Shruti Haasan talks about her live in relationship with Siddarth, The Love Rumor with Dhanush and much more..

Actress Shruti Haasan off late has hit a purple patch of sorts with her recent movies have all gone to become huge blockbusters. In a recent interview to Filmfare, Shruti Haasan opened up on various aspects of her life. Here are some excerpts from the interview.

Q. When Luck flopped, did you think that was the end of road for you?
I was depressed. My best friend saw the movie at a preview and said, ‘Wow you’ve messed it up even before it began’. He asked me, ‘Do you really want to do this? Take your time and figure out if you like doing this. I said I love being in front of the camera.’ He said get your act together then. It was really that simple. I was fat when I came back from LA. I was a hamburger. I lost the extra kilos. I was suddenly a different person. I think acting gives me what music doesn’t. So they balance each other out.

Q. You’ve hit a purple patch in the South. The super hit Gabbar Singh has turned the tables for you there.
Yeah, it was completely unexpected. I love the director (Hari Shankar), he is such a sweet guy. We had great fun while shooting. I did emotional ulti in 3. But Gabbar Singh was fun and such a change from the serious stuff. Pawan Kalyan is a huge star and so much fun to work with. It feels good when people call you by your character’s name. It had that kind of reach.

Q. So what was the moment that changed this diffident actress in Luck, to a consummate artiste in 3?
Ever since I’ve been singing on stage, I’ve been known to be intense. And I’ve been known to be unafraid of going to dark remote places within. But as an actor I don’t have that training. I was cocky when I was young. But I didn’t have that confidence in front of the camera, the confidence to manipulate your emotions. I had to break that wall. When I went to a music school, my teacher had made me cry in front of the whole class. After that I was never ashamed to bare myself as an artiste. But in acting I am still on that journey. When I sing it comes from an uninhibited place.  It’s like being besharam. I’m learning to be besharam in front of the camera. I’ll be honest, there is still a lot to let go.

Q. As Kamal Haasan’s daughter, you don’t have to struggle to make it.
But dad and mum (actor Sarika) have never pulled in favours for me. They were always like, whatever you do, do it yourself. That’s when the journey will make sense to you. Of course, they are by my side. But I have done it myself. The failures are mine and the success is completely mine. That feels good.

Q. What was it like growing up as Kamal Haasan’s daughter?
My friends knew him as Shruti’s daddy or as Kamal uncle. Even now, they’re like Shruti’s daddy’s movie has released. The school days were so simple. My mother insisted that we went by school bus and travelled by autos. We had a normal childhood. Actually, I grew up pretending to be someone else’s daughter. They would say, ‘You’re Kamal Haasan’s daughter’ and I would say, ‘No I’m Dr. Ramachandra’s daughter’. I used to be Pooja Ramchandran. I didn’t want anyone to know that he was my father. I was proud of my dad’s work but it just got in the way of me being me. Everyone, especially my dad’s friends, used to be like, ‘Your mum is so beautiful’ But she is also so chilled out. She would make fish curry, prawn curry and have her friends over. It was a regular upper middle-class upbringing. 

Q. When did you realise your dad is a superstar?
Only when we went  for his movie premieres. Then there were psychotic loving fans who would jump on his car. And then my dad would have this completely different persona. And I would be like, oh! this is the other side of him.

Q. Did it scare you as a kid?
No. I loved it. I remember when I was six, I sang for one of his films. And then we went to Singapore for a show and I sang on the stage for the first time. It was a skit where my mum and dad say, ‘Where is Shruti?’ and I’d pop out of the magic box. I remember the audience was screaming because I was Kamal Haasan’s daughter. But then they screamed after I had finished singing and that was for me. That’s when I got hooked. People saying, ‘We love you’. That kind of adulation makes you feel like a rockstar. 

Q. Were you traumatised by your parents’ separation?
No. If they couldn’t be happy together, it was better to be happier apart. A lot of kids who’ve seen their parent separate, will say that. In the beginning the fairytale idea works in your mind. But if it’s not working out, it’s not working out. As a kid, I was aware and clear about these thing. They live their own lives and do their own thing. Both are happy. Akshara (younger sister) and I are happy as long as they are happy.

Q. So what’s happening on the personal front?
Zero. Seriously, with six movies on hand where do you have the time to find someone who will adjust his life according to your schedule? I will have to find someone jobless for that. And there is nothing less attractive than a jobless man. I like psycho achievers.

Q. What about the live-in rumours with Siddharth?
As far as I’m concerned it didn’t happen.

Q. You are being linked to Dhanush these days?
I know there are 10,000 rumors. For me, it’s a rare connect with someone. Dhanush is an important friend because when nobody thought I could play the part in 3, he stood by me and said I could do it. For anyone in any job, it’s important that people have faith in you. I owe him so much. Also we get along well. We have so much to talk about. He is also a comprehensive artiste. But I’m not going around justifying to people. I’m not going to tell people to put a microchip in my bum and follow me, so that they can know the truth. He is my best friend in the business. He has always helped me artistically. I won’t throw that in trash just because people are talking nonsense about us. I’ve never bothered much about what people say.

Q. Have you thought about marriage?
Not at all. I see kids sooner than marriage, I don’t know why. I love kids. I want to have children. I just can’t see myself getting married. 

Q. What about being with someone?
I don’t know. I’ve  been so independent. Also I imagine myself as being a difficult girlfriend because I’m always on my own trip. I’m an artiste, I’m always figuring out things in my head. Ultimately, it boils down to being with a good and a kind person, which is rare to find. Someone who lets you be. Everyone has this I-want-you-to-be-this-way condition, everyone has a screenplay for you in their head. From what I see, you go expecting one thing and you get nothing what you expected. That’s the scary thing about relationships. Everything else is easy to figure out.

Q. Has your past experience made you skeptical about getting into a new relationship?
I’m an optimist. If one movie doesn’t do well, doesn’t mean the other movie will also do badly. Having said that I would compromise on my relationship for my job. Especially, at the stage I am now. If I feel my relationship is getting in the way of my work, I would let it go without thinking twice. Maybe I will change when I get older. But right now, if something is getting in the way of my career, I would let it go.