“I saw Deepika Padukone perform. She’s incredibly expressive with her eyes…” says Saras Menon on the journey to carve out her own space. Heart full of passion, beaming with positivity, a live wire—Saras Menon is hungry to win it all.

It’s easy to box her in as a product of privilege, but Saras has turned that privilege into purpose. She’s a multi-disciplinary artist who wears her legacy with pride and puts in the work to carve a space that’s uniquely hers.
Hailing from the household of ace cinematographer and director Rajiv Menon, Saras seems well-equipped to carry the legacy forward, with both sensitivity and spark. Following her poignant performances in Sookshmadarshini and 3BHK, she has a string of exciting projects lined up, including a deeply personal passion project.

In a candid conversation with us, Saras opened up about her love for cinema, her journey through various creative departments, her commitment to mental health advocacy, and more.

1. Firstly, the most cliché question. Your father is a legendary filmmaker and a cinematographer. Coming into the industry and trying to carve out a space for yourself, what kind of challenges do you face?
I think, of course, the legacy of both my father, my grandmother, and my mother’s body of work as artists was incredibly inspiring, but also very difficult to live up to. I was quite afraid of how I’d maintain the standard of work in my family, and also how I’d find opportunities because I had to start from scratch.

When it came to behind-the-scenes opportunities, it was much easier for me to build a network and make connections. But acting in front of the camera took the longest. It took me almost seven to eight years—honestly, even longer—to finally get to act.

2. Your IG bio says, Multidisciplinary artist. Can you define it for us in your words? We have already witnessed you in a few films as an actor, especially in the Malayalam thriller Sookshmadarshini.
I think a multidisciplinary artist is someone who uses many forms to convey a singular idea or theme. For me personally, I really enjoy feel-good and inspiring works of art. I was hoping that learning about the different departments would help me curate the best possible experience for the audience.

So I started out as an assistant director and screenwriter, then gradually moved into direction and creative production, and finally acting. All these mediums have helped me understand what it takes to make a good project and also helped me understand genres better. When I eventually make my own project, I’d like to bring in that understanding of all departments, genres, and concepts.

3. What was that defining moment in your life when you decided to pursue a career in film?
I think when I was in school, I got an audition for the Hollywood film Life of Pi, and I made it to the second round. I felt like, “Oh, if I had the potential to get to the second round, then there must be something here worth exploring.” That moment stayed with me.

I always had it at the back of my mind that I wanted to do something in the arts, particularly films. But after that audition, even though I didn’t get the part, I felt like I really wanted to see where this journey could take me.

4. How has your work as a writer, AD, and costume assistant helped you approach the art when you are in front of the camera?
It helps me a lot with how I present myself, how I understand a character, and also how I support the crew. Because I was a crew member longer than I’ve been an actor, I understand what they’re going through.

I try my best to give input when needed. It’s completely up to the crew whether they want to take it or not, but most of the time, they’re collaborative and open to it. It works in a very nice, creative way.

Character-building and performance-wise, it’s helped me a lot. Working in all those other departments gave me the chance to observe actors closely. For instance, when I was an assistant director, I saw Deepika Padukone perform. She’s incredibly expressive with her eyes and prepares her expressions before each shot. Watching her made me develop my own set of exercises and techniques before each take.

5. You mentioned that you wanted to make films that would make women feel better about themselves. What type of roles or narratives are you most excited to bring to the screen in service of that goal?
I’d love to see more women in films that aren’t just about love. I want to see them in different roles, doing different jobs, something as every day as being a single mother to something as intense as being a spy. I’m interested in all the shades women have to offer. There’s so much scope to explore.

Personally, I’d love to see—and be part of—more action-based films. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a great reference. Whale Rider from New Zealand is another—it’s a beautiful coming-of-age film with a strong female lead. And in Tamil, I’d say Kannathil Muthamittal really dives deep into a strong female character. Sookshmadarshini, and in Hindi, Kahaani, are also great examples.

6. Given your passion for writing and directing, along with great wisdom from your father, where do you see yourself in 5 years? In front of the camera or behind it?
For me, it’ll always be a combination. I don’t think I’ll stop one to start the other. But if I do direct, I’d probably need to take a short break from acting. Depending on the industry and timing, I’d love to direct in five years. Hopefully, by then, I’ll have more songs out that I can also perform.

When I get there, I’ll know. But I do think comedy and drama will always be integral to my work, especially with a strong musical focus. That’s where I feel most comfortable.

7. Going by your IG handle, it’s clear that you are a strong advocate of mental health. So, how important is it for people to address this in a competitive world?
I feel like we all know the words around mental health, but we don’t fully understand them. I’m trying, from time to time, to use my platform to talk about it. I have a lot of friends who work in the mental health space, and they say there are still a lot of misconceptions.

It would be great to address those in a funny, engaging, and relatable way. I feel like if we can understand how our minds work, we’ll understand each other better, and that helps not just in communities, but also in workspaces.

I’d love to do more in this space, through charitable initiatives or personal projects. Mental health resources are still very limited, especially across India. If I can grow my base as an actor and use that to support better awareness and access, that’s something I’d be proud to do.

8. Tell us about your future projects?
There’s also a Tamil OTT show slated for next year, a Telugu project this year, a music video called Sweet Tempo, and two more songs to follow.

Sweet Tempo is a song Santosh and I co-wrote. He composed and produced it. It’s been our passion project. We wanted to create an indie Tamil pop song—something that draws inspiration from Kollywood but doesn’t sound exactly like a film song. We wanted to capture what Tamil pop could sound like.

We put in a lot of effort—we produced the song ourselves and are pushing the project independently since we haven’t been able to get it through to a label. So we really hope the audience supports it and connects with the vibe we were going for.