Shriya reveals her health secret as ‘Many people drink hot water when they suffer from cold, but I always drink hot water. It helps our digestion system and makes me active’.
‘Health and beauty are sisters, if we are unhealthy, we don’t appear beautiful. If we want appear active, it needs good health’.
Shriya Saran doesn’t like people to wait for her.
When we met her at a Delhi hotel recently, she kept repeating, “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” And this for only a five-minute delay! She even participated in the photo shoot actively, choosing the light against which the pictures would come out best. “I love the camera,” she told us. Looks like Shriya feels the need to execute each and every thing to perfection. She even relocated to Delhi just to learn dancing from danseuse Shovana Narayan. “Yes, I trained with her here in Delhi,” she confirmed. Shriya also chooses movies after ensuring she’s in for something she believes in. She feels that it is essential for young actors like her to portray the country in a good light. “Before signing the Hollywood flick The Other End Of The Line, I was very clear that India should be portrayed as it is. I want India to be shown in a positive light. Don’t glorify or beautify it, but show it exactly the way it is now,” said the actress, who prefers calling Bollywood, Tollywood and Kollywood only ‘Indian cinema’.
South is all for fuller figures, while size zero has caught Bollywood’s fancy…
The scene is changing down South. Size zero is also pretty cool. It all depends on what suits an individual. Those who lead a life under the arclights, need to be conscious of how they look, without looking unhealthy that is.
Having delivered a couple of hits down South, you are all set to climb the Bollywood ladder. How different are the two industries?
Is there supposed to be any difference in the first place? End of the day, what these industries churn out is Indian cinema. Maybe the flavour changes a little with the variation in language, but there isn’t any major difference as such.
How was the experience of shooting for Deepa Mehta’s What’s Cooking?
This is the first time that I’m working with Deepa Mehta and all I can tell you is that we had a blast on the sets. Before every scene, the actors would also be asked to improvise beyond the scene and that helped us go the extra mile. My co-star, Seema Biswas, was also inspiring, to say the least.
How did the Hollywood film, The Other Side Of The Line happen?
It’s a simple story — director Ashok Amritraj had seen Sivaji: The Boss and gave me the script of his film to read. I liked it and took it up. We are through with the shooting and here too, I must mention, I had a great team to work with. In fact, I wouldn’t mind more such Hollywood projects coming my way.
If there’s a remake of Sivaji in Bollywood, who do you think would aptly play the lead?
Me, of course!
No, we meant the protagonist…
Oh, okay. Well, the movie is already getting dubbed in Hindi, why break my head over it?
Out-and-out commercial films like Ek, or parallel cinema like What’s Cooking — take your pick.
Ek is a commercial venture no doubt, but it wouldn’t be a good idea to categorise What’s Cooking, which is an entertaining flick with a strong message. In fact, I would like to dabble with both genres.
You are considered a Southern hottie, would you be able to live up to your hot quotient in the Mumbai tinselville?
This is something I really wouldn’t know. Let time decide.
Do you see competition in B-town?
I’m not here to compete.While Bollywood actors are flaunting their love bites err relationships, those from South are known to be more conservative‘Traditional’ would be a better word to use in this context. And I see no harm in guarding one’s private life. In fact, I wouldn’t like to flaunt my man, if ever I fall in love.
What does ‘if’ stand for?
That I’m single and ready to mingle.
Could you have resolved the Tirumala incident, where you slapped an errant fan, with Gandhigiri?
Well, there’s nothing that cannot be resolved with Gandhigiri. But what’s the harm in standing up for your rights?
The man was constantly shooting lewd comments at me and I couldn’t have tolerated more. I don’t even think that I went overboard.
Shriya is said to be the hottest heroine in Tamil after Shivaji. Shriya earned lot of applauds not just from audiences but also the critics. She is now the darling of many youngsters of Tamilnadu. Director Shankar is now planning to repeat her in his ‘Robot‘ opposite Rajni once again. Previously there were talks that Aishwarya Rai would be acting as Rajni‘s lady love in the flick but due to some dates problem she did not sign the film. Now Shriya has grabbed that lucky chance and let‘s wait and see if she could repeat the wonders again with this film called ‘Robot‘.
Shriya is being the perfect hostess giving parties to all the important bigwigs in the Telugu industry, directors, producers, actors, if they’re a name to reckon with she’s wooing them. The reason being Shriya, who rocketed to great heights after appearing in Superstar’s Rajnikant’s vehicle, Sivaji, didn’t last long in her high perch. Her career took a nose dive after some ill advised choices. Now she’s working hard to repair the damage by wooing the Telugu film industry’s pillars, as well the Tamil film fraternity. Her movie Bagiratha opposite Ravi Teja which ran for 100 days is now being dubbed into Tamil. This is the story of a young man who fights for the rights of fishermen who haven’t got their rightful dues from the government. In Tamil, the title will be Jilla, the supporting cast stars Prakashraj, Nazer and Vijaykumar. Hope this movie gives her career a wake call.
Shriya is the dream girl for many these days. But very few know what her secret desires are. Shriya recently revealed that she has a hot desire to go to Goa and do you know why? She says that she considers that to be the best place to freak out with friends, as Goa is a place where no one questions you if you go nude there!
According to the actress, every woman needs to have the freedom of expressing herself in her own way and Goa is the best place for that. Hope her fans are not reading this…
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Shreya recently had a bad experience when one of her fans misbehaved with her while she was on a private visit to the Tirupathi temple. Sadly, this is not a case in isolation. Actresses like Celina Jaitley and Tanushree Dutta have complained of similar situations some time ago. “There are men who look at actresses only as sex symbols. But this is not about only actresses or models. Everyday, normal women in our country are subjected to eve teasing. We need to raise our voices collectively against such behaviour and make men understand that offensive behaviour or even passing obnoxious comments is just not acceptable,” said Shreya.
Actresses and models in the city agree that a career in the glamour world is still considered not respectable enough in India. As Poonam Baajwaa says, “It is true that a certain reservation still exists when it comes to women in glamorous profession. I know of many men who will not like to marry a woman who is an actress or a model.” Priyamani too reacted sharply and said “People should try to understand that an actress may portray a certain kind of image onscreen, but off screen she is a normal woman. Celebs should also be treated with dignity.”
She made news when she bagged a role opposite superstar Rajnikanth in Sivaji. Shriya Saran speaks on movies and more.
What’s up?
I’ve been shooting for Apoorva Lakhia’s Mission Istanbul. And there’s Ek-The Power of One, a cute love story. I’m playing a hyper-Punjabi girl who talks more and thinks less. In some ways, she’s like me .. (laughs) though I’m not so dumb.
Hopefully, these appearances will be longer than your role in Aawarapan?
The role was brief but it was an important character. I was sceptical initially but Mohit (Suri) asked me to trust him. The girl I played was like a beautiful fairy. Aawarapan strengthened my conviction that all religions are equal.
Many believe that Aawarapan was your debut Hindi film but you’ve done films like Thoda Hum Badlo Thoda Tum and Shukriya earlier?
I signed Thoda Hum.. and Shukriya years ago.. when I was very young. Today, I take better decisions.
How do you look back on Sivaji?
It was such a high to be caught in a massive traffic jam in Chennai on my way to the film’s premiere. Subsequently, people from Bhopal, Jaipur and Mumbai have come up to me and complimented me.
Rajnikant sir is so cool. Although he is the biggest Asian star, he still travels in a small car, doesn’t demand five-star accommodation and chats up the light-boys. And I’ll never forget the lavish dance sequences. Sometimes even (director) Shankar couldn’t recognise me. Once when I wore a blonde wig, my mother thought I was a foreigner.
“Rajnikant sir is so cool. Although he is the biggest Asian star, he still travels in a small car, doesn’t demand five-star accommodation and chats up the light-boys.” There was a controversy over the dress you wore for Sivaji’s 175th day celebrations with some organisations voicing their protest.
It was a knee-length dress. We’re a free country, I should be able to wear what I like unless it’s indecent. Even the CM’s daughter stood up for me. But if I’ve been disrespectful to any section of society, I apologise.
One expected to see you back with Rajnikant in Robot but it will be Aishwarya Rai.
Really? I didn’t know that but I’m a huge fan of Aishwarya’s. I’m sure she’ll be terrific. (Smiles) I’m also a fan of Shankar and if he were to offer me another film I’d grab it.
How did you land Ashok Amritraj’s international project The Other Side of the Line?
They were looking for a Bombay girl, thanks to Sivaji they’d heard of me. I had to attend a two-week workshop. My co-stars Anupam Kher and Jesse Metcalfe were a big help.
The buzz is that you’re dating Jesse Metcalfe?
He’s already into a serious relationship. He’s a nice guy, I respect his friendship. It does become a bit difficult though.. I have to explain things to my parents who are simple, normal folk.
Is it adieu to the South then?
I have Kandaswami with Vikram coming up. It’s a lavish, largerthan-life movie. I wear no-makeup and have very short hair. Hey, north or south, I want to be an Indian star, remember?
Creative director Krishna Vamsi who will be directing a film for hero Vishnu from 14th of this month is ready with his next film script to be titled as Aathma or Rudraksha.
Sunkar Madhu Murali will be producing the film. This will be bilingual film of Tamil and Telugu thriller.
Sarath Kumar, Upendra and Shriya will be playing lead roles. The film will begin to roll from May. The shoot is planned in Aruku ,Ooty and Europe.
GV Prakash, nephew of AR Rahman will tune the music for this thriller.