STAR
For a girl who had oily hair and wore spectacles when she was growing up in a small town to being voted the `Ultimate Hottie of the South ’ in an online poll , Shriya Saran has traversed an eventful path . She ’ s an avid reader of Haruki Murakami , practises Vipassana meditation and runs a spa that employs visually challenged people . It ’ s difficult to define Shriya , it ’ s even more difficult to categorise her . She can be this , that and all things at different times . Some know her as the hard-to-please diva while others will swear that she is the sweetest thing on two feet . So , will the real Shriya Saran please stand up ? She responds with her trademark school girl giggle and says , “ I guess I ’ m all of them . Don ’ t we all behave differently with different people in different circumstances ?” Trust her to say it like it is . But people close to her know for a fact that she is quite a simpleton at heart , straight forward , at times self doubting , mostly super confident , loves dressing up , wonders if she ’ ll make a good mother , loves her mom , takes life ’ s challenges in her stride , is a die-hard romantic , optimistic to a fault , that ’ s who she is . And oh so pretty ! One of the few actresses who look better off screen sans make up than on it ! “ I wasn ’ t the prettiest girl in school . I was known more for my dance than my looks when I was growing up ,” she remarks .
It ’ s been around 15 years since her Telugu debut in Ishtam but , “ It ’ s now that I am truly enjoying my work . I feel a strong connection to it ,” she says reminiscing , “ Initially , it was all fun and games . Work meant meeting new people , seeing new places , a whole lot of fun . Today , it is a lot more . It is about exploring more characters ; it ’ s about evolving mentally and spiritually .” Everything she does , she does intensely whether it ’ s her meditation , running the spa or facing the camera . “ For me , it ’ s all about love and heart . If I don ’ t feel deeply for something , I just switch off . Even where my films are concerned . Whenever I didn ’ t feel connected to a particular role or film , I didn ’ t even bother watching it . They gave me the CDs but no , sorry , I am so stubborn that I refused to watch .” So what goes wrong in such films ? Why does she not feel good about those roles ? “ Between the writing table and the editing table , a lot happens . Sometimes , things don ’ t turn out the way you wish them to . But there ’ s no point in the blame game . Sometimes you go wrong , sometimes somebody else goes wrong . Honestly , you can sense on the 2nd or 3rd day of the shooting that something is not right . That ’ s when the disconnect happens . But you know it ’ s a part of our profession . You live and you learn ,” she says philosophically .
What does acting mean to her ? “ It ’ s my life . Acting has been like going to school for me . Sometimes I have learnt a lot , at times I haven ’ t . Every film has taught me something though . I am so , so indebted to South films . They have given me my identity , my profession , success , name and fame .”
Any people instrumental in making things happen for her ? “ Yes . Yes . Vikram and Raj , my first directors , Rajinikanth & Shankar for Shivaji , Nishikant Kamat and Ajay Devgn for Drishyam , in fact all my co stars , producers , long list . But most importantly Nagarjuna . He picked me up from nowhere for his film . His house is an open house for me . I know both his sons well . Amala is also my friend . She is the one who introduced me to Vipassana .”
16 LULU HAPPINESS FEB-MAR ‘ 17