NOT AN ALCOHOLIC
Shruti Haasan says her statement about being sober was blown out of proportion
She has been away from the limelight and on a break from films all of last year, but little did Shruti Haasan know that her statement in a recent Telugu talk show would put her back in the news. Talking about drinking, Shruti had said, “I don’t drink anymore. It’s been two years. I live a sober life now.” But soon there were reports claiming that she was an alcoholic.
“On the chat show, I mentioned that I don’t drink anymore and that I am sober. And the next thing I know is that it was blown out of proportion,” says a baffled Shruti, adding, “Drinking is part of today’s culture. There is no stigma attached to it. But I didn’t want to do it anymore. I want to live a sober life.”
And the actor insists that her statement was in no way judgmental of anyone. “I don’t judge people who drink. It’s strange that everybody drinks but nobody wants to talk about it. People don’t even admit that they have ever had a drink, which is ridiculous in 2019. And then, when I say I want to lead a sober life and not have that glass of wine, why is this turned into something else?” Shruti says.
Last year, she took off to the UK and was on a year’s break from films, as she “needed to focus on music”. There, she performed at many prestigious events, which was “fulfilling”. “It has been amazing. In the UK, I didn’t know anyone, yet, I made a home away from home, made contacts in music and spent time writing music. It was so exciting to meet new people, who didn’t know me, so our interactions were refreshing. I will go back in December to do eight shows there. I am living my best life. I have had a great run in films but, for me, the definition of success is to be able to fulfil different facets of my personality. I took a break because I needed to redefine things for myself and take a breather,” she shares.
As she essentially stayed alone in London, Shruti says she would recommend that people try living alone if they want to change their state of mind. “The solitude and experience of being in a new place was great. And being away made me appreciate things about India that we take for granted. After returning to India, I feel I am a lot calmer, more patient with myself and the people around me. I have learned a lot about who I am and why I was a certain way or behaved in a certain way,” says the actor who is currently doing two Tamil films and also working on her album.
The actor is also excited about the response to her Hollywood web series, Treadstone, in which she has a cameo. Shruti says she did it as she wanted to be a part of a “Jason Bourne show”. And as she isn’t known in the UK, it was a good way to “make headway into the entertainment industry”.