Shruti Haasan: My dad is very happy that I am working in Welcome Back!

Yes. I was shooting for a song in Zurich for my Tamil film, Pooja. Then I had to fly down in a hurry to finish off the shoot in Abu Dhabi. It is tiring, definitely. I wouldn’t lie about it, it does get hectic. But honestly speaking, and I know this will sound very clichéd, but I’m a workaholic. I’m not one of those who needs holidays to rediscover myself.

Tell us about your role in Welcome Back.

I’m playing a girl called Ranjana, who is Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor’s rakhi sister. My character in the film is the centre of chaos. She is the reason why so many of these absolutely chaotic Anees Bazmee things happen in the film.

What films you are doing apart from Welcome Back?

There is Gabbar, Yaara with Tigmanshu Dhulia, and Rocky Handsome with Nishikant Kamat.

Singing for any of your films?

I have sung for other people in the South, but never really got a chance to do the same for Hindi films. I have sung a song in Tevar, which was fun. I am open to doing songs for other people as long as they don’t mind it.

You’re sharing screen space with Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia…

My dad is very happy that I am working in Welcome Back. All of them have been so lovely with me.

Are you ready to share screen space with your father?

I’m not. I would love to, I would be honoured. And I would love to work with him not because he’s my father, but because he’s one of my favourite artists, I genuinely mean that. Itni mehnat se, I have come here on my own so I need to wait a little more and then I’ll work with him.

What do you have to say about the Deepika Padukone controversy?

It’s not my controversy. I wouldn’t comment on it.

Your parents are renowned actors and there must be pressure on you to deliver as well. How do you handle it?

Well, it wasn’t great. But then, I realised that my parents have had their fair share. When my dad came in, he was a lawyer’s son and he had told me in the beginning that I would need to work on my own. There is no way I could be Kamal Haasan or a Sarika in my first film, that’s not possible.

Your sister Akshara is making her debut in Bollywood. Any tips for her?

No tips and all, we don’t do that in our family. What works for her, will not work for me and vice versa. She’s beautiful, talented and will find her own way.

In a recent interview, you said you wouldn’t mind having a child out of wedlock….

It was an interview I had done ages back for a publication where I had said that I can see myself having kids before I can see myself being married. The idea of being a mother is more comfortable to me than the idea of being someone’s wife. That was it. Having said that, in today’s day and age, it’s very regressive to even question these things. The way I was born, I take no offence to being born out of wedlock.