Shruti Haasan followed in the footsteps of her father, Kamal Haasan, by becoming an actor. However, during her formative years, she was more inclined towards direction. She recalls an incident involving her father that sparked her interest in a director’s role.
“I always thought my dad was the ultimate. There was He-Man, and then there was my dad. I used to think, ‘Papa is so cool.’ One day, I visited a set and saw him listening to his director. I wondered, ‘Who is this person that can make my dad act like he’s in a classroom?’ That’s when I realized how cool directing was. It was a very naive motivation at the start,” she shared on Father’s Day.
Now 38, Shruti is juggling her roles as an actor, musician, and producer. When asked if she plans to pursue her dream of directing and perhaps helm a biopic about her superstar father, she responds emphatically, “Oh god no! Definitely not!” She explains, “I would be extremely biased if I made a film about dad’s life. There are more capable storytellers who can do justice to his story.”
Recently, Shruti paid tribute to her father at the audio launch of his upcoming film, Indian 2, celebrating his illustrious career. Reflecting on the experience of performing on stage to her father’s songs, she says, “Papa has had such a prolific, incredible career. It was like finding different treasures in the ocean. It was amazing fun to take all these songs and incorporate them into a newly-produced set that reflected my style and how I play with my band. Infusing my music while honoring what dad’s music means to people was really exciting,” concludes Shruti, who will next be seen in Dacoit and Salaar 2.
