EXCLUSIVE! Waluscha De Sousa: Working With Sanjay Leela Bhansali Will Be A Dream Come True Moment For Me

"I am looking forward to doing some lighter and comedy characters," says Waluscha De Sousa who is currently garnering all the love and appreciation for her character Garima Kalra in Crackdown Season 2 where she plays a ruthless ISI agent.

The model-turned-actress caught everyone's attention when she made her debut in Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan's 2016 action thriller Fan. But, she believes that OTT has been a game changer for her career. In an exclusive conversation with Filmibeat, Waluscha De Sousa talks at length about her journey in the film industry, her aspirations, and dreams.

Excerpts from the interview.

Q. You are receiving a great response for Crackdown 2. How are you feeling and did it satisfy the actor within you?

A. The actor in me is jumping with joy, if I can be honest. Crackdown Season 1 did very well and it was appreciated by the critics and by the audiences, especially the character I played. And going into season 2 has just been more than I expected. Of course, I was nervous because expectations are a lot higher this time. And you want to give audience what they want. You want to give your best to the director and the people who put money into the project. You also want to raise the bar for yourself. So, there is a lot at stake. But the response for season 2 has been phenomenal. The viewership has been tremendous. This season is such action-packed and every episode ended with a cliffhanger, so I think all these elements worked together to make this a success. I didn't expect love coming in for a negative character. It's beautiful to get that kind of response after putting so much hard work into it.

Q. How was it playing the role of an antagonist and how did you get approached for the role?

A. Director Apoorva Lakhia had said to me that I will offer you a role, in season 1 you will come only at the end, but I promise you that only in those 15 minutes on screen, you are going to make a huge difference. I guess a lot of actors don't want to take that risk, to make a debut on OTT with a negative role. But when Apoorva asked me if I'm going to take a chance, I said yes. I was ready to take a chance because it's an action genre show and it's Apoorva Lakhia. And I think, it definitely paid off. Shooting with Apoorva is an absolute pleasure. He is very meticulous in his approach, but at the same time, he gives an actor enough space to explore. I am very happy that he took a blind shot with me.

Q. Do you think OTT gave you a platform to showcase your talent and in a way revived your career?

A. 100 percent. There are no two ways about it at all. I think before my OTT debut, there were people who are not willing to even listen to me. I was just asking for an opportunity. People were not ready to take a chance. And I have to be eternally grateful to Apoorva because he took that chance with me. He gave me the opportunity. And I think when the opportunity comes your way, it doesn't knock twice, you just jump to it and that's where you showcase your talent. Post Crackdown, I did a lot of work, whether it was Tanaav or Escaype Live and whatever I am doing right now. It's only because of my OTT debut. All the roles that I am doing post that are very different from each other. I love playing roles that are earthy, grass rooted, it naturally attracts me. I am always attracted to offbeat cinema like Titli, Masaan, and Aakhon Dekhi. So, yes OTT has definitely given actors that opportunity and there is a huge amount of freedom of expression on OTT, so people are writing different content.

Q. What kind of roles do you aspire to do next?

A. I would love to do something where I can explore my comic timing. I feel I can do it. However, who will be going to give me that opportunity, I don't know that. I think it will challenge me as an actor. At the same time, I gravitate towards offbeat cinema. So, that is something I always want to continue to do, character like I played in Tanaav. Then, of course, there is cinema like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's. If I would ever get an opportunity to work with him, that will be a dream come true. I believe that he transports you to a whole new universe altogether. I grew up watching his movies. I have watched Devdas over 15 times I think.

Q. You started your career in modelling, after that how you landed up getting Fan, your debut film opposite Shah Rukh Khan?

A. Yes, I walked the ramp for a couple of years, and then I just stopped in between. When I decided to work again because of some circumstances, I approached a few casting directors and it happened that they were looking for a new face for a role in Fan. So, at that time, I didn't know what I was auditioning for, I didn't know the name of the film, I didn't know it was opposite Shah Rukh, I just sent in my audition tape and got selected. So yes, it was just destiny. But unfortunately, it didn't do the numbers we were hoping for. Shah Rukh had put so much effort into playing both roles, I saw his dedication. So, it felt bad when it was not received well.

Q. Did Fan's box office numbers broke your heart?

A. It not only broke my heart but affected my career too. I guess, the success of a film translates into more work. And when there is no success then unfortunately it also has that effect on your work and on your career. So, it took me a while to get back into the circle of films and stand back on my feet.

Q. Entertainment industry is a competitive space. How do you deal with the vulnerable moments of your career?

A. It is very difficult to deal with. It's not like that phase comes and goes and it doesn't reappear. In an actor's life, it does happen throughout your career. As a creative person, you want to be working and expressing. But once you wrap a film, and you have nothing to look for next, it's not easy at all. People say that at that time you can focus on yourself, work on your craft, and do this and that, but it's not easy. You need an incredible amount of support from family and friends because it can really make you question yourself as an artist. It's like a constant struggle.