Right now, neither of us want to work with each other’
Shruti Hassan talks about
dad Kamal, her parents’ separation, love, films, music and more in an exclusive
chat with Lipika Varma
Shruti
Hassan is hoping to create a traffic jam at the booking windows with her latest
movie ‘Ramaiya Vastavaiya’. The movie is directed by Prabhudeva. “I play an
innocent village lass,” she says. “The role is very challenging for me, but I
enjoyed shooting in the fields on the outskirts of the city. The love story
revolves around my character. My character falls in love 
with a
boy who studies abroad and then travels back to the village. This boy is named
Ram, and he has imbibed the Western culture. He comes from a completely
different world and culture, but after he falls in love with this village girl,
he readily treads in her path. The tale is intriguing because the boy follows
the girl and changes for her.”
About working in
Bollywood and juggling the film industries of two different languages, she
says, “For me, speaking Punjabi was not difficult. Language is no barrier for
me, I always choose a script depending on the depth of the character. Who would
not want to be part of a Prabhudeva film? He knows the pulse of the audience.
He is a successful entertaining commercial director. Also, I saw a lot of
potential in the fact that I was the only heroine in the film. It’s my first
solo film. I should be comfortable playing the character, may the film be
Tamil, Telugu, Hindi or any other language.”
Talking about her bold
character in ‘D-day’ she says, “I play a Pakistani sex worker in the film. It
was a challenging character. I did not literally have to go to brothels to
learn their mannerisms. I was brought up in Mahillapur amongst middle class and
higher middle-class. I feel sex workers are just doing their jobs and earning
their bread and butter. I chose to play this character because of its emotional
aspect. Being a sex worker, she has the vulnerability to fall in love. The tale
is about the emotional journey of the character.”
She goes on to add, “I
have really shed my inhibitions after playing a sex worker!”
Coming from an industry
family, Shruti knows how to take hits and flops in her stride. “Every actor
would love to see every movie become a hit. As for me, I do not let a hit go to
my head, or a take a flop to heart. For me, it matters more whether people
appreciate my performance. If someone remembers and appreciates my roles 10
years later, it will boost my morale. Then it won’t matter to me whether that
film was a hit or flop.”
Shruti is a philosophical
girl and that is the approach she has had to her parents’ separation. “When I
was 10, I came to the conclusion that if two people cannot live peacefully
under one roof, it is better they separate. I feel if there is no understanding
in a relationship it is better to lead your own life,” she says.
She is all praise for
both her father and mother. “My mom has been a strong woman. She has always
followed her heart and done what she felt was right,” she says. “She has taught
both the daughters the importance of following your heart and leading a life on
your own terms. Mom is a multitasker. She has tried her hand at sound and
costume designing, besides acting. Dad is determined in his own way. He has a
passion for pushing the envelope to enhance his professional know-how. He is
always aware of the equipment he needs to choose to raise the level of his
films. He is a hard working person. Me and Akshara have both learnt confidence
and determination from them. We both have the equal excess to meet them so we
do not miss them at all.”
Shruti recently broke up
with her boyfriend of many years, south Indian actor Siddharth. In Bollywood,
Siddharth is best remembered for his role in “Rang De Basanti’.
“‘Pyaar toh kabhibhi ho
jata hai’,” she says. “It breaks out heart, we cry and ‘sab theekh ho jata
hai’. Who on earth has not experienced heartbreak? At the moment, I am not keen
on getting married. Someone will literally have to push me to tie the knot.
Maybe at a later stage. I trying to make it in my profession now,” she says,
adding, “I have learnt my lessons after being bitten in love. I have learnt to
love myself better. If you have no understanding it is better to part ways.
Pampering yourself and loving yourself is more important than just sitting and
crying over spilt milk.”
Talking about beauty, she
says, “I believe it is in the eyes of the beholder. For instance, someone may
think I look better when I have just washed my face, while I would be conscious
of being a plain Jane.”
Singing is another talent
she continues to explore. “I can get back to singing later as it does not have
age restrictions,” she says. “For example, I cannot play the characters I am
playing now when I am 40. Nor can I play a 16-year-old girl at 30. But I can sing
for a 16-year-old even when I am older. I enjoyed singing and performing ‘Kanha
alagh’ that plays as the film title rolls. It is a very nice song. I also enjoy
composing and writing songs. I am not a romantic person, so my lyrics are quite
dark. I also love to be an independent musician which does not hold a future
for me yet. However, I am happy to have done a few things musically.”
We mostly associate
Shruti with her rock performances, but she is trained in other schools of music
as well. “I have grown up listening to jazz, and other Western styles. But I am
trained in Hindustani classical music. For me, music is food. The more I ingest
it, the hungrier it leaves me for more. I look forward to attempting to carve a
career in it later in life. Actors have a shelf-life, so I am concentrating on
that for now.” She has also inherited a love for HIndi film music from her
parents. “I have grown up listening to Asha Bhosle, thanks to my mom. I also
like to listen to Kishore Kumar and R.D Burman. ‘Waqt ne kiya, kya’ is my
favourite song on my iPod,”
she says.
Shruti has leant a lot
from her short journey in the film industry, “People here change their attitude
to you based on your success and flops. When you are successful, offers flow
in, but once you are a flop no one calls you. Such is the scenario with us
actors. I am here for a longer period of time. I have not come into the
industry to work for five years, make money and settle down. ‘Main lamb race ki
ghodi hoon’. I have learnt to take my work seriously and I’m committed to
it,” she says.
With her family in the
industry, its a surprise she hasn’t worked with father Kamal Hassan yet. “I
have worked hard for so many years because I want to make my own identity,” she
says. “We may work together at a later stage. At the moment, neither of us
wants to work together.”
Besides her father,
Shruti is open to work with any director. “I am open to work with new directors
as well,” she says. “I do not wish to work with famous directors only. My only
condition is that he or she should be able to bring out my hidden talent. In
return, I will give my 100%”
After ‘Ramaiya
Vastavaiya’ and ‘D-Day’, Shruti has four Telegu films in hand — Balupu, Yevadu,
Ramaya Thayavva and Race Guru.
“It is indeed great to have Priya and Kumar Gaurav as the attendees for the first look of ‘Policegiri’. It was not possible for me to request them to spend some more time with us, as we are all aware of the pains and agonies the family is going through,” clarified director KS Ravi Kumar as Sanjay’s kin left immediately after the launch.
