It has been over two years since we last saw Shruti Haasan on screen. The actor-musician, 33, says she’d opted to take a break — “Everyone needs one in their life” — to pursue her first love, music, because it is not always easy finding time when you’re working round-the-clock on shoots.
“The way [our] films are made, you cannot make music leisurely,” she says. And so, the break helped. “I’ve always been experimental in my career. Taking that break was to find a balance between music and acting,” says Shruti, who’s spent time in London performing gigs, even as recently as last month. She also has a debut EP (extended play) lined up for release later this year.
Killer elite
But now she’s set to be back in front of the camera, and she’s gone global. As Nira Patel, Shruti plays a super assassin in the TV spin-off of the Jason Bourne film franchise. The show — Treadstone, which will air on the USA Network, takes off from the fictional black ops programs featured in the films, which starred Matt Damon, that was sponsored by the CIA.
Talking of her love for the Bourne film franchise, Shruti says that the action choreography was “different and path-breaking” than what people were used to in spy thriller films. “It was really riveting, especially the close combat scenes,” she says. Filming for Treadstone is underway in Budapest, but Shruti will have her scenes filmed in India. “I play a waitress who is covertly an assassin,” says Shruti, who reveals that the actors are set to undergo a physical training workshop for the stunts. “I’ve always performed my own stunts. [Treadstone] will be on another level obviously,” she adds.
While the show primarily airs for the US market, Shruti is excited for her Indian followers because of the availability of digital streaming options. “Everything gets on to digital [streaming] these days, whether it is an Indian film, a foreign TV show or even soap operas that have been dubbed. This digital revolution is amazing, and that’s because more people end up watching you at their convenience,” she says.
Back to home
Not that it means she is about to bid goodbye to mainstream cinema. Shruti has a Tamil film with Vijay Sethupathi, Laabam, in the works. Of Sethupathi, she says, “He is a generous actor. He is not self-centred and puts himself out there to help his co-stars with the scenes,” she says. Directed by S P Jananathan, Laabam is produced by Sethupathi, and also has Kalaiyarasan of Madras fame and Telugu actor Jagapathi Babu in its cast. The actor confirms that she has completed a schedule of the film’s shoot, and will be resuming filming soon.
“It is a socially aware film, like most of Jananathan sir’s films. I get really excited as a woman and an actor when my roles are given a voice. In Laabam, my role is a big part of the narrative,” she adds. Yet another thing to look forward to for the actor is her role as a chat show host on Hello Sago. Season one of the programme won her appreciation. The actor reveals that a second season is on the cards, but that her schedule may not permit it now.
“We need a loose schedule [to shoot Hello Sago]. It may be harder now, but I’m really interested to do another season,” she concludes.