Shruti Haasan and her band have been rehearsing in preparation for her live concert in Hyderabad on March 28. “I could not perform live music last year since I got busy with Coolie. I’ve been waiting to do a gig soon after wrapping up the film. It’s been fun jamming with the band. Island City Studios in Mumbai has become our second home,” says Shruti, speaking over the phone from Mumbai.
Talking about her five-member band and music producer Karan Parikh, Shruti says, “This is a great team; I love it that we all share a comfortable equation and enjoy making music together. It is like a match made in heaven and this is more important to me than love.”
The live gig in Hyderabad, titled Shadows & Silhouettes, will also feature The Deccan Project. Shruti is appreciative of the band’s music and says, “When I was performing in the UK, I used to be excited about who was performing before me, because that is how I started off.”
Music lovers can expect her independent English singles such as ‘Monster Machine’, ‘Her’, ‘Edge’, ‘She is a hero’ and her Tamil single ‘Inimel’, alongside her popular film songs. “There will also be songs that I have not released on my YouTube channel but snippets of which people are familiar with from my Instagram feed.”
The red thread
When asked if she plans to release a consolidated album, Shruti says at the moment she is focussing on singles in diverse themes. “In the future, maybe I will come up with a concept-driven album. Singles work for me now. I believe in the Japanese idea that everything is connected by a red thread and hope that it applies to the diverse music I am working on.”
Shruti Haasan
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Special Arrangement
Shruti admits that the independent music scene is a different ball game from film music. “The numbers are vastly different. I want to reach that level where music can be a self-funding business for me. Ideally I would love to work on music for six months a year. I have realised that my strength lies in live performances.”
She hopes to perform in other cities, including her hometown Chennai. “As a teen, I would listen to music at the Unwind Center and chill out in the parking lot. Meeting other metal heads, it felt like we were a part of a powerful secret society.”
In 2018 and 2019, she performed a series of concerts in London, which gave her the confidence to explore music further. “I had taken a break from movies, was reticent and going through a phase of self-analysis. London accepted me and it became my home. For my first few gigs, the venues were packed to the brim. The audience included the Indian diaspora. Some came in thinking I would sing in Tamil, others who had grown up on Tamil or Hindi film music but were also familiar with hip hop, rock and metal warmed up to my English music. I remember a 16-year-old girl attending my concerts, accompanied by her dad. I learnt that they drove three hours to come and listen to me. All this boosted my confidence.”
At the time, Shruti was adamant about performing only independent English music and refrained from singing film songs. “Now I am open to doing both.”
Movie mode
Things changed during the pandemic. As lockdowns lifted, Shruti worked in Telugu films Krack, Waltair Veerayya, Veera Simha Reddy and Salaar: Part 1- Ceasefire. “My musician friends in the UK and USA are still finding their feet post pandemic. We have fared better in India and I shifted to movie mode. God has a plan for everything and I am happy to do different things.”
In between filming for Coolie in Pattaya, Thailand, Shruti performed with a local band for three nights. She says about the unexpected collaboration, “I had two days off and was chilling with my team at Tree Town Pattaya. I could hear metal music in the vicinity and went to listen to the band. The waitress noticed me singing along and informed the band. No one knew me there. They called me over and we performed a few rock numbers. I sang with the band for three nights. I made new friends and they are all part of my Instagram community.” She pauses and adds, “I have always been antisocial, or rather awkward with people. But I have always made instant connections with musicians since my teens.”
The collaborative shift
Shruti acknowledges the recognition mainstream cinema has given her. Mention that her part in Race Gurram is still referenced in conversations and she says, “I am eternally grateful to Telugu cinema. Race Gurram was a fun experience. I remember how Surender Reddy and Koratala Siva garu were open to my ideas. In the initial stages of my career, I would quietly do what I am asked to, so that I am not branded as difficult. But they both noticed that I grasped the vibe of that crazy character and encouraged me to do it my way. Today I find more directors open to ideas from women, be it Lokesh during Coolie or Prashant sir for Salaar. I don’t go overboard because that can be annoying. But it is nice to have that collaborative atmosphere on set.”
Moving on to talk about her international film The Eye, which was screened as part of the recent Wench Film Festival 2025, Shruti says a wider release is on the cards. She has also composed a song, inspired by her character Diana, for the film’s rolling credits. “I was more than happy to do it. I enjoyed working in the film so much that I could not part ways with the team easily. Soon after completing the film in Greece, I had to rush to Switzerland to dance on the snow with Chiranjeevi garu.” Composing a song for The Eye, gave her an emotional closure. “This process was cathartic.”
Coolie, her Tamil film directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni and other bigwigs, is her next big release. “I am excited about both The Eye and Coolie and it marks a new path in my career. I am open to different films and talks are on.”
(Shruti Haasan and band will perform live on March 28; 8pm onwards at Odeum by Prism, Financial District, Hyderabad. Tickets on bookmyshow.com)
Published – March 24, 2025 07:27 pm IST
