I want to sing, dance, and do commercial cinema: Ruhani Sharma

Best from the lot

The 28-year-old says she didn’t decide to be selective; it’s just that she is picking the best out of what she is being offered.

Ruhani Sharma of ‘Chi La Sow’ fame . (Supplied)

During Chi La Sow, there haven’t been stories that were woven around women. Things have changed now and people are writing meaningful characters for women. The audience, too, is enjoying strong women-centric stories.

When asked her opinion about content-based stories, Ruhani Sharma notes, “True, content is king and it speaks volumes. You don’t have to be a star to do a meaty role. I feel it has changed just because of the advent of OTT. Also, OTT has weaned people away from television. I don’t remember the last time I watched a television show.”

Pointing out that her mother sees Malayalam films with subtitles, she adds, “The public is now talking about character artists and how brilliant their work is. Also, female actors who were earlier confined to song and dance are now doing phenomenal work on screen.”

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All about HER

Ruhani’s next is titled ‘HER: Chapter 1’. (ruhanisharma94/ Instagram)

So, did she feel powerful and strong getting into the khaki pants in HER: Chapter 1?

A native of Himachal Pradesh, Ruhani cites an example of how actors automatically get into the character’s psyche the moment they do a look test. In her case too, it was the same.

“The costumes help you understand the character by 30-40 percent. The moment I wore khaki, my walking style changed. It wasn’t planned and the director was happy with the outcome.”

She elaborates: “My body language is different in every film. The directors make me realise that. The way I walk in real life and the way I walk while playing a role is quite different. Since I think so much about the character, I tend to become that person.”

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Realistic portrayal

Ruhani Sharma in ‘Chi La Sow’. (ruhanisharma94/ Instagram)

How does Ruhani Sharma’s role navigate in the suspense thriller (HER: Chapter 1)?

The filmmaker has shown Archana’s personal life though they haven’t dug deep.

She is badass, confident, and not submissive. Also, she never hesitates to speak her mind. She has an emotional side, too, and is humane.

Regarding the story of HER, the actor says, “The investigation becomes personal to her at a point. There are quite a few action sequences for which I went through weapon training. But the story is more of a mind-related thing.”

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Ruhani Sharma adds, “Well, we tried to keep it more real. A real IPS officer would not do something cinematic. The female cops are not superwomen, they are human and have emotions.”

Ruhani Sharma. (ruhanisharma94/ Instagram)

Further, the actor observes, “If you have watched Delhi Crime (2019 & 2022), it is in that zone. The USP is the realistic approach and there are lots of twists, turns, and an interesting climax. The police procedure is engaging. I was intrigued by the story and character. I am glad I did the film.”

Director Sreedhar Swaraghav wrote the story of HER: Chapter 1. Except for the actors, the entire crew is new.

Ruhani Sharma quips she wasn’t sure if she could pull this film off. But conversations with the director gave her confidence and she took a leap of faith.

HER was shot in eight months. It has two songs; one is the title track and the other is a romantic song.

Vikas Vasishta of Cinema Bandi (2021) plays her love interest in the flick.

“I have Saindhav, Sree Rangneethulu, two more Telugu films and a Hindi project on cards. I am not taking a break anymore,” she signs off, sporting a wide smile.

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