New Article Of Yami (2 More Pics Added)

Can I have a pillow?" asked the petite Yami Gautam, looking pretty in a yellow knit dress, as t2 caught her for a quick chat before the fashion show at ITC Sonar on Wednesday afternoon. Hugging the pillow, Yami gave t2 a peek into her life post-Vicky Donor...

On films

How does it feel to morph from the Fair & Lovely girl to the Vicky Donor girl?

Yes exactly, I'm suddenly the Vicky Donor girl! (Laughs) It's always nice to be recognised. There has been a huge response that was quite unexpected. I am overwhelmed! It's been a huge change for me. Though I'm still the same person at heart, everyone's reaction makes me realise that perhaps I've done something worth talking about. It's always good to get attention for the right reasons.

Since you played a Bengali, did you pick up any Bengali?

I haven't but there's this one Bengali song that I love... Ami chini go chini, sung by one of the masters, Kishoreda.

The song is actually about someone who's a stranger to Bengal. So it could even be meant for you!

Great! So dedicate it to me! (Laughs) I think Bengali is the sweetest language. And I've had a connection with Calcutta and her people. The first director for my first-ever project ' a television show ' was a Bengali (Partho Mitra). My first Hindi commercial for Fair & Lovely was done by Anurag Basu, again a Bengali. My first Hindi film (Vicky Donor) was directed by Shoojit Sircar. My first role was a Bengali. And the first time I'm walking the ramp is in Calcutta for a Bengali designer. So you could say that there is a special connection!

How would you react if the man in your life donated sperms?

So long as it's not his profession, I'd be okay with it (laughs). Otherwise, it's for a good cause. It's a noble cause and to me it would mean how broad-minded he is.

What would be your dream role?

I'm open to all kinds of roles and am quite experimental. Otherwise, I quite like costume dramas. I like those huge sets and classical stories, like Mughal-e- Azam or Titanic! Even a period drama like Asoka would be nice. It was so different... She (Kareena Kapoor) was not just a princess but a warrior. I would love a role like that.

What are your favourite films?

So many! I love Gone With The Wind, Mughal-e-Azam or even an out-and-out comedy like Andaz Apna Apna. From intense costume dramas to bizarre comedies, I love it all.

On fashion

Any favourite designers?

I think I'd say Sabyasachi (Mukherjee), because it's very important to understand who you're designing for. What he's done for Vidya Balan and Rani Mukerji is very commendable. He has not just designed for them, but given expression to their attitude and personality. I like Rocky S for his western outfits. Among the newer batch, I like Masaba (Gupta). I think she's quite innovative and has made quite a name for herself in a very short span of time.

What kind of a girl are you ' high street or fashion street?

Perhaps more high street. I love Zara. I think it's important to carry yourself well. There are times when you see something hanging in a very posh shop and then you see the same thing in a far more reasonable shop. So it's possible to mix those two and look good.

Your best buy that you'd also call an investment?

A black Zara dress in satin. It's simple, not too many embellishments and fits like a dream. I prefer elegant lines. That's something I find expresses me best. Also, a couple of blazers from Zara that you can team with jeans or ganjee. It's always classic and you don't even need to accessorise too much with the look.

You're most comfortable in?

We get a chance to dress for ourselves so rarely. When I'm with friends and being myself, I'm in jeans, a white shirt and a nice watch. I never go beyond kajal and gloss. For me, less is more.

A woman looks best in...

A sari. Although I'm just 23, I think women of all ages look nice in a sari. No one can go wrong with it.

Your biggest fashion faux pas?

Well, I don't think there were any. I'm not a fashionista. I'm more stylish than fashionable. So perhaps that is why I haven't really gone too wrong.

How would you define the difference between being fashionable and stylish?

I would say it means staying updated on the latest trends but not following them blindly. I'm not very fussy about what I wear. I won't point at a picture in a magazine and say that this is the exact look I want to replicate. I prefer setting my own style statement. But that is something I'm still learning. I think that is the difference between being a fashionista and being stylish... Like this kind of a thing (points at the clothes sourced for the t2 shoot; watch out for it!) is more my sister's thing. She bought me a whole range of shorts that are still lying in the cupboard with their price tags! She's threatened to take them all away but I'm too laid-back. I like sticking to what I'm comfortable in.

On fitness and diet

How do you stay fit?

Yoga. I do hot yoga and complement it with jogging on alternate days.

That's it?!

Trust me, that's enough! (Rolls her eyes) Do yoga in 45 degrees for 90 minutes' it's more than enough!

What is your biggest temptation when it comes to food?

I think it's my mom's rajma. It's not a regular kind of rajma. We call it Chamba Ka Rajma. It's really heavy.

But most diets allow proteins like rajma, right?

Oh, that is not the every day kind of rajma. It's got a pure desi ghee tadka. You can't have it every day. It's very rich but I love it!

So while most would say chocolates, you pick rajma?

Oh, chocolates are always there. I don't even count those. I've already finished the brownie in the room (smiles).

A diet myth you'd like to bust?

I think you don't need to diet. Home-cooked food can never be wrong for you. I think what a lot of people don't realise is that it's important to stay true to your roots. Like, I'm from Chandigarh where our diet includes parathas and chhole. I was told by my dietician that you can't just leave that food. All you need to do is have it at the right time and burn it off. Paharis can eat rice thrice a day!