Shruti Haasan: My music comes from a very visceral and real place

An avid follower of Telugu memes and pop culture conversations this Sankranthi season would have definitely noticed the one about Shruti Haasan being the real winner of the clash between Chiranjeevi's Waltair Veerayya and Nandamuri Balakrishna's Veera Simha Reddy. Rarely do you have an actor come out with two releases at the same time, during a major festival no less. Speaking to Cinema Express from her residence in Mumbai, Shruti Hasaan chimed in on her films’ successes by saying, “I am just grateful that both films have done really well. Honestly, I had no idea about the release date when I signed up for these films. In fact, I had an extremely hectic December shooting for these films back to back.” Speaking about her time on the sets, Shruti says, “My nervousness and anxiety is always a bit off-the-charts when I am shooting because I am constantly wondering if I am giving my best… because an actor can always do something better.”

While Shruti is definitely on a career-high now, things didn't always come easy for the actor. Reflecting upon her career, which began with Luck (2009) in Hindi, Anaganaga O Dheerudu (2011) in Telugu, and 7aum Arivu (2011) in Tamil, Shruti notes, “My first few films had a lukewarm response at the box office, to put it very kindly. There were no congratulatory announcements proclaiming the entry of a promising talent as such. I was a trained musician but I had no training in acting. In fact, the sets of my first few films were my acting school.” Singling out AR Murugadoss' 7aum Arivu, which starred Suriya alongside her, as formative to her growth as an actor, Shruti says, “In hindsight, it was super scary to work with accomplished talents like Suriya sir and Murugadoss sir. My role was not run-of-the-mill but very integral to the course of the events in the film. I did not want to let them down.”

Shruti admits that over a period of time, this burden of responsibility did turn into the joy of acting. “Once I understood how things worked, everything became way more interesting. I was invested in my career right from day one, but as I got better, I could enjoy my work more and more.” Likening her acting stint to cooking, Shruti continues, “It is like making a dish. When you cook it the first time, all you are concerned about is getting it right. Once you do get it right, and you have prepared the dish properly a bunch of times, your approach to cooking that dish changes. There is more confidence, and experimentation happens. My acting too developed similarly”

Apart from being a prolific actor, Shruti is also an accomplished musician, and the actor took a break at the peak of her acting career to concentrate on her music. Unlike films, the world of music provided Shruti with greater autonomy and creative license to express herself. “As much as I love reveling in all the light the world has to offer, tapping into the grey areas of my personality is where I truly flourish as a musician. I want people listening to my songs to feel more comfortable in the grey shades of their personhood, to feel that there is power to being authentic and true to your inner voice. The music I write comes from a very visceral and real place,” opens up Shruti, who has made a triumphant return to the big screen this Sankranthi, and has an enviable lineup too.

Shruti is part of Prashanth Neel's upcoming biggie, Salaar, which stars Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran among a host of other superstars. Balancing the big-ticket Salaar, Shruti is starring in The Eye, a Greek-British production where she plays the protagonist of the dark psychological thriller set in the 1980s. Terming it one of the most intense and pressure-laden projects of her career, Shruti comments, “The movie was made by a team of women and all of them have put their hearts and souls to tell the story of a woman in a very authentic manner. There is no token feminism here. We did extensive rehearsals and workshops before going on floors, and we finished the shoot in a tight schedule of 35 days where I did not have so much as a fifteen-minute breather between shots”.

Having already started filming for Salaar, Shruti is effusive about her praise for director Prashanth. “He is really big on creating worlds that are immersive, persuasive and timeless at the same time. His characters are also well-written, they all play a role in moving the story forward. He is extremely relaxed and progressive in the way he treats people and is very comfortable to work with. Salaar is genuinely one of the nicest, no-nonsense, good-energy films I have been part of. I am so happy that one of my biggest projects is also one of my nicest experiences.”

With Veera Simha Reddy and Waltair Veerayya becoming huge money-spinners, and Salaar having the potential to become one of the biggest pan-Indian films, it is clear Shruti is making giant strides in the next phase of her acting career. “I wish to do more and more projects that are creatively satisfying. I want to improve constantly, be it in my career or with my family. It is only now, in my mid-30s, that I am learning to enjoy things more. It is this spirit of joy and kaizen that I wish to take with me ahead. I can’t feel the pressure of someone else’s career anymore. I can only hope to value and cherish what is important for me and the people I am working with.”