Considering your parents are actors, why are you singing?
My father is not known as a musician or a singer but he sings very well. I have grown up listening to music at home.

Have you been training since childhood?
Since I was 14, I have been learning Hindustani music from Suresh Wadkar in Mumbai and later I continued my training from pundit Manohar Kulkarni in Chennai. I did a two-year training at Music Institute, Hollywood, in jazz, country music, western singing and writing songs. From then on, I have written about seven songs which I use it for our rock band—Shruti Haasan and the Extramentals that was started in February 2008.

What made you start your own band?
Instead of being on my own, I thought of collaborating with all talented people and forming a band. All our band members-Jerry on the drum, Krishnan on the bass, Bryan on the guitar have made a mark for themselves in their respective creative fields. We have performed in Cochin and Bangalore. It was well received in all the places and I am really excited to perform on June 24 in Mumbai.

Considering you all are not budding artistes, any plans of making some music for any movie?
Not as yet. We hope to compile all our original songs and release an album in future. Then we shall take it further from there and give the music lovers a different and unique dimension of music.

Being Kamal Hasan’s daughter, has it made a difference in your music career or as a performer?
Nothing on the professional front, but personally, he has always given me the freedom to do what I want. He wishes me to be independent and make my career on my own merits.

You are also trying your hand at acting; what kind of pressures are you facing considering your lineage?
I am no Sarika or Kamal, but I’m Shruti Haasan who has her own style and talent. If people are going to compare me with my parents, then I wish to tell them to fetch one of their movies and watch.

There are talks that you will be debuting in Vashu Bhagnani’s film Kal Kisne Dekha and also a Tamil movie opposite Madhavan.
They are all rumours. I’m going to debut in Soham Shah’s Luck which is produced by Asthavinayak. Sanjay Dutt and Imran Khan will be in the film.