Latest news with #Sruthi
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Returning to Gauri from Nathicharami gave me a sense of closure: Sruthi
In the 2018 drama Nathicharami, Sruthi embodied a widow grappling with grief and unfulfilled desires; she briefly reprises this poignant role in Dooora Teera Yaana Sruthi Hariharan is returning to the familiar, impactful role of Gauri from Mansore's 2018 drama Nathicharami . The actress will now reprise the character in Mansore's upcoming Dooora Teera Yaana , in what she describes as finding a profound 'sense of closure'. ' Nathicharami has been much more than just another film in my career; Gauri was one of the most challenging roles I've played. Sometimes a character just sticks with you; you live with them for a while and carry them into your own life because their message truly resonated. That's precisely how I feel about Gauri, a woman who took ownership of her life, bold and unafraid to be herself,' she says. 'Beyond this, working with Mansore again was great, even if it was just a two-day shoot for a very small part. He's truly one of my most favourite directors to work with,' she adds. In a chat with us, Sruthi gets candid about portraying real women in cinema, how female relationships on screen have evolved, and more. I always wondered, 'Where would Gauri be five years later?' And now, we see that she's trekking, single, living her life. That aspect was just beautiful for me to return to Sruthi Hariharan 'Commercial films are yet to portray women realistically' Sruthi, who has often leaned towards bold and unconventional female characters, says, 'More than 'bold,' I'd call them 'real women' – women who aren't perfect, who make mistakes, and who thrive in the grey areas. With OTT platforms giving writers the chance to explore women in their natural settings, there's a noticeable shift in the portrayal of female characters. We now have many amazing filmmakers, both men and women, writing fantastic roles for women across all languages. It is a slow change, but it is happening. However, if you ask me if the representation of women in big commercial films, featuring major stars, has truly changed – I'm not entirely sure. Once that also begins to shift, and we can represent women as realistically as possible even in those large-scale productions, then a lot will change – perhaps even within society itself,' she says. 'Films are finally passing the Bechdel Test' Reiterating how the portrayal of women in cinema has evolved, Sruthi notes, 'The biggest improvement in the writing and portrayal of female characters since I began my career is the rise of stories exploring real, non-superficial relationships between two women. We're seeing deeper meanings given to these bonds, even between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, like we saw in Dabba Cartel. There are more narratives delving into compelling female dynamics. Even if it's just a single scene – and often these interactions no longer revolve around a man. There's a term for it – the Bechdel test, which requires a work to feature at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. I believe many films today are passing the Bechdel Test, which wasn't the case in my time.' 'It's great to see women confident enough to face the camera with minimal makeup' Beyond character depth, Sruthi also celebrates a growing trend of authenticity in female appearance on screen. 'It's truly nice to see women confident enough to face the camera with minimal makeup, not looking overly 'plasticky' or 'done up' – as real as possible. Especially after Nathicharami and even earlier with films like Rhaatee, I've done roles with no makeup. For me, it's about feeling comfortable in my own skin, and I see so many actors doing that today – I think it sends a great message to society at large and to young girls,' she says. 'Safety for women behind the scenes remains a challenge' Even as women's roles improve on screen, Sruthi notes that ensuring safety for women behind the scenes still remains a much more complicated challenge. 'Unlike an office, the film industry's 'workplace' is fluid – even a hotel lobby meeting is a workspace. So, establishing and enforcing rules extremely challenging,' she says. 'To truly safeguard women in the industry, unions and film guilds must set up independent grievance redressal cells, enforcing POSH guidelines, and making ICCs mandatory – at least in each production house, if not on every set. Change must also begin at the grassroots level – with every film set taking ownership of creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive working environment,' she says.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sruthi Hariharan: Representing women in their mid-30s in cinema is vital
Sruthi Hariharan states that actors live in two different and contrasting worlds. "There is an actor's world, and there is my real world. For 15 years, I have managed to find my balance between those worlds," says the actress who was recently seen in the Tamil cinema with the courtroom drama The Verdict, her first release in the language after eight years! In a chat with us, the National Award-winning actress talks about why she feels OTT is helping women in cinema, balancing between work and being a mom, her plans to turn director, and more. Excerpts: 'There are fleshed-out characters written for women across age groups' Delving into how OTT has changed the game for women in cinema, Sruthi says, 'In today's world, where OTT exists and writing has depth, women are no longer just used as pretty faces — at least in most films. There are fleshed-out characters written for women across age groups. I am in my mid-30s, and I think representing women in their mid-30s in cinema is vital. OTT has definitely opened gates for different narratives to be explored. ' 'I got a chance to step away from domestic duties for one month' The Verdict was shot mostly in the US, and taking us through her experience of shooting abroad as a working mom, Sruthi says, 'I've done many films after I had my daughter, but this was the first time that I was away from Bengaluru. So, I got a chance to step away from my domestic duties for one whole month and experience the feeling of what it is like to be a full-time actor. I was always balancing between work and being a mom, and the film gave me a chance to lose myself in my art. Women need to take out time for themselves and give themselves a break.' She admits to having mom guilt, but adds, 'There were spurts of guilt that I would feel, especially because communication was a bit difficult due to the time zones. But I knew that she was happy, as she was well taken care of by my husband and mother-in-law.' 'Varalaxmi is strong-willed; Suhasini ma'am is a legend' Talking about her co-stars in the film, Suhasini Maniratnam and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar , she says, 'Varalaxmi is strong-willed and knows exactly what she wants. The personality she brings into a space is endearing. You cannot help but take notice of her. Suhasini ma'am is a legend. I'd go to her before a scene and ask whether we could rehearse together. I hope it did not bug her too much.' Interestingly, she had played Suhasini's younger version in the Kannada film Ambi Ning Vayassaytho (2018). Reflecting on it, she says, 'The makers showed me a picture where I look like her, and I was like, 'OK, we do seem similar'. ' 'I'm not a spontaneous actor' Describing herself as a "partial method actor", she says, 'I'm not a spontaneous actor. I need to rehearse; I'm a partial method actor. If I have an intense scene, I have to stay in the mood. I cannot break away, laugh in one corner and immediately change as soon as they say 'action'. This is one of the reasons why I am an actor. I consider acting as an escape from my reality. I'm currently working on a Kannada film where I play an antagonist for the first time. My character's core belief is that if somebody doesn't listen to her, she can take their life. It's such an intense emotion to feel, so imagine method acting to that! You end up feeling so much anger within you, and to feel that was challenging. For instance, to get bloodshot eyes, I would crouch and hold my breath for some time." 'My aspirations have changed from just being an actor' Talking about her aspirations at this stage in her career, Sruthi reveals, 'As an actor, I have become more mature and calm. There is a lot that I want to do. My aspirations have changed from just being an actor; I want to write and direct. In fact, that process is happening. I lost a few years to COVID, and also was on hiatus after my baby. I'm now back with so much fire in my belly, and am not going to leave any stone unturned.' Sruthi's faves — Radhika, Tillotama, Kani & Nimisha Revealing her favourites among contemporary actresses, Sruthi shares, 'I really like Radhika Apte 's choice of films. I also enjoy what Tillotama Shome and Kani Kusruti are doing. And Nimisha Sajayan is totally killing it.'
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Optional or essential? Does having female ADs in a film team make a difference?
Sruthi, who worked as an assistant director in Thangalaan (her first film as an AD), points out, 'My efforts would be recognised by most of the crew only if I put in double the effort as a male AD. When Dragon director Ashwath Marimuthu shared the list of assistant directors he had roped in for his upcoming films, it sparked a debate, as the list had no names of women. He quickly cleared the air that merit — not gender — guided his choices. But then the question is, is every director's room supposed to have at least one female AD? Until Chithha , SU Arun Kumar 's direction team was an all male crew. However, he felt it was essential to have women ADs when he began to work on Chithha 's script. 'But I don't hire someone just because they are a woman,' asserts Arun. He ropes in ADs based on their interest, talent, and the rapport they share. 'A FEMALE AD IN THE TEAM REPRESENTS THE PERSPECTIVE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE' 'Building a safer space is our duty,' Arun explains. 'My entire film was shot at night, but all of my female ADs felt safe enough,' he shares. A practice that directors adopt to ensure women feel comfortable is to have more women on the sets. When Arun decided to hire female ADs, he wanted two of them so that they would have company. Halitha Shameem shares that having a female AD brings in an added perspective to discussions. 'When a woman speaks up, not all directors understand that 'she' represents the perspective of a lot of people. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Egypt: New Small Electric Car For Seniors. Prices Might Surprise You. Electric Cars | Search Ads Undo That said, the common belief that just because there is a female in a team, they will point out the political correctness is not entirely right. Even women can be politically wrong. Irrespective of gender, it's all about how much we unlearn and evolve.' 'SUCCESS OF FEMALE DIRECTORS MATTERS' Following this controversy, Aarti Sivakumar, who has been juggling different hats in the industry for 25 years, has launched an email initiative for women aspiring to get into cinema. In the past 25 years, the big change women have is accessibility, she says. 'We are still crawling, but the crawling is on a little stronger feet. And when we have an even higher success rate from female directors, we are going to make a difference. ' 'THE STRUGGLE IS UNIVERSAL FOR WOMEN IN FILMS' Sruthi, who worked as an assistant director in Thangalaan (her first film as an AD), points out, 'My efforts would be recognised by most of the crew only if I put in double the effort as a male AD. Since I work in mainstream films, my physical strength is equally important. I have read interviews of many female directors in foreign countries and I have come to realise that these struggles are universal.' 'CONTRIBUTION & CONFIDENCE CAN CONVINCE YOUR TEAM' Director Madhumita of KD fame recalls that it took three to four days for the unit to listen to her when she made her directorial debut with Vallamai Tharayo in 2008. 'I was the captain of the ship, but it took me four days to convince them that I knew what I was doing. When women in my team face the same today, I tell them to just do what they are meant to do on set — to contribute — and stay confident.' Meanwhile, Sruthi shares that people constantly ask if she'd stop working after marriage. 'This is not something male ADs would face,' she states. Written By: Harshini SV Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Deccan Herald
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
After #metoo, the industry has changed in a big way: Sruthi Hariharan
Set in the US, Sruthi plays Namrata who is the primary accused in the murder of a rich Indian-American lady. The courtroom drama follows the story of whether she's guilty or not and who is the actual culprit.
