- 30 minutes ago
Shruti Haasan spoke at the India Today South Conclave in Kochi about legacy, scrutiny and her career across films and music. She said her effort has been to stand as Shruti first while navigating expectations around her surname.
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00:00Shruti's come all the way from Bombay. Can we have a huge, warm round of applause for Shruti?
00:05Thank you so much.
00:06Thank you so much for taking the time out to do this. I think...
00:10I'm happy to come to Kerala for any excuse. It's like my favorite place.
00:14So tell me one thing. You say you're very happy to come here. How come you've not done a Malayalam
00:18film yet?
00:18I don't know.
00:20Adur sir, you're sitting here. Shruti's right here.
00:22I was so excited to meet sir.
00:25But you're a bit like nervous because all of us are a bit intimidated in his presence, isn't it?
00:28Adur sir is a legend.
00:30Of course.
00:31Yeah. But tell me, how come you've done films in Hindi, in Tamil, in Telugu, Malayalam...
00:36As they say in Tamil, it's just not confluenced together to come.
00:42But I'm sure I will. I'm a huge, huge fan of Malayalam cinema, so I would love to.
00:46And do you follow Malayalam cinema?
00:48Yes, on and off. But don't ask me which I recently saw.
00:50I know it's that standard question you'll ask.
00:54But, but, there is something special about the cinema here, right?
00:58It stands out very much from Tamil and Telugu industries.
01:02Would you say that all three language industries have their own US piece?
01:05I think they all have their own rhythm and their own, it's like a song.
01:08But I find like, I was speaking to a friend the other day, and what I love about Malayalam cinema
01:14is,
01:15is an idea we think will be like, make it bigger, make it this, make it pan-Indian, and all
01:20these words.
01:21But it's the celebration of moments that matter to the storyteller.
01:26And that is something I consistently see, which I like.
01:30I think you'd fit beautifully well into a Malayalam film, and I can imagine many filmmakers now wanting to queue
01:37up,
01:37now that you've made the trip here to Kerala to do this.
01:40But I'll go back a little bit in time, Shruti.
01:43As the young little girl who went on the set of Heram, and did her…
01:47No, no, I was older then.
01:49The older then?
01:50Before that, would you visit your dad's sets?
01:52Yes.
01:52And was the acting bug sort of germinating there?
01:56Not at all.
01:56Not at all?
01:57No.
01:57I always wanted to be behind the camera.
02:00I don't know how I ended up here, honestly.
02:02What did you want to do behind the camera?
02:04I wanted to write.
02:05Oh, wow.
02:05Okay.
02:06And so then when your dad said, okay, I have a part for you in Heram, because you know, your
02:10dad is…
02:11Oh, no, no, it's not as cinematic and lovely as she's explaining.
02:15I was working in the costume department under my mother, and historically they realized that Sardar Alabhai Patel had come
02:21with his daughter.
02:23And they didn't have a daughter, and they didn't have an actor available for free, and there I was.
02:28That's how I made my debut.
02:30You didn't have a choice, is what you're saying.
02:32I did not have a choice at all.
02:35But I know that after that, you had like offers coming in a few years later.
02:42Oh, in fact, I want to interrupt and say I had to prepare my own costume for my first shot.
02:46Your own costume?
02:47So it was not glamorous, and I'm so thankful for that.
02:50But what a film that was.
02:52It's a film that has stood the test of time, right?
02:56Yes.
02:56It has more resonance now.
02:58It is so relevant now.
02:59What was it like being on the set of that?
03:00Oh, yeah, man, how relevant it is now.
03:02So what was it being on the set?
03:04You know, it's your first film, you're working with your mom, your dad is directing, he's acting.
03:08I don't know, how will it be working for your parents?
03:10You tell me, you think it'll be fun?
03:11Yeah.
03:12There's your answer.
03:14Was he a taskmaster?
03:15Both of them are, both of them are, but it was a great learning experience for me.
03:20Yeah, I can imagine.
03:21But what's interesting to me is after that, you know, you were spoiled for choice.
03:27You had offers coming in from every industry, but you consciously chose to start with Hindi.
03:32No, again, you're writing a beautiful screenplay and my life is not that interesting.
03:38My Raakhi brother is Imran, the actor of my first Hindi film.
03:42And I wanted to move out of home and have enough money to buy a drum kit and a mixing
03:48console for our music.
03:49So when he said there's a role like this, I never, ever thought I would do it again.
03:54And that's when the acting bug bit me.
03:56When I saw myself on screen and I was unhappy with my work, I wanted to, you know, give back
04:03to that craft that had given so much to me as an audience and a member of the family.
04:09And that's truly where my journey began from my second film.
04:13The second film, of course, Hiram being the first.
04:15What do you call it?
04:16I mean, it's a, no, that was just a passing shot.
04:19But, but luck was your foray.
04:22People saw you and then you have, I mean, now we talk about stuff like Pan-India, right?
04:28Pan-India has now become the new thing.
04:30But back then when you were doing this journey, were you conscious that, you know what, I'm going to do
04:36every kind of language.
04:37I'm going to be a Pan-India star.
04:38See, I didn't know any other way because in the home that I grew up in, my mom would have
04:44stories that I came from Bombay and I worked in Annapurna Studios.
04:48And I worked in Raman Aidu Studios and my dad was going and doing Hindi films.
04:52He was doing a lot of Malayalam films.
04:54So there was no, this concept that you're saying is new Pan-Indian.
04:59The actors of the 70s and 80s have aced that game and done it better than we're doing it now,
05:04to be honest.
05:05That's, that's well said, right?
05:06Isn't it true?
05:07We talk about Pan-India right now, but Kamal Hassan, sir, so many other great actors.
05:12Rajini, sir, they did this before and they didn't make a shosha about it, isn't it?
05:16Yeah?
05:17Yes, it's just about experiencing different industries and different avenues of storytelling.
05:23Also, Shruti, when you came in, I don't think the word Nipo baby existed in our vocabulary.
05:29Goth baby.
05:30Goth baby.
05:33But when you were starting out and obviously later on your sister also joined in, were you conscious about the
05:40expectations that would come with carrying that?
05:43Clearly not, because I did not know how to navigate it.
05:46I was just like, because I had so much of an influence of being a musician, I was like, right.
05:50It's my duty as an artist to be myself, not realizing that that's not the template to be accepted as
05:56a mainstream heroine at that time.
05:59But did you feel people looking at you differently because you were coming from the legacy that you did both
06:05your fathers and mothers?
06:05Today only I wrote something on Substack and I realized that people have always looked at me differently, not because
06:11of my legacy, but because I'm a peculiar person.
06:14So from school, I've always been the slightly odd one out.
06:18So people looking at me peculiarly, what would have triggered a course correction for somebody else just felt like, yeah,
06:27everybody always looks at me weirdly.
06:29And I'm very curious, in what way are you peculiar?
06:34What makes you so strange?
06:35I'm an oddball, I feel.
06:36And, you know, over time I've learned to accept my own uniqueness as a badge of honor, but it has
06:43taken me time to get here.
06:46I'll continue with this Nipo baby thing.
06:48Do you think kids of actors now have it harder and tougher because the social media scrutiny is so intense,
06:57right?
06:58If you don't like something, you just put it out there.
07:01There's a hashtag created.
07:02Do you think that now if people are thinking of coming into the industry, especially if they have a legacy,
07:08it's harder for them?
07:10See, I'm not one to comment on somebody else's journey, but I would say that the thing is that scrutiny
07:16has always been there.
07:17And my aim from day one was to try and stand as Shruti first.
07:22And that's something I continue pursuing.
07:25But I would say, yeah, definitely social media is a huge impediment to everybody's behavior and own thought and freedom
07:34of expression.
07:35So I wouldn't say it's just an industry child thing.
07:41The other thing that makes you peculiar, you didn't say that, is that you are also a singer.
07:47You are an actor who is multi-hyphenate.
07:49You sing as well.
07:50You compose.
07:51You write.
07:52And that's not a combination that we see in the industry every now and then.
07:57So what came first, the actor or the singer?
08:00I think showing off came first.
08:04That's necessary, right?
08:06To be an artist.
08:08Yeah.
08:08I think it was the many tables my dad made me stand up on and sing for people.
08:13So even though you may think he's an artist, he's like every other dad.
08:16You know, my guests come home and they're like, see what my child can do.
08:19Okay.
08:19So I have done that.
08:21Yes, we've all done that.
08:22So which song would you dance to?
08:23I want to know.
08:24Any song.
08:25Mostly his.
08:26Oh, any song.
08:27Some Fred Astaire, some Singing in the Rain.
08:29Yeah.
08:30And who would be the audience?
08:31Who were some of the people who saw you doing it?
08:33Some were just regular aunties and uncles.
08:35But later on, I realized they were not regular aunties and uncles.
08:38They were artists.
08:39They were painters.
08:40They were directors.
08:41So for me as a kid, they were like, aapke ghar ke auntie uncle.
08:44True.
08:45And it can be very embarrassing now that when you think about it, I don't know.
08:48I've particularly failed.
08:49Oh, you know, I disagree with you.
08:51I have danced on dhak dhak, by the way.
08:54That's cool.
08:55That's a, that's like a banger of a track.
08:56I feel that we've all kind of lost that joy and fearlessness that we had as children.
09:03And I think that's been my aim for the past couple of months really, is to go back to
09:09that version of me.
09:11So, so, you know, Shruti, when you decided that these would be the two careers that you
09:15would pursue simultaneously, what was the reaction of people like?
09:20Because I was just reading recently that somebody actually had called you for a singing part
09:25and then they said, achha bi acting bi kar lo isme.
09:27How does it work?
09:28Yeah, Mishkin sir.
09:29Tell me, tell me about that because that's a project train, right?
09:32Yeah.
09:34I didn't set out to be a multi-hyphenated like artist or try and do it simultaneously.
09:39It was just the way my life panned out.
09:42But today I'm very glad to see because of social media, now speaking of the pro side of
09:47it, is people are allowed to be multiple things and express themselves through various
09:53avenues.
09:53Whereas when I started out, which was 16 years ago, they said, please focus, gadi ye ki
09:59root pe chalna chahiye, otherwise people get confused.
10:03And then I thought, I'm confusing anyway, so I may as well do what I want.
10:08And, and I, I don't know, how do you balance, how do you juggle the act?
10:12Because I think there is pressure too, right?
10:14That now that you've announced yourself as a singer, to have something out, like being
10:19seen in this case, being heard is being relevant.
10:21How do you juggle that balance?
10:23About time management.
10:24And I would honestly say, a lot of people say, oh, Shruti is focused on singing.
10:28Nope.
10:29My entire focus has been on cinema.
10:31And I've not put out nearly as much independent music as I should.
10:35It's a course that I really believe in, in my life that I want to continue being on because
10:40independent music needs all the love and support and artists that it can get.
10:43And that's my one regret that I'm trying to fix, which is to do more independent music and
10:49to be a part of collaborating with more independent artists, because that's the industry that truly
10:54needs the push.
10:55And I'm glad you're touching on that because I want to talk about your music.
10:58You create these elaborate music videos, right?
11:01But there's choreography, there's styling, there's an image.
11:03It's very different from what Shruti we see on the big screen.
11:07You know, we saw the indie music boom in the 90s, right?
11:11The Alisha Chinoy's, right?
11:12They were, when you, then they came up.
11:14Yeah, that's when I grew up.
11:15I remember every artist was different.
11:18I remember Alisha had made in India.
11:20And then I remember seeing Lucky Ali's video with the pyramids.
11:22And I was like, I've never seen anyone do this in a film.
11:25It was a story.
11:26It was a mood.
11:27And that was the pinnacle of, like, inspiration for me.
11:32So now what is it like when somebody calls up Shruti?
11:35Shruti's like, oh my God, what would it be?
11:37Would it be a song or would it be a acting?
11:39No, no, that is usually clear.
11:41Mishkin sir's thing was a by chance thing.
11:43But you also end up singing songs for a lot of the films that you act in.
11:46Yes, if it works out.
11:47It's not a, you know, two-in-one dhamaka.
11:50But if it happens, then great.
11:52Do you come and suggest that, you know, I have something in mind?
11:56No.
11:57The director themselves realize it, that this is someone...
12:00It is their film, it is their vision, and I respect my directors thoroughly.
12:04Yeah.
12:04And if it happens organically, great.
12:07Otherwise, my job is to go there and be a disciplined collaborator.
12:13I'm also wondering, you know, when you decide to do two things,
12:17how important does it become to a certain identity as both?
12:21In terms of, like, I would like to be known as both, you know?
12:25Because when we had you here...
12:26It just happened.
12:27Yeah?
12:28It's not something that you manufactured, manifested.
12:31No, I'm not that smart.
12:32No.
12:34I'll come to this.
12:36We had your father here two, three years back.
12:38He was at the conclave here in Kovalam.
12:42And let me tell you, Kerala loves Kamala.
12:45Yes, they do.
12:46He's like, I'm like a default Malayali.
12:51And I'm just wondering, you know, he obviously spoke a lot of politics, right?
12:55Because he started this party.
12:57I remember...
12:57Not expect such discussions from me.
13:00So I wanted to know, do you talk politics with your father?
13:04Does he ever ask you, like, okay, so tell me, what is your opinion on this?
13:09What is the household conversation of politics in the Hassan household like?
13:12I'm not very politically informed to give him my opinion.
13:17I give him my general public opinion, but that's best.
13:20It stays between father and daughter.
13:22But do you sometimes see him talking and be like, he shouldn't have said that?
13:27Does that happen?
13:27I don't do that with anything that he says or does, and neither does he with me.
13:31And do you have any aspirations to get into politics?
13:35Because I remember when he launched the party, you and Akshara would do a little bit of...
13:40Oh, no, no, no, that was just me being there for my dad, because I love him.
13:45I am a socially conscious person, and in any capacity that I can, I would like to contribute.
13:52And I don't think it necessarily has to be politics for me.
13:58You, I know, have a lot of work coming up.
14:00And I think something that we all are quite excited about is Call Me Bay Season 2.
14:06Yes.
14:06That's coming out later this year.
14:08Completely out of my ballpark.
14:10Completely?
14:11Why do you say that?
14:12Because it's just not a show that I gravitated to immediately, but it was all my friends were like,
14:19have you seen it?
14:19It's so fun.
14:20It's so amazing.
14:21So when Colin, our director, came to...
14:24And I've always liked Ananya and her journey.
14:26So when Colin came to me with the story, I was super excited to kind of see how can I
14:33fit into this world.
14:34And it's really fun.
14:35I think people will like it.
14:36And it's, I think, your second foray into the world of streaming.
14:41Yeah.
14:41I'd already done a show for Amazon before.
14:43Yeah.
14:44So tell me one thing, Shruti.
14:45How do you see streaming sort of changing the whole narrative ecosystem and the way the industry works?
14:53What do you think has happened?
14:54I think we need to now find a healthier, more symbiotic relationship.
14:59Because I remember when streaming first came out, everyone was like, it's the new golden goose and it's going to
15:05help everyone make the kind of films they want.
15:08But people have to make the kind of films they want regardless.
15:12And we've seen that today because now streaming determines the business of a film and the pre-sale of a
15:18film.
15:18And now we've gone back into that same loop that we always had.
15:22So I feel like we need to have a more artistically symbiotic relationship and that will happen through communication, trial
15:29and error, which is the phase that we're in now.
15:33The other thing I think you'll concur with me on this is what streaming has done is, is that it
15:38has given actresses particularly a huge shelf of life, right?
15:43The, you're seeing, definitely the narratives, the way they say, oh, it's not the kind of project that will have
15:49a theatrical business.
15:50So, do you know what I mean?
15:51So that way, yes, there's pros and cons on streaming as well.
15:54But I'm saying that even in terms of, there are actresses who you thought you'd never see again, but now
15:59you're seeing them spearhead titles, right?
16:02And long format storytelling.
16:04So do you think it's as a format that's even more female friendlier because stories are being written, keeping women
16:08in mind?
16:09See, but I've always had a problem with this story should be written with characters in mind.
16:14If they so happened, if this women oriented thing is something that always gives me a nick, because it should
16:20be character oriented and women are capable of playing those characters.
16:25You have a, apart from Call Me Bay, which is by the way, going to come later this year on
16:30Amazon Prime Video, you have also done a Tell Who film with Kerala's very own Dulkart.
16:37Is this the first time you're working with him?
16:39Yeah, it's the first time.
16:40Tell us a little bit about working with him and also about the film, yeah.
16:44It's a really wonderful story.
16:46I'm not paired opposite him, but I play a really fun character in terms of it was super fun for
16:52me to play.
16:53Completely different to a lot of the tonality of work I've done before.
16:56And the producer, the director, the whole team, there was a lot of passion and a lot of drive behind
17:04telling the story.
17:05And I think it's a beautifully important story to be told.
17:09When it comes out, you'll understand why.
17:11And a little bit about working with Dulkart, I think people will be very curious to know.
17:14Dulkart is like one of the most polite people I've met, like genuinely really calm.
17:19Nothing seems to perturb him much, which is the opposite of me.
17:24Yeah, what are you?
17:25So we were like chalking, because I'm like hyper and all over the place and he's just like Shantham.
17:30That's good, that's good, that's yin and yang, that works well.
17:34And there's also a Tamil thriller.
17:37There's also a Tamil thriller you have shot for, right?
17:41Yes.
17:41Yeah, you want to tell us a little bit about that?
17:43Mishkin Sir's film.
17:44Oh, that's the one.
17:45Okay.
17:46And I'm just wondering, are we going to see a part two of Salah that you would be...
17:50You'll have to ask the makers, but yeah, there is some talks about it.
17:53So I want you to know that this is an industry where you have worked with the giants, right?
18:00The giants.
18:01Do you ever get like starstruck, overwhelmed, or now are you very like at zen?
18:07I wouldn't say I get starstruck because I grew up at home.
18:13But I'm in awe of people's talent.
18:16And I'm in awe of that in a way that humbles me a lot,
18:19where I consistently work on learning and picking up things and nuances,
18:26traits towards work and discipline.
18:29Yeah.
18:30So we had Amala Paul here yesterday, who's also from Kerala,
18:34and she very diplomatically avoided it, but I'm going to try my luck with this.
18:39Do you have a favorite film industry to work in since you've worked in so many?
18:43I'm sure, I don't know.
18:44I mean, I can't speak for her, but this is not a diplomatic answer from me.
18:48Is I genuinely love working in all industries.
18:51I've worked outside of India as well.
18:53Yes, you have worked in Hollywood too, right?
18:56So everything is a learning experience for me.
18:58And you can't just culturally say this industry will be this way or such.
19:03And Shruti, the artist, do you see yourself doing concerts anytime soon?
19:07Yes, I am.
19:08Yeah?
19:08Yes.
19:08You're planning a tour?
19:09Yes.
19:10Yeah.
19:10And indie music?
19:11Independent music and some film music recalibrated to suit my genre and style of music.
19:19I just want to know, since we are here in Kerala and you have some time here,
19:23what do you do most often when you come here?
19:25Eat.
19:26Eat?
19:26What's your favorite thing?
19:27I go to the temples and I eat.
19:29But all sorts of food or...?
19:31I love seafood.
19:32Yeah.
19:32So that's why Kerala is your place to go for that.
19:35Yes.
19:35Yeah?
19:35And did you ask your dad for recalibrated?
19:37Because he comes here quite regularly, I'm told.
19:39Yes, yes.
19:40But today is not the day for that because I'm like in and out.
19:43My last question.
19:44If I was to ask you one quality that you've inherited from both your parents,
19:48what would it be?
19:50From Tarika Ma'am and from Kamal sir?
19:52Perseverance.
19:53Both of them?
19:54Yes.
19:54Yeah?
19:55Yes.
19:55And one quality that you wish you had from them that you don't have?
19:59Oh God, that list is much longer.
20:01But I would say perseverance is what we have in common.
20:04And what I would like, my mother has a grace.
20:08She's very ladylike.
20:10I'm still working on that.
20:12And I'm not the softest of women.
20:15So that maybe.
20:17But I can channel it for a character, but not in personality.
20:20From my father, I think I have the temperament of my dad,
20:25which doesn't particularly suit a woman.
20:28So maybe not.
20:30No, but we love you for the way you are.
20:32Thank you so much for taking the time out.
20:34You can blame it on my dad.