Actor Ileana D’Cruz spent the last two years with her family in the US. And she reveals that the pandemic took on a toll on her. The tough situation also gave rise to uncertainty. She says, “2021 wasn’t the best year for me. It was really difficult. In fact, I got to a point when I was considering if I should continue it (working). I think a lot of us went into a little bit of a funk.”

But the moment she landed in India, things took a positive turn: “When I came to Mumbai, everything fell back into place, even though we were still in the middle of a lockdown. There was a sense of optimism because of the support system around me.”

With two films in the pipeline, the Pagalpanti (2019) actor feels grateful to have pushed herself to move forward rather than sitting still. “I am glad that I stuck around. A lot of people were confused because I was in the USA for a while and they assumed that I’ve moved there. I’m definitely not moving; I’m still here and keen on doing lots of work,” she asserts.

Having been a part of a several commercial films in the past, the 35-year-old now wants to do meatier roles. “I am seeking nuanced and complex roles. I like doing commercial cinema, but it’s a vague space. I want to do something that’s unexpected of me,” she ends.