“I’ve Earned…”, Yami Gautam HITS back after ‘Like’ on reel shading Kriti Sanon award

The Best Actress win at the Zee Cine Awards turned into a full-blown social media debate after Kriti Sanon took home the trophy for Tere Ishk Mein. While many applauded her victory, a section of viewers felt Yami Gautam’s performance in Haq deserved the honour. What began as fan chatter soon escalated when eagle-eyed users noticed that Yami had liked an Instagram Reel that appeared to question Kriti’s win. Screenshots spread quickly. Reddit threads followed. And before long, the narrative shifted from celebration to controversy.

Yami Breaks Her Silence

Amid the growing chatter, Yami finally addressed the issue through an Instagram story, putting the rumours to rest.

Her statement read: 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. 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. I have no PR team, have respectfully cleared my stance on entertainment award shows long ago, and remain focused on my work.

With that, the actress made it clear that there was no hidden message and no intention to undermine anyone.

The Reel That Sparked The Storm

The viral Reel showed Kriti smiling and posing with her Best Actress trophy. It then cut to an older interview clip of Yami, where she spoke candidly about awards and validation.

In that interview with THR India, Yami 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 pointed question, Is it fair?, clearly hinting at the award outcome. When users noticed Yami’s handle among those who had liked the post, speculation began. Was it accidental? Or was it a subtle dig?

In today’s digital space, even a single tap can become headline material. For actors navigating constant tags and mentions, accidental interactions can easily spiral into controversy. For now, Yami has chosen clarity over silence.