--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first and foremost criterion for me…" description: "\"The first and foremost criterion for me when selecting a film is the character I am playing, and then the director.\" — Shruti Haasan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/shruti-haasan-6089_character_the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me_2421660.jpg" --- # The first and foremost criterion for me when selecting a… ![“The first and foremost criterion for me when selecting a film is the character I am playing, and then the director.” quote by Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/shruti-haasan-6089_character_the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me_2421660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/shruti-haasan-6089_character_the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me_2421660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/shruti-haasan-6089_character_the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me_2421660.jpg) > “The first and foremost criterion for me when selecting a film is the character I am playing, and then the director.” [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She prioritizes the role's depth over the director's reputation when choosing movies. **In simple terms:** Character matters more than director. Key Takeaway Choose roles that challenge you. Themes career choice artistic integrity film selection Mood thoughtful determined Type advice reflective When to use this quote - audition decisions - script analysis - career planning - collaborations Key Concepts character depth director influence creative fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What role defines your artistic growth? - How do you balance director prestige with character depth? A Different Perspective May overlook opportunities with great directors but weaker roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Criterion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criterion/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-character-1042813/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Foremost Criterion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foremost-criterion-6130782/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Playing Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-director-6130781/) [Selecting Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selecting-film-4315017/) ## Related quotes > [My approach to selecting a film is very simple - it should touch my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sridevi/my-approach-to-selecting-a-film-is-very-simple-it-should-touch-my/) [Sridevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sridevi/) > [For me, the driving emotion of selecting a film is that I just love that story. It may give a message, it may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aamir-khan/for-me-the-driving-emotion-of-selecting-a-film-is-that-i-just-love/) [Aamir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aamir-khan/) > [I was miserable in West Side Story. They really miscast me. I came from the Midwest; what they really needed was a guy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-beymer/i-was-miserable-in-west-side-story-they-really-miscast-me-i-came-from/) [Richard Beymer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-beymer/) > [I was always in love with film and becoming a character and playing something else, and nobody ever told me no, so I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichole-hiltz/i-was-always-in-love-with-film-and-becoming-a-character-and-playing/) [Nichole Hiltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichole-hiltz/) > [I think that I'm very passionate, and I know that if I decide to do a film, my character is going to take over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noomi-rapace/i-think-that-i-m-very-passionate-and-i-know-that-if-i-decide-to-do-a/) [Noomi Rapace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noomi-rapace/) > [I believe that every single person attached to a film is a character and nothing more. I don't categorize them as hero, heroine, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupama-parameswaran/i-believe-that-every-single-person-attached-to-a-film-is-a-character/) [Anupama Parameswaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupama-parameswaran/) > [Legend' is a stylised film. The character I play is a complete egoist. He cannot tolerate anyone touching him or slapping him. Whenever anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jagapathi-babu/legend-is-a-stylised-film-the-character-i-play-is-a-complete-egoist/) [Jagapathi Babu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jagapathi-babu/) > [Music or sound in a film is a character as important as another character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/music-or-sound-in-a-film-is-a-character-as-important-as-another/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [If were were in a film, the villain would turn out to be the least-expected person. But as we aren't in a film, I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerstin-gier/if-were-were-in-a-film-the-villain-would-turn-out-to-be-the-least/) [Kerstin Gier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerstin-gier/) > [I always get self-conscious about what I look like in a film, but less so if I'm a character very far removed from who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-always-get-self-conscious-about-what-i-look-like-in-a-film-but-less/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [The first thing I look at with a project isn't who's directing, whether it's a big film; it's the character and whether I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ophelia-lovibond/the-first-thing-i-look-at-with-a-project-isn-t-who-s-directing/) [Ophelia Lovibond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ophelia-lovibond/) > [I think 'Scarface' is a great film, but if you have a character like Tony Montana, you don't identify with him at all. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-audiard/i-think-scarface-is-a-great-film-but-if-you-have-a-character-like/) [Jacques Audiard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-audiard/) > [Sometimes it is beneficial to you and sometimes it is not. So, you should not pay too much attention to controversies. You should just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prateik-babbar/sometimes-it-is-beneficial-to-you-and-sometimes-it-is-not-so-you/) [Prateik Babbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prateik-babbar/) > [When you are involved with the film and the character, you don't find it tiresome at all. But if you think it's tiresome, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/when-you-are-involved-with-the-film-and-the-character-you-don-t-find/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [When I do a film, it is about how I become a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-pallavi/when-i-do-a-film-it-is-about-how-i-become-a-character/) [Sai Pallavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-pallavi/) ## More by Shruti Haasan > [I am happy wherever I get success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-am-happy-wherever-i-get-success/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I've learnt so much since I joined cinema. I just want to take it as a positive experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-ve-learnt-so-much-since-i-joined-cinema-i-just-want-to-take-it-as-a/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [In Mahesh Manjrekar's films, women find their way into a realistic story in the most convincing way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/in-mahesh-manjrekar-s-films-women-find-their-way-into-a-realistic/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I try and watch as many different films as I can because every film has something to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-try-and-watch-as-many-different-films-as-i-can-because-every-film/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [Sometimes, when I listen to a song that reminds me of something that I went through, I think, 'Oh my God, I wish I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/sometimes-when-i-listen-to-a-song-that-reminds-me-of-something-that-i/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [At the end of the day, nobody will do any favour to my dad by watching his daughter's film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/at-the-end-of-the-day-nobody-will-do-any-favour-to-my-dad-by-watching/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [Any film that can entertain and has a message and cannot be slotted into any genre is unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/any-film-that-can-entertain-and-has-a-message-and-cannot-be-slotted/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I am neither a method actor nor a trained one. So, I don't generally prepare for any role. Becoming the character and being in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-am-neither-a-method-actor-nor-a-trained-one-so-i-don-t-generally/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I started out dabbling in rock and roll; then I did playback, and I have also sung for my own songs on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-started-out-dabbling-in-rock-and-roll-then-i-did-playback-and-i/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I want people to see my movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-want-people-to-see-my-movies/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I trained in Hindustani, and then I went to music school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-trained-in-hindustani-and-then-i-went-to-music-school/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [With so many genres, music is so diverse, which is why it is an exciting thing to do in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/with-so-many-genres-music-is-so-diverse-which-is-why-it-is-an/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [Somebody with no connection to the film industry may succeed, and somebody with all connections to the industry may not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/somebody-with-no-connection-to-the-film-industry-may-succeed-and/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [Having worked in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil film industries, I've been lucky to have travelled far and wide for shoots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/having-worked-in-hindi-telugu-and-tamil-film-industries-i-ve-been/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [Music has always been my passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/music-has-always-been-my-passion/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) [Explore all 100 Shruti Haasan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first and foremost criterion for me when selecting a film is the character I am playing, and then the director.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shruti Haasan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me-when-selecting-a-film-is-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me-when-selecting-a-film-is-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/shruti-haasan-6089_character_the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me_2421660.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/shruti-haasan-6089_character_the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me_2421660.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/shruti-haasan-6089_character_the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me_2421660.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first and foremost criterion for me when selecting a film is the character I am playing, and then the…” — Shruti Haasan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shruti Haasan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first and foremost criterion for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me-when-selecting-a-film-is-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/the-first-and-foremost-criterion-for-me-when-selecting-a-film-is-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```