It has been a strange year for Shruti Hassan, who has seen both dizzying highs and sinking lows in a brief period of time. Shruti cemented herself as one of the most sought- after actress in the south after featuring in 2014 blockbuster Race Gurram, opposite Allu Arjun. However, Shruti landed in a major soup, after a city civil court had placed a restraining order on the actress, prohibiting her from signing any new films. PVP Cinemas had initiated civil and criminal proceedings against the actress for pulling out of a project citing dates clash as a flimsy excuse. Eventually all charges were dropped and the actress was cleared to sign projects again.
Putting all this behind her, Shruti is looking forward to starting a fresh chapter in the film industry, and is gearing up for her forthcoming family drama Srimanthudu.
“It was a wonderful experience working in this film. I play a strong, independent, intelligent girl. Unlike some of the ultra glamorous roles in the past, I actually play a very simple girl, and the response has been fantastic so far,” shares Shruti.
Daughter of veteran actor Kamal Hassan, Shruti has paired with Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu. She says Srimanthudu is a completely fresh project.
“There is a perfect mix of modern and traditional. Even the romance is very calm, relaxed and classy,” Shruti reveals.
The actress showered praise on her co-star and says the Pokiri star was calming influence on her.
“He is very committed to his work. He is very casual as a person, well-mannered and easy to communicate with. In this movie, it’s not just about the Mahesh Babu brand, his character is so good that it works,” the 29-year-old points out.
Despite tasting success at the box-office with 2012 blockbuster Gabbar Singh opposite Pawan Kalyan, Shruti has maintained a relatively low profile and has been very choosy about films. “My approach to films remains the same even now. I didn’t want to do a film which is too similar to what I had just done. Fame keeps coming and going, but it’s important to do good work and enjoy it,” she explains.
Shruti, who is an equally familiar face in Bollywood, (recently seen in Gabbar is Back opposite Akshay Kumar), says she doesn’t see much difference between Bollywood and the south.
“It all depends on the director and the team. But overall, there’s not much difference between the two industries. For me personally, language and geography never really mattered. As long as a script appeals to me, I will do it. Cinema has the ability to transcend boundaries,” says the actress, who will also be seen in Anees Bazmi’s Welcome Back later this year.
Considering she’s the daughter of the legendary Kamal Hassan, Shruti admits that there is added pressure, but says her father does not really interfere with her career.
“My father always told me that it’s my life and I should live it the way I see fit. He never interferes with my work and has no say in decisions about my career. There is always the pressure of expectations because I’m Kamal Hassan’s daughter,” the actress points out.
Directed by Koratala Siva, Srimanthudu also features Jagapathi Babu and will hit screens on August 7.