal solidarity. She appealed to the fraternity, penning, “I urge our esteemed producers, directors & actors to come together in order to arrest this termite of a culture at this stage itself & discourage it …”

The actress underscored her emotional connection, saying she spoke both as the wife of a filmmaker and as a concerned artist who wants cinema to flourish authentically.

She urged, “Lets not kill the joy of film making & presenting it to the world & letting the audience decide what they feel. We need to protect our industry environment.”

Hrithik Roshan’s Thoughtful

Take Stepping into the conversation, Hrithik Roshan echoed Yami’s concerns. He wrote, “More than anything , the golden thing that gets lost and leaves them and all of us impoverished is the journalists true voice…”

He argued that paid agendas rob creators of meaningful feedback and strip journalists of their voice, adding, “Without freedom of expression, without the truth helping us evolve , what job satisfaction can they or any of us hope for ?”

More than anything , the golden thing that gets lost and leaves them and all of us impoverished is the journalists true voice , a chance for them to inform all the creative forces behind a movie what they felt , thought , what they applaud and criticise. Only true opinions have…

— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) December 4, 2025

Hrithik’s response lent weight to the conversation, transforming Yami’s critique into a broader industry introspection.

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Recent Cinematic Journeys

Yami last appeared in the courtroom drama Haq, co-starring Emraan Hashmi. The film garnered positive reviews and fared well commercially. Hrithik Roshan, on the other hand, was seen in War 2, which released on Independence Day, but failed to impress both critics and audiences.