Even though she is four films old, Shruti Ramachandran still refers to herself as a fresh face. The haunting ‘ghost’ in Pretham was on a short break upon completing the four-day schedule of her first film as a lady lead in Chanakya Thanthram, by Aadupuliyattam director Kannan Thamarakkulam. After Christmas holidays, she’d be back to playing Andrea. Coincidence it seems, Clara of Pretham and Andrea of Chanakya Thanthram are both orphans. “But I was not orphaned in Njan,” she speaks about her acting debut that happened way back in 2014.
‘Age, just a number’
Take a look at her movies, it is clear that Shruti was not at all in a hurry to commit to film after film. There’s a reason that she’d disclose only if asked. When quizzed, she elaborates on a lesser-known bio of herself. Before the pull of the arc lights came calling, she started designing destinies for others. Do people in the film industry know that she is an architect? “I am not sure. My clients are not in cinema.” Holding a masters in architecture, she worked in the discipline and taught it.
Shruti Ramachandran
“After completing my bachelors, I worked for three years and went on to do my masters. I got back to work. I have five years of experience. In between, I taught in a college. Currently, I am freelancing,” she says. She does not even mind disclosing her age, unusual for an actor, male or female. “After all, I believe age is just a number,” she smiles.
What would she like to focus on? Architecture or acting? “Now, I am fully into my character. Coming up next are a few architecture projects. I have signed another movie as well. I am also a dancer. In future, if I get interested in something else, I’d do that too. I want to indulge in everything I like,” she says.
After Sunday Holiday, one more movie happened, Nonsense, which is slated for a 2018 release. Regarding calls from other language industries, Shruti would say yes only if the script is worth a try. “Listening to scripts is an ongoing process. I’d insist on listening to the entire story. I am eager to know how the other characters would affect mine. If I feel comfortable, I’d agree,” she explains.
Shruti feels the Malayalam film industry is the best when it comes to its women. “There are enough actors to fit into whichever genre. If I can’t handle a particular category, there’s another person who’d excel in it. There is throbbing freshness everywhere,” she observes. This is all Shruti has to say about Andrea. “She’s a paavam kutty with a long backstory. I am part of a romance-oriented film for the first time. It’s so challenging. That’s all for now,” she signs off.
