Shruti Haasan on turning host with Hello Sago, taking cue from Kamal Haasan, and how she’s in a happy phase

Music and cinema have been part of Shruti Haasan’s life for as long as she can remember. It’s been more than a year since her last film, Behen Hogi Teri, released; however, the actress has been quite busy pursuing her music and writing career. She has been collaborating with musicians in London, and even collaborated with a popular indie music producer Nucleya for a song. In September this year, she performed her first live singing gig, which included some of her original works, at a popular venue in London. Shruti Haasan, who was thrilled with the response from the audience, says, “It was quite fascinating to see the response because most of the people didn’t know who I was or what work I had done in India. I’ve been spending quite some time in London and Los Angeles, and it was a wonderful chance for me to explore myself in the truest essence. Since no one knew me, I had to start everything from scratch. Not that I’ve taken my parents’ help while I was in India, but this was quite fulfilling and enriching. It’s a wonderful feeling when you see making an impact on an audience, who don’t carry any baggage about you.” [caption id=“attachment_2170223” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Shruti Haasan. Firstpost Image.[/caption] Now, she has added yet another feather to her cap as a host for an ongoing TV show, Hello Sago, a talk show which focuses on friendship. So far, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Mirchi Shiva, Nakul, and Devayani have appeared on the show, and Shruti is ecstatic about how the show is shaping up. “I liked the format of the show, and it gives me a chance to get to know a different side of people I interact with. I do know a lot of them personally; however, I don’t think any of us can say that we know someone completely. There are layers to your personality. The show gave me a better understanding about their psychology, their likes & dislikes, their crazy and fun side. It truly was a good set-up and a good team to work with. However, it took me a while to say yes to host the show. I have never been part of such a set-up and I had to be sure that I can do a good job. Besides, I’m not someone who’ll be easily charmed by the first layer of the people I talk. I have to dig deeper and know more about them. That’s when things get interesting. There is always an interesting story behind people’s lives. Hello Sago gave me the chance to explore that fun side of every person I meet,” the actress reveals. Admittedly, it was her father, Kamal Haasan’s stint as the host of Bigg Boss Tamil that opened her eyes to the power of this medium. Although Shruti had evinced her interest to explore digital media for a while now, she says that the decision to host Hello Sago was based on something entirely different. [caption id=“attachment_5002771” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Shruti Haasan. Image via Twitter[/caption] “My father (Kamal Haasan) had a lot of fun hosting Bigg Boss Tamil and people saw a different side of his personality. I’ve always seen him be quite communicative, funny, and easy going in real life, but it was only through this show that people at large became well-versed with this side of his persona. For the longest time, actors in South India were hesitant to embrace TV as a medium to connect to people, but in the last few years, a lot has changed. I guess it also a natural progression and a weekly show like this gives you a great platform to stay connected with people. Unlike a film, there is no script, no dialogues that you’ve to recite while hosting the talk show. You’ve to be spontaneous, listen and engage in a different way,” Shruti says, adding, “As an actor, people form an impression about you based on the roles you play, what you share on social media, or through interviews. But there is so much more to our lives. Bottom line is that I want to take up work which makes me happy. I can be selectively social (laughs), but I really love my friends. I’m hoping that the audience too see a very different side of my persona.” Ask her if it is quite liberating to be in a different space in her life, Shruti says, “I’ve worked in India for more than 10 years, and I’ve never been part of a race. I didn’t take up this work for a big pay cheque or to win awards. Acting and music were more of an artistic expression of how I wanted to be, but it still feels like there are several layers to me that haven’t been explored. Take films for instance - women in India has changed so much, but the narrative has been the same. Our portrayal in movies is still quite black & white. I really like the kind of progress that’s happening in the society and film industry in general, and we still have a lot of work to do to tap our full potential. Be it music or films, I hope I can break the stereotypes in a small way at least.”