Sruthi Hariharan photoshoot stills by Kalyan Yasaswi

Sruthi Hariharan photoshoot stills by Kalyan Yasaswi

SRUTHI HARIHARAN, 30, actor, producer If there was ever any damsel who didn't need a hero to be saved, it was probably portrayed by Sruthi Hariharan. Known for her unconventional repertoire of films, she is today the poster girl of the new wave of Kannada cinema. A Bharatanatyam and contemporary dancer who dabbled in theatre before venturing into films, Sruthi's role in Lucia (2013) won her a fan following in the Kannada cinemasphere. Merging mainstream with indie, her nuanced performance as a widow coping with desire and loss in Nathicharami (2018) won her a National Award. When the #MeToo movement swept the south, Hariharan was among the boldest voiced to refuse to be cowered by the industry's macho antagonist. "IF I kept quiet, I would not be able to respect myself. It would give perpetrators the confidence that they wouldn't be named, so I spoke up", says the actor, who is currently working on a Tamil web series.