Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; December 18, 2017)

She was all of 16, when she casually met designer Wendell Rodricks in his office. And though she was in her school uniform, he spotted the model in the gorgeous, athletic girl, in front of him. Waluscha De Sousa has come a long way since. In a chat with BT, she talks about her plans, which include waiting for the right film, hosting shows and doing music videos. Excerpts:

Your toned body and six-pack are much talked about. How do you maintain it?
It takes a lot of dedication to get a six-pack. But when you are already fit, it just takes pushing yourself a little more. I don’t believe in fad diets — I eat every two hours and in moderation. A high-protein diet works for my body type and I stick to that.

Your six-pack came into focus when you did Himesh Reshammiya’s single, Trippy, early this year...
Himesh and I had an idea of how we wanted the dance video to be shot and what I’d be wearing for it. I wanted to give the audience a different look, so, I took to pilates, weight training with cardio and maintained a strict diet to achieve the desired look. I am quite proud of it now.

How different is the new music video, Kisko Pata with Yash Wadali (of Wadali Brothers fame) from Trippy?
Kisko Pata is a fun dance track with romantic overtones. I always want to do something different, so after showing off my six-pack in the first one, we chose the fire element for the second. I was literally melting and sweating while shooting for the video in Goa. I was shooting with a fire close to my face in hot weather, but eventually it looked outstanding. I am really happy that people are appreciating and liking my work.

Last year, you made your dream debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Fan. How was the experience of working with him?
Fan was a great coming together of big names and it was a great opportunity for me. I was 17 when I did my first TVC with him. Even after so many years, the man has stayed humble, down-to-earth, charismatic and professional. I think he gave his best performance as Gaurav in the movie. It was great to see that unfolding in front of my eyes on the set.

Which actors would you want to work with in Bollywood next?
The list is endless. After working with SRK, I would now like to work with Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn.

Could you tell us about your upcoming projects?
I believe that your first film always comes looking for you, but it’s the second one that you need to look for. I am waiting and sitting it out, which is not easy. My first film has set the benchmark so high that my next needs to meet the criteria. I have always been choosy, even when it comes to designers and TVCs. That’s the reason why I have always got great work.