Actor Shriya Saran has never believed in fitting into neatly defined boxes. In a candid conversation with Hindustan Times, the actor opened up about her journey, her upbringing, and why labels—especially being termed a ‘South star’—don’t define who she is, even though she deeply values the love she has received from Southern cinema.
Shriya Saran talks about being labelled a ‘South star’ and why she rejects tags: “People start saying these things or start boxing you”
Tracing her roots, Shriya spoke about her early life and the bold decisions that shaped her career. “I was born in Haridwar. I lived there for 17 years of my life. Then I moved to Delhi, so I could learn Kathak from Shovana Narayan ji. That was a huge move at that point in time. Then I started acting when I was 17. And that was a huge step for my family because my dad’s an engineer, mom’s a teacher in DPS, and it was like ‘what!?’”
Her transition from a small-town upbringing to life in the capital came with its own challenges, but also valuable lessons. “Because I was a small-town girl in Delhi, it was a cultural shock for me. From there to LSR and then when I went to sets, learning new languages, all of that, I feel really prepared me for life.”
While Shriya is often described as a ‘South star’ due to her extensive work in Telugu, Tamil, and other southern film industries, she acknowledges the affection she has received from audiences there. “The kind of love South has given me really makes me blessed. My heart is South Indian, I feel.”
However, she believes that being boxed into a particular image is more about perception than limitation. Reflecting on how actors are labelled, she said, “One of the things that I learned is that you are what you believe yourself to be. If you keep growing and learning and let life teach you things, you start living it better. But if you start thinking life is coming at you, or it’s attacking you because people think like that for you, or they are boxing you, then it’ll become a battle. While you can actually use it as a kind of flavour that this is what they think of me; this is my flavour.”
Shriya added that public perception can also be a sign of success. “People start saying these things or start boxing you, is when they’re noticing you. Then you break that, and you become something else”.
Over the years, Shriya Saran has seamlessly moved between South Indian cinema and Bollywood, building a diverse filmography. In the South, she is widely known for major hits like Tagore, Chatrapathi, Sivaji: The Boss, Pokiri, and Drishyam (Telugu and Tamil versions). In Bollywood, she has featured in films such as Awarapan, Mission Istaanbul, Drishyam 2, and Gamanam, showcasing her ability to adapt across industries and storytelling styles.
As Shriya continues to evolve as an actor, her journey stands as a reminder that identity in cinema doesn’t have to be confined to geography – and that sometimes, breaking the box is part of becoming something entirely new.
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