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Shruti Deshpande, an actor and versatile performer with a strong theatre background, recently completed a nine-city USA tour of Naqaab alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui, where she essayed the role of lead investigating officer, Inspector Agni Srivastav. Trained under FTII faculty, Shruti has performed at reputed venues including Prithvi Theatre and NMACC and has built a diverse body of work across web series, short films, micro-dramas and the upcoming Tamil theatrical film Yuvan Robin Hood. With nine years of experience in dance and live entertainment, including her journey as “The Dancing Anchor,” Shruti has explored several creative spaces while continuing to establish herself primarily as an actor.
Coming from an Army family, Shruti’s journey into the entertainment industry was far from conventional. She admits that being an outsider meant having to build everything from scratch.
“Coming from an Army background, you don’t have industry connections, so you really have to start from zero,” she says, adding that the industry’s reliance on connections can make finding the right opportunities a longer process for those without an existing network.
However, she believes her upbringing also gave her qualities that have helped her navigate the uncertainty.
“Being a ‘Fauji ki beti’ also teaches you to adapt to different situations; you’ve travelled across the country and experienced different cultures and people,” she shares.
Shruti’s professional journey itself reflects that ability to adapt. Before committing herself fully to acting, she moved from working as a corporate consultant to becoming a dance instructor and anchor. She later created her own brand, CurlyGrooves, and carved a niche for herself as “The Dancing Anchor” before eventually transitioning into acting full-time. Her family was a constant source of encouragement in these changes.
“Through all these transitions, my parents have always supported me. My mom has always called me a fighter, and my dad has constantly supported me and never let me give up,” she recalls.
For Shruti, the journey may have been unconventional, but every transition contributed to the performer she is today.
Her recent experience touring the US with Nawazuddin Siddiqui also gave her an opportunity to observe an established actor closely. Describing her equation with him, Shruti says,
“It felt like having a mentor who was also a friend.” She recalls being able to openly ask him about his own struggles in the industry as well as his approach to preparing for characters. What left the strongest impression on her was his commitment to the craft.
“He believes in a lot of rehearsals, continuous practice and bringing something new to every character rather than doing things the regular way,” she says. F
or Shruti, watching that process reinforced the importance of constantly challenging oneself as an actor.
Beyond his performances, it was Nawazuddin’s ability to bring individuality to every role that particularly stayed with her.
“The fact that he brings something of himself while still making every character feel different is what really stayed with me,” she explains.
She also points to his presence of mind and sense of humour, qualities she believes come with years of experience.
“I think that’s what makes someone an icon,” Shruti adds, reflecting on the qualities she hopes to carry forward in her own journey as an actor.
The tour also gave Shruti a personal memory that went beyond the stage. At the beginning of their US trip, she and Nawazuddin were seated in different parts of the flight, but he made the effort to come all the way to the back to check whether she was comfortable and doing okay.
“Everyone around me was surprised to see Nawazuddin Siddiqui coming over to check on someone, and then they realised he had come to check on me,” she recalls.
Calling the gesture “incredibly sweet,” Shruti says it showed her that he genuinely cared about the people he worked with. For her, that simple moment became one of the most memorable parts of the entire journey.
Shruti Deshpande’s journey has been one of adaptability and persistence – from growing up as an Army kid to entering the industry without conventional connections to building a diverse career across dance, anchoring, theater and screen acting. Her Naqaab tour has been another important chapter in her book, it gave her the chance not just to perform with an acclaimed actor but also to learn invaluable lessons in discipline, preparation and human interaction. Shruti’s unorthodox journey as she continues to carve a niche for herself as an actor demonstrates the fighter her mother always knew her to be.
