Shruti Haasan, who dropped her third original song video – ‘Monster Machine’ on October 26th, speaks to DC about the theme of the song, how she embraces her inner monsters, and wider topics like her passion for music, how cinema helped her music career, and her illustrious dad Kamal Haasan.
About Monster Machine
It began with a tune on the piano. My songs usually stem from powerful internal feelings. Relationships have been my greatest teachers, especially intimate relationships. They’re such a potent source of learning. Using relationships as a narrative just feels right to me. This song, however, is more of a love letter to myself. It talks about embracing my inner monster.
Broader themes
I wanted to address the sisterhood of feminism subtly. The song begins with the line ‘I am dead’, which refers to the numbness and denial we often experience. I envisioned an angry female protagonist for the video. It showcases dichotomies in my own life – one moment I'm lost in bizarre thoughts, and the next, I'm back to reality. A bit of fun as well.
The ‘witch’ theme
The witch archetype resonates with me. Throughout history, women who didn’t fit societal norms were labelled as witches or demonized. A witch is simply a woman who challenges the status quo. I wanted to tap into that narrative. ‘Monster Machine’ is about a situation where a person is constantly told they are this or that. They end up enjoying being the monster. But the more you ignore your monster, the bigger it becomes. Don’t control it, embrace it.
The Visual Treat
We spent a lot of time editing it. The entire team, including our director Dwara and his team, worked diligently. Blessed to have the art director Chalapati garu of Salaar, and DOP Buvan Garu, who really helped us put the visual together in a way which appealed to my love for dark and gritty themes.
Balancing Act
I genuinely enjoy both — commercial films and personal projects. It’s instinctual. When I’m present in a particular moment or project, I give it my all. I believe in staying rooted in the present, whether I’m portraying a commercial role or diving deep into an emotional character.
Playing the Part
There are films I choose for certain reasons — sometimes commercial, sometimes financial. Most of the time, though, it’s because I want to play that part.
Film music or independent albums
They’re distinct, but there’s a symbiotic relationship. Independent musicians express themselves authentically. Films are now incorporating independent music, which is a testament to its growing appeal. However, I don’t craft my music with trends or platforms like Reels in mind. I prioritise authenticity.
Acting or singing
Yes, my music has greatly benefitted from cinema. The way I write now is to treat it like a screenplay. I allow myself to be a character. The song has got a beginning, middle, and end. Even character-building for a song comes from my experience in cinema.
About ‘The Eye’
The Eye is on the festival circuit now. It’s really nice because I was working with a team of women for the first time. And it isn’t only about novelty. There was a genuine bond of sisterhood among these women. And they got me to play the woman whose story it is. It’s honest, authentic, and simple.
Reality-based shows
I don’t watch reality-based stuff actually. I enjoy fiction. If it has to be reality-based, it’s probably got to be a documentary. Having said that, it is nice to hear that there’s a whole generation of people who feel closer to Bigg Boss Tamil because of the wisdom with which dad approaches a problem. I think people like it because by nature, my father’s not judgmental. He’ll give you his opinion. He comes at it with humour and compassion. He never says you’re a bad person or an idiot.
Dad celebrates artistes
He’s always been very supportive of my music. His approach with me is, ‘I’m so glad you’re successful’. He’s an actor who created his own opportunities and own world to play the parts he wanted to, and write them too. So he’s always wanted me to do something like this. He will never disagree with authentic content. Not just me, he feels the same about any filmmaker. He always celebrates artistes who take that extra step to do what they’ve wanted. We still have fun doing commercial films.
