Actress Sruthi Hariharan believes how women are shown in movies really matters. She says you can't just show women in a bad light on screen and call it entertainment.
After a quiet few years, actress Sruthi Hariharan is all set to make a comeback with a line-up of very different films. With movies like ‘Mudhol’, ‘Cheetah’, and ‘NH66’ in her kitty, audiences can expect to see Sruthi in roles they haven't seen her in before.
There was a time when Sruthi was mostly seen in traditional heroine roles, but the characters she's getting now are more diverse and have more substance. In a recent chat, Sruthi Hariharan opened up about this new phase in her career, the joy of working in ensemble films, the uncertain future of theatrical releases, and the importance of making films she truly believes in.
‘I always wanted different kinds of roles to come my way’
“It’s actually surprising that none of my films have been released in the last two years. But most of the films I’ve worked on in the last two-and-a-half to three years are expected to release this year or early next year,” Sruthi says. “All those films are very different. I may not be playing the ‘heroine’ in the usual sense.”
“But these roles have a lot of weight; they are challenging. I’ve always hoped that such different work would come my way,” she adds. “Whenever I get an opportunity, I don’t like to let it go. If I think, ‘Wow, this is really interesting,’ I just take it.”
For instance, Sruthi’s upcoming film ‘Mudhol’ is an ensemble movie. She particularly loves working on such films with many artists. “When there are a lot of actors on set, there’s a lot of conversation and energy around. You have to find your own space in the film. In most cases, that pushes me to work even better,” says Sruthi.
‘Art has immense power beyond just entertainment’
For Sruthi Hariharan, the representation of women in cinema is just as important. She believes that showing women in any manner just for the sake of entertainment is not acceptable.
“It’s very important to question the writers and the male gaze. I’m not saying it’s wrong to celebrate your sexuality. Absolutely not. But at some point, it’s important to understand if something is demeaning to women, or if a woman watching that scene would feel embarrassed,” Sruthi explains.
“Art has immense power. As filmmakers and actors, we have the power to convey an important message while also providing entertainment. Entertainment is also important. But we must also understand the kind of impact our work can have on society,” she elaborates.
‘We can either blame each other or just keep making films’
When asked about good films not getting the expected response in theatres recently, Sruthi admits there’s no easy answer. “We’ve all thought about why this is happening. We say the audience isn’t coming to theatres. But on the other hand, there’s also the question of whether we are making films good enough for the audience to come. It’s like the chicken-and-egg situation,” she says. But Sruthi is clear about her own stance in this situation.
“Filmmaking, especially in the Kannada industry, has become a huge risk. Yet, there are people who are still taking that risk and making films. We can sit around and blame each other. Or, we can continue making the films we believe in, films with good writing, in our own way,” Sruthi shares.
‘A film is not two hours of work; it has years of effort behind it’
If there’s one thing Sruthi wants the audience to understand about the film industry, it’s the immense effort that goes on behind the scenes. “A film might be two or two-and-a-half hours of entertainment. But behind that film, there are years of hard work by many people. It’s easy to reject a film instantly.”
“But it’s important to at least give it a chance. Come to the theatre, watch the film, and give it some time,” she requests the audience. As Sruthi Hariharan gears up to return to the big screen with diverse roles, her words carry a clear message: cinema is not just entertainment; it’s a product of risk, hard work, and belief.
