Krystle DSouza on her journey from TV to films: "I never shy away from acknowledging where I came from"

Actress Krystle DSouza has been a well-known name in the television industry for quite a few years, and along with that, the actress has also tried her hands with other mediums and projects. Recently, she was seen in the film 'Visfot' alongside Fardeen Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. The actress engaged in an exclusive conversation with India Forums and talked about various things, including her role in the film, how she bagged it, her journey and much more.

So the reactions have been pouring in after the film has been out, what do you feel about them and how are you taking it all?

Krystle DSouza: Honestly, it feels great because we shot this years ago and were waiting for the right time to release it, to reach people. We knew we had made a great product; it was just about when it would get to the audience. And I think it has arrived at the perfect time. Honestly, I feel like there's a bit of a lack of content these days. So if we've come with Visfot now, it feels really good. I've read many reviews, and it's heartening to see people appreciate everyone's work, including mine. You know, sometimes you get lost in the crowd, but everyone has mentioned something—like "Krystle performed well" or "Breath of fresh air"—and it feels so nice. Thank God I did this film! It takes a lot of courage to step out of what you've done before, especially with a bold film, and when you receive appreciation, it feels amazing.

During the time of Chehre, release dates were also postponed multiple times. Even now, with Visfot, there was some waiting. Did it feel like these delays only happened with your films?

Krystle: Honestly, it didn't bother me much. I feel like things happen when they're meant to. I can't control those things. I can only do my job, which is acting, and then move on. As an actor, you have to move on. Decisions like release dates, posters, songs—they're not in your hands. So, why stress over them? I didn't take much stress. I knew whenever it releases, Visfot would explode (laughs).

Take me back to the day you first read the script or when you found out they wanted you for Visfot. What was your reaction, especially knowing Ritesh Deshmukh and Fardeen Khan were part of the cast?

Krystle: I had many meetings with the director Kookie Gulati, but things were kind of stuck. They even held a press conference, but I wasn't part of it because they hadn't finalized that I would be the female lead. I had almost given up, thinking, "Maybe this isn't happening." I had a string of incidents where I'd be about to get confirmed for something, but then it wouldn't work out. Then one day, I was in the Maldives, and I got a call saying, "There's a press conference tomorrow, can you come?" I was like, "I'm in the Maldives right now, sipping a drink on the beach!" But I told them I wanted to do the film, and they said, "You're on. We won't reveal your name in the press conference, but you're locked for the role." I thought, "Is this my bad timing, that when I need to be there, I'm chilling in the Maldives?"

But, you know, it worked out for the best because there was always this mystery about who the fourth girl in the film was. When I finally came on board, it was like a surprise package. Not many people even knew I was part of the movie until the reveal.

That sounds like quite an experience! You were scuba diving and at the same time part of this big project!

Krystle: (Laughs) Yes! It really was like that—fire in one place, and I'm just chilling underwater with fish! I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy that I got the film, and sad that I was literally underwater and missing out. But I swear, scuba diving is an amazing experience. I love it! I try to do it wherever I can, and I even have a certification as a trained scuba diver. I'm a Pisces, so I feel like I'm more of a water person—I love it! Whenever I'm diving, even when the guide says it's time to surface because of oxygen, I'm always asking for just five more minutes.

Watch the FULL INTERVIEW HERE

(Laughs) That's amazing! Speaking of swimming through various roles, do you feel there's a difference in how actors are distinguished today based on platforms—like being labeled as a TV actor or an OTT actor? You've spent a significant time on TV and are now exploring other mediums. What's your take on this?

Krystle: Honestly, I'm very proud of my television roots. It makes me feel good that I come from a medium where there's so much hard work, pressure, and no time for preparation, yet we still delivered performances. The kind of responsibility we had on TV, I feel people from other mediums may not fully understand. We shot with no breaks—no Diwali, no Christmas, no birthdays. We celebrated everything on set. I'm proud of coming from television. That said, I don't think I can go back to doing daily TV shows because it takes so much dedication and time. But I never shy away from acknowledging where I came from—television made me who I am. And even today, if people recognize me, it's often from my TV characters, like Jeevika from Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai.

Well said! But back in those TV days, when exhaustion hit, did you have a friend from the industry who was always there for you?

Krystle: On television sets, your co-stars become your family. You don't need to call anyone because if you're shooting, they're shooting too. I never felt tired on set. I always felt most alive on set. I'm never dull, even if I'm sick—I'm excited because I'm on set. For an actor, what more do you want than being on set, holding a script, and being in front of the camera? So I never needed to call anyone. My co-stars became my best friends at that time.

That's great! You mentioned reading reviews for Visfot, where your work, along with other female leads, was appreciated. In a big star cast, female roles getting noticed shows progress. Do you think we're moving in the right direction, with more female-oriented content?

Krystle: Absolutely! When I watch shows like Four More Shots Please or other female-oriented content, I feel like, wow, I'd love to be part of something like that! More power to women! As actors, I think women can portray emotions in a way that's unique. Women are so powerful, and I'd love to do more projects with a strong female cast. Look at Heera Mandi right now—so many powerful actresses are part of it, and it looks stunning. Working on something like that would be a dream!