Everything I do, I do with my father’s name in mind: Meghamsh Srihari

Nearly six years after making his debut with the action comedy Rajdhoot, Meghamsh Srihari is gearing up for a fresh start with Aasman. “It’s a thriller, a genre I’ve always enjoyed, and I specifically wanted to take up something that doesn’t follow the usual template.

The shoot is set to begin in May,” he says.‘Aasman feels like the right film for my return’Looking back on his first film and the years that followed, Meghamsh says, “Rajdhoot happened mainly because I wanted an escape from my routine college classes, and the opportunity presented itself at the right time. Later, I did another project where I had to become very lean for the role, but I personally didn’t enjoy how I looked during that phase.

That eventually led me to step back and spend time preparing myself better.

It wasn’t a conscious gap I planned to take, but in hindsight, I’m happy it happened because now I feel more ready.”

‘I’ve always felt a responsibility to carry forward what my father built’Being the son of a beloved actor however carries a much deeper sense of responsibility. “More than creating a legacy of my own, I’ve always felt a responsibility to protect and carry forward what my father built over the years,” he says. “I never want to do anything that would bring down his name or the respect people have for him. Before taking up anything, I’m always careful because I never want people to say, ‘Srihari garu’s son made a mistake."

‘My earliest memories of cinema are with my father on set’Far removed from his tough on-screen avatars, Meghamsh remembers Srihari simply as a devoted father. “No matter how hectic his work schedule was, he always made time for us. Even after late-night shoots, he would come home, spend time with us, and make sure he was there for the family.” he says. Some of his fondest memories with his father are from iconic film sets.“I

still remember visiting the sets of Magadheera with my dad when I was about nine years old,” he recalls.

“They were filming that iconic 100-men fight sequence with Ram Charan garu. My dad was shooting as Sher Khan, and I remember telling him that I knew they were filming the flashback portions. He immediately told me, ‘Hey, don’t tell anyone! This stays secret.” (laughs).‘My mom has always been the pillar of our family’The sudden loss of Srihari took a heavy toll on the family, particularly on his mother, Disco Shanti.

“My mom has always been the pillar of our family, but after dad passed away, she went through a very difficult period emotionally,” Meghamsh says. “I still remember my brother and me sitting with her and telling her that we wanted to see her heal. From there, it became a gradual journey for her. She slowly started getting back into everyday life.

” Despite everything the family has been through, humour remains central to their relationship.

“My mom and I are like Tom and Jerry,” he says. “She loves making fun of me all the time, but honestly, she’s also one of the strongest and most admirable women in my life.”

‘Tamil cinema is on my radar’Growing up between Telugu and Tamil cultures, Meghamsh says he picked up Tamil gradually over the years.“At home we mostly speak Telugu, but whenever I went to Chennai to meet my mother’s side of the family, my cousins would rag me in Tamil because I couldn’t respond properly,” he recalls. “That pushed me to actively learn the language. I grew up watching a lot of films of Rajinikanth sir and several other Tamil actors, and slowly I started understanding Tamil.” Today, he says, both languages coexist naturally at home. “My mom usually talks to me in Tamil and I respond in Telugu — it’s a very natural.

Today, I can speak and follow Tamil quite comfortably, and I also plan to act in Tamil films by the end of this year,” he says, signing off.