In Shriya Saran’s words, she was a “bohemian” spirit, calling different parts of the world her home. If she spent her formative years in Haridwar, her subsequent years brought her to Mumbai. The actor felt equally at home in Spain, where she moved after tying the knot with Russian beau Andrei Koscheev in April 2018. But motherhood brings with it unexpected pangs. After giving birth to daughter Radha in January 2021, Saran felt an urge to return to her roots in Mumbai.

“It was almost an overnight decision after Radha’s birth. Before she was born, I was a bohemian, gallivanting from one place to another with Andrei. The Coronavirus pandemic changed a lot of things for us, as it did for most people. I needed family, a home to come back to,” she smiles.

When in Spain, Saran was initially happy to take things slow on the work front. But the artiste in her soon started missing the frenetic pace of shoots. A month after Radha’s birth in January 2021, Jeethu Joseph’s Drishyam 2 dropped online. That set the ball rolling on the Hindi sequel, which would star her alongside Ajay Devgn and Tabu. Radha was seven-and-a-half months old when Saran started prepping to get back to work.

“Andrei used to take care of her while I would go for my yoga and workouts. We first stayed in Madrid, then Barcelona. When I wanted to return to acting, Andrei supported me. He decided to move to Mumbai and start his import-export business here.”

 The couple, who returned to the city in the second half of 2021, first stayed in Bandra, then moved to Lokhandwala, where her parents stay. “I needed my mom’s help. If she has to go out, and Andrei has his meetings, I stay with Radha. Plus, COVID has been hard. So, it’s great to have your family around.” 

How has Koscheev adapted to the change? “He loves challenges. He was excited about moving to Mumbai. He loves that I am independent, and always encourages me.” What does he say about her performances? “He loves the Drishyam franchise. He cried a little after watching Tadka,” shares Saran, who has Kannada film Kabzaa, and the Telugu movie, Music School, in the pipeline.

Last seen together in a blockbuster (RRR) that took the global audience by storm, Shriya Saran is back with Ajay Devgn in Drishyam 2 as his wife, Nandini Salgaonkar. She married Russian entrepreneur Andrei Koscheev in 2018 and welcomed their first child, Radha Saran Koscheev, who was born in Barcelona last year. In an interview with Bombay Times, the actress talks about sharing screen space with Ajay and Tabu in Drishyam 2, her return to Mumbai, her gypsy soul finding an anchor in her daughter and the changing culture of films. Read on…

Director Abhishek Pathak has pushed the envelope further this time around. It’s a strong character and though she is helpless, she wants to protect the family. It’s a well-written character that you can relate to, and the scenes are extremely intense… I would say even more than the previous film. I know the crux of the story, but I haven’t watched the Malayalam original. I think it’s better to approach a different language adaptation as a standalone film, as it has its own style and treatment.

Ajay doesn’t talk much, he is a man of few words and gives you enough room to react as an actor. Maintaining that longevity as an actor for decades isn’t easy and he has achieved that. He acts, has directed and produced films… it’s inspiring to work with someone who is constantly reinventing and growing. I love to work with Tabu as well. She is so easy to talk to and is involved in every scene.

It was very random. We met on a boat in the Maldives and there was an instant connect. We both love travelling, are self-made and started working from a young age. His mom’s a teacher and dad’s an engineer, we had similar upbringing and background. We knew it might work. From the time we met, we travelled everywhere together for a year, and then our parents suggested we get married. We got married a year later on the same day that we had met for the first time (April 19).

Of course, you need to explain a few things, but there’s a lot of beauty in diversity. I didn’t tell him that he doesn’t need to fast for Karva Chauth, he only found out this year that he didn’t need to (laughs). He has been fasting with me before that. He loves rajma chawal, roti sabji and ghar ka khaana over restaurant food. He is completely Indian now.

We are based in Mumbai now as my work really got intense. He is quite funny and he loves the paps. For a Halloween bash, we were both dressed as Mumbai cops, and he enjoyed it. He kisses me when someone’s taking a picture because it’s cute. He is still learning the cultural differences as to how it’s not common for people to kiss in public here. He knew that I was an actor before he came here, but he didn’t know that I was a known face. He is not overwhelmed by the shutterbugs at all. I think my baby loves the cameras as well.

It has taught me a lot. Yes, our lives have changed. We had a bohemian lifestyle, where we wouldn’t follow a set pattern. After marriage, we decided to go to Spain out of nowhere because we wanted to learn a new language or start a business. For some reason, that didn’t happen, so we went to South America instead and lived there for months. I would head back to India for my films and then go to London, we were constantly on the go. During the pandemic, our daughter was born, and our lives are drastically different now. She is like an anchorin our lives, and every life-changing experience makes you a better actor

The moment your child is born and you hold your baby, your heart is no longer yours. It changes you forever. Becoming a mother was beautiful, and I wanted to get back to work for her. I wanted her to know that I am a working mom and have always been a hard-working woman. Also, getting back wasn’t easy. I had to shed all my post-pregnancy weight and get back into shape within seven months. It was extremely hard, but the toughest was to leave her at home and go to work. I want the best for her, but I also want her to see who I am. The first time I travelled for work without her, I couldn’t sleep at night. You constantly ask yourself if you are doing the right thing. Perhaps, I am more serious about my work now because when she sees my films, I want her to say, ‘Mamma, that was great. I am happy you did this.’ She is 22 months old and says ‘Bye’ when I leave and hugs me when I return. I want her to be a child who sees that you need to work hard for the things you want.