SHRUTI HAASAN THE ENTERTAINER

Actress Shruti Haasan made her Bollywood debut back in 2009, and within a matter of a few years she has established herself as one of Indian cinema’s top actresses. H Her reach now extends from acting to playback, and from Hindi films to the vernacular sp

Now a prominent fa face in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu film industries, Shruti Haasan ma made her Bollywood debut with Luck in 2009, after her much raved ab about cameo in father Kamal Haasan’s bilingual Hey Ram in 2000. In a career that spans al almost a decade, the 31-year-old actress has established herself in the movie w world with commercial successes like Anaganaga O Dheerudu, 7aum Arivu, Rac Race Gurram, Welcome Back and Gabbar Singh among others hits. Besides her acting chops, Sh Shruti is an acclaimed playback singer, having lent her voice to such chartbuster chartbusters as Kannazhaga Kaalazhaga (3), Alvida ( D-Day), Junction Lo ( Aagadu), Joganiya ( Tevar) and many more. The actress was recently in G Gurugram for a promotional event, and took some time out for an exclusive chat w with Guardian 20 about her latest release Behen Hogi Teri, her Cannes debut and her experience of working alongside her superstar father for Sabaash Naidu.

Q. Actors these days go to greatgre lengths to get under the skin of the characters they are playing on-screen.on-sc We see drastic body transformations happening as well. Even you gainedg eight kilograms for your role as Binny Arora in Behen Hogi Teri . How was that weight gaining journey for you, since you have a fashionista image? Were you ever insecure? A.

These days? You mean, like, always.a Since the history of time actors have been going to extreme lengths! That’s how it has been. I was playing a typical Punjabi girl from Lucknow [in the film] so had to gain all that weight. No, I wasn’t insecure because peoplep don’t come to the theatre with a measuring tape. They come to see you perform.perf

Q. How important do you thinkth these life-like portrayals and characters are in contemporary cinema?cinema

A.

I feel that it is lovely to seese things we can relate to. I think there have always been two kinds of art oro cinema or music or any sort of art… Those things that take you beyondbeyon your world and inspire you. So there are films, pieces of art, which kind of take you above and they are aspirational. They kind of take you into another galaxy almost. And then there are films, which are abouta you, about the people you may know. And I think they both are equally important.

Q. We see that you share a great chemistry with your Behen Hogi Teri co-starco-s Rajkummar Rao. How was your experience of workingworki with him? A.

It was really nicen working with him. I had heard a lot about him before I had workedwor with him. I’d of course seen his work as well. He is very committedcommit to his work and he is respected for his work. But what I like is thatth he is usually fun on the sets and he approached the role with a lot of organic spontaneity.

Q. You have alsoals produced an ad film on dengue awareness for the Tamil NaduN government, which was your first production venture. Are there any new projects you’ve associated with as a producer?producer A.

I do have a productionproduc house, but I am in no rush to borrow people’s money or waste my owno money unless I really believe in something. I want it to be a place wherewh you do things that are socially relevant or cre-