Akshara Haasan is stepping into a challenging new phase of her acting journey with Simulacra, a science-fiction film that explores memory, identity and the boundaries between reality and technology.
The actor plays Nivi in the film, which premiered on Waves OTT on July 17. Its unusual premise and the opportunity to portray multiple characters attracted Akshara to the project, while the story’s focus on memory also gave her an opportunity to reflect on the experiences that have shaped her own life.
Beyond Simulacra, Akshara has also spoken candidly about growing up as the daughter of Kamal Haasan and Sarika, the expectations surrounding a star family and the comparisons that have occasionally been made between her and her elder sister, Shruti Haasan.
Why Akshara Haasan chose Simulacra
For Akshara, one of the biggest attractions of Simulacra was its unconventional concept.
The dystopian film imagines a world where technology can manipulate or erase memories, raising questions about identity, emotions and what remains of a person when their experiences can be altered.
Akshara told Mid-Day that the project appealed to her because it offered a challenge unlike her previous work.
“It was something very different from what I had done in the past,” she said, describing the opportunity to portray multiple characters while remaining connected to the film’s original central character.
The role required her to explore different shades of performance while maintaining continuity within a story built around memory and identity.
Akshara Haasan says she would not erase her memories
The premise of Simulacra also prompted Akshara to consider whether she would ever want to remove painful memories from her own life.
Her answer was clear: she would keep both the difficult and positive experiences.
Akshara explained that even painful moments have contributed to her personal growth and helped her become stronger. Rather than viewing difficult experiences as something she would erase, she sees them as lessons that have contributed to the person she is today.
“There are no regrets,” she said.
That perspective mirrors one of the central ideas explored by stories about memory: experiences can be painful, but they can also become an important part of a person’s identity.
The advice Kamal Haasan and Sarika gave her
Growing up with Kamal Haasan and Sarika as parents meant that Akshara was surrounded by cinema and creative expression from an early age.
However, she says her parents did not limit her to a particular professional path. Instead, the guidance she remembers most strongly was straightforward: remain humble and work hard.
“Be humble, work hard. Even if you choose to be whatever in your profession, be the best you can be,” Akshara recalled.
For an actor entering an industry where family background can attract considerable attention, that advice has particular relevance.
Akshara Haasan on being a star kid
Akshara has also acknowledged the assumptions that can accompany being the daughter of two celebrated actors.
There is often a perception that children of established film personalities automatically receive opportunities and face fewer obstacles. Akshara, however, points out that rejection and criticism remain part of the professional experience.
“People assume that we get things easily, but we also get rejected,” she said.
She also stressed that many people from film families choose to establish themselves through their own work. For Akshara, the support of her parents is something she values, but it does not replace her desire to build an independent identity.
“I’ve done it on my own so far,” she said, while acknowledging that her parents remain available if she needs their help.
Her comments reflect a familiar tension for performers from prominent film families: inherited visibility can open doors, but sustaining a career ultimately depends on the work that follows.
Akshara Haasan addresses comparisons with Shruti Haasan
Akshara also spoke about comparisons between herself and her elder sister, Shruti Haasan.
The sisters have both pursued careers in the entertainment industry, making comparisons between them almost inevitable in the public eye. Akshara, however, says those comparisons did not become a significant source of pressure within their family.
“Maybe outside people did try to pit us against each other, but we as a family have each other’s back,” she said.
According to Akshara, the support within the family helped prevent outside comparisons from becoming something that affected their relationship.
“If at home, you’re allowed to be the best version of yourself, then the rest of it somehow ends up becoming noise after a while,” she added.
The comment underlines her belief that she and Shruti have been able to pursue their respective careers without allowing public comparisons to define their relationship.
Building an identity beyond the family name
Akshara’s comments around Simulacra, her parents and Shruti point towards the same broader theme: the importance of developing an identity on her own terms.
Her surname inevitably brings attention, given the legacy of Kamal Haasan and Sarika. At the same time, her career choices and performances provide her with an opportunity to establish a distinct creative identity.
With Simulacra, Akshara has chosen a project that gives her a technically and emotionally demanding role rather than relying solely on the familiarity of her family name.
As her career develops, that balance between legacy and individuality is likely to remain an important part of her journey—and one she appears determined to navigate in her own way.
