Nepotism Is Not The Key To My Success – Shruti Haasan

Recently Shruti Haasan was seen in the capital addressing a press conference for her upcoming film, Behen Hogi Teri along with the producer of the film Amul Vikas Mohan. I got a chance to interact with the actress and here’s what she has got to say on her role, poster controversy, regional film industries, nepotism and more.

#1: Shruti tells us something about your character in the movie?

Shruti: I’m playing a girl called ‘Binny’ from Lucknow and this is one of the most fun characters I have played because she is quite layered. She is fun, strong but very vulnerable- a mix of many many things. And ‘Binny” is based on our Director’s sister. So this is the first time I’m playing somebody who is so close to the film. It was all in all a different level of responsibility for me, you know. I really wanted to make sure that when Binny’s family watch this film then they could relate it with their Binny.

#2: “Behen Hogi Teri” although quirky is a popular slang in Northern India. What’s your take on this?

Shruti: Actually it’s all good intentional. People should see it in a humorous and positive way. Guys generally use this phrase. So when people will watch the movie they will find it quite apt.

#3: And then there is this poster controversy where Rajkumar is seen in Shiva avatar.

Shruti: I was not in that sequence but the character of Rajkumar’s in the film is that of a guy who works in the jagaran mandli owned by Binny’s family. The poster was only to emphasize this thought. There were no intentions to offend anybody. It’s all good now.

#4: There are more and more concept based movies coming up now. Do you find it interesting and challenging?

Shruti: Bilkul. The concept, I think is ultimately the thing that drives the industry forward. There are commercial big films which are also important. I think today there is a certain level of balance where everybody can watch whatever suit their taste and the industry is catering to every kind of audience. I think this film is again a concept based film; everything has a purpose in this film which I liked the most.

#5: You are doing some mega projects in South Film Industry also. So as an actor you worked in multiple languages. What is the difference that you find in the South Film Industry and Hindi Film Industry?

Shruti: The truth is I don’t see it as a geographical difference whether it’s in Hindi or Tamil or Telegu. For me, I feel that the people who are part of the project or the nature of the project bring out the difference. I’ve grown up in a Pan-Indian house so I find it difficult to separate the regions of India.

#6: Shruti how have you evolved as an actress? From the start of your career till now.

Shruti: Now when I see a lot of people who are starting their career well planned and organized and they have a strategy, I feel that I was nowhere close to these terms. I just stumbled into the industry. I was a musician and when my first film came over in I was like “Chalo thik hai, karte hai”. I didn’t understand the seriousness of it until I saw the review of my first film. I thought, “Arey yaar,kahan pe aa gaye hum” (laughs). Now I know the responsibility is really huge. I fell in love with cinema in my own perspective, not my parents. So the responsibility has driven me further. And along with that the sense of how much you owe the character’s life, the honour that you get to play and tell the story has been one of the greatest things that happened to me. That’s how I evolved.

#7: Speaking of which, do you think nepotism is more of an issue now than it was?

Shruti: See, I’m very – very proud of being Kamal Haasan and Sarika’s daughter. I’m very proud of my surname but I can also very proudly say that I have never ever used it to move ahead in my career. The only thing it did do is open the door because there was curiosity. But after that, I can’t push my way through those doors without my own work or my own name. Yes, there must be nepotism and lots of people have accused me of it but I can say I have never used nepotism. In fact, it’s been a little harder for me to finally succeed in career.

Behen Hogi Teri is an upcoming 2017 Bollywood romantic-comedy flick starring Rajkummar Rao and Shruti Haasan. Directed by Ajay K Pannalal, the movie is ready to hit the screen worldwide on June 9, 2017.

News Aur Chai wishes the team of Behen Hogi Teri all the best for their release.

Here is the exclusive coverage of the press conference of Shruti Haasan’s upcoming film ‘Behen Hogi Teri’ :