“Today, I'm dessert for mosquitoes. Shooting with them is no fun. Scratch…”
The dozen-word tweet sums up Shruti Haasan's serious engagement with films. City-hopping for the shoot of 3 (Tamil) and Oh My Friend (Telugu), she's clear about one thing — “Showbiz is a lot of hard work.”
Stills of Shruti's major Tamil outing 7aum Arivu have already grabbed plenty of column space. October 23 might pronounce her as Kollywood's freshly-minted dream girl. But there's no hint of angst as she takes questions in between shoots with a big wraparound smile.
THE BIG TICKET 7aum Arivu , I would say, is something beyond dream for me. Since I grew up here, I was particular that when I do a Tamil film, it must be a wonderful project. Obviously, I want to impress people in my hometown. 7aum Arivu seemed like the perfect package — director Murugadoss, actor Suriya, camera ace Ravi K. Chandran and, of course, the incredibly talented Harris Jayaraj!
CATALYTIC ROLE I play a scientist in the film. The script is a plausible one. I link the two dimensions in the lead actor Suriya's life. In a way, I'm a catalyst to the story's progress. I help the protagonist establish his link with time and connect with the past.
CREW CUT! Director Murugadoss' success lies in his attention to detail. I had a terrific time shooting with him. It's a learning curve. He is clear about what he wants. As for Suriya, he made me feel absolutely comfortable. He's talented and down-to-earth. When I told my friends I'm doing a film with him, they were like “Wow.” Ravi Chandran's work is sheer poetry. The songs are a treat. There are some amazing underwater shots that are soft and romantic. The visual sensibility is notches above what we've seen before. I love the songs for their choreography too. Harris weaves magic with his music. The appeal lies in the simplicity of his tunes.
HYDERABAD HO! The Telugu industry has welcomed me with open arms. The success of my debut film Anaganaga O Dheerudu has spurred my journey in Andhra Pradesh. Currently, I'm shooting for Oh My Friend . I'm glad I'm able to juggle Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. It's nice being a pan-Indian artist.
TAKE 3 It's a fresh experience to work with a woman director. Aishwarya Dhanush has a good script and she's doing a great job. 3 is not your regular boy-meets-girl story. My role is offbeat. It's a privilege to act with National-award winner Dhanush. Shooting is on, and I'm enjoying every moment of it.
MUSIC? NOW? Where is the time? Of course, I will not turn away from playback singing. As for composing independent music, there simply is no time. It's just taken the backseat for now. Music can never leave my life. I will someday get back to it and give it my 100 per cent.
ALL WORK, NO PLAY I wish we had 48 hours a day so I can juggle my dates better! People think showbiz is a bed of roses. It's not. It's not an easy life. It's work, work and more work. But I've no regrets. I'm pushing myself hard to do as much work. Never mind the air and road journeys. Never mind the 3.00 a.m. shoots. I've been exposed to showbiz schedules from a young age. Mom and dad worked really hard to shape their respective careers.
BAGGAGE OF BURDEN? Showbiz is a baggage. There are pluses and minuses. You can't avoid public scrutiny of your personal and professional lives. I'm very much committed to the inner rhythms of my work. At the same time, I choose to ignore the rumour mill. Every phase in our lives comes with a different set of priorities. Right now, it's just work for me. Even my favourite chocolates and desserts can wait!
