Waluscha De Sousa has been facing the camera for decades as a successful model. But her transition from modelling to acting has not been easy. From making her acting debut with Fan (2016) to her web debut with Crackdown, De Sousa is happy to explore distinct roles as she works towards gaining a foothold in the industry. In a chat with mid-day, she discusses the highs and lows of showbiz, and why she picked up Disney+ Hotstar’s latest series, Escaype Live.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

My acting debut was with Fan [2016]. Despite it coming from a huge production house and featuring a superstar, the audience didn’t accept the film. Post that, the work that came my way didn’t excite me. The roles usually didn’t have anything for me to display as an actor. So, I took a sabbatical. Fortunately, the digital space opened up by then. I made my OTT debut with Crackdown [2020]. I don’t think viewers expected me to play such a role. I took a gamble, and it paid off.

Prior to Crackdown, it was difficult to stay true to who I am. I had my fair share of being told that things are not going to work out for me. But all I needed was an opportunity. I never shied away from auditioning for roles. There were preconceived notions, ‘Oh, she was a model’, ‘She is a gori’ and so on. They never bothered to ask me where I was born and brought up. Sometimes, I walk into a meeting, and they ask me if I can converse in Hindi. Fighting these preconceived notions is exhausting.

100 per cent. The roles were all about being glamorous or someone’s arm candy. I knew what I had to offer as an actor. I have to thank Apoorva Lakhia [director] for taking that chance with me and giving me Garima Kalra [her character in Crackdown], which displayed my potential.

I was aware that casting for the social thriller was going on. Director Siddharth Kumar Tewary called me [for the narration]. It was a new concept, [tackling] a scenario we are all facing in our relationship with social media. My character Gia Bose is someone who calls the shots, and is a woman in a man’s world. I wanted to play someone in charge, which is so unlike me in real life. I am quiet and reserved, but it was nice to call the shots on the set. At one point, my co-stars asked me if I am going to keep ordering them around [even when the cameras aren’t rolling].

I am a private person. I don’t have a social media game, and don’t think much when I’m putting out a post. They are usually related to my work. There are actors who are good at juggling acting and being active on social media. But I want to [demarcate whether] I am an influencer or an actor. I prefer to stay relevant with my work rather than my social media posts.

A lot of apps have an age restriction, but there needs to be a better [distinction than age]. In the past three years, our relationship with social media has intensified. There was nothing else to do besides be online during the lockdown. The unfortunate part is even schools went online. Whether you liked it or not, your child had to have a phone, and laptop. I remember calling my grandmother on Zoom, something she has never done in her life.

While she understands the need for the junta curfew in the state in this moment of crisis, Shweta Tripathi Sharma says the artiste in her is itching to go back to the set. She was shooting for the technological thriller, Escaype Live, in Varanasi till mid-April before the rising cases in Uttar Pradesh made the unit do a rethink.

“It was 40 degrees when we were shooting there. As actors, it has been physically and emotionally draining because we can’t wear masks [in front of the camera]. We shot for barely two days, after which Siddharth Kumar Tewary [creator-director] decided to postpone the shoot because human lives matter more. The fear of COVID was constantly playing on our minds,” says the actor, who shares screen space with South star Siddharth in the 10-part web series that examines the dark side of social media.

Directors Tewary and Abhishek Sengupta had kicked off the shoot last December in Umbergaon. After the first leg progressed smoothly, a 12-day Benares schedule was drawn up. Tripathi reveals that the first four days were dedicated to workshops, post which they began filming while adhering to stringent safety norms. “On set, we maintained social distancing, and there was constant sanitisation. The DoP [Vishal Sinha] ensured that actors didn’t touch anything while filming a scene. For a cafe sequence, I had to pick up a glass from the table. But he asked me to do away with that gesture, thus minimising the risk.”

Still struggling to get back on its feet after a year of uncertainty, the showbiz industry in Maharashtra has been brought to a standstill again. Owing to the steep rise in Coronavirus cases, the state government announced that all shoots will be stopped for 15 days. Among the films being shot in the state were Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathan, Salman Khan’s Tiger 3, Amitabh Bachchan’s Goodbye. Also, currently, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has a few days of shooting left for Gangubai Kathiawadi. The other pending shoots include a song for Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra, Rahul Dholakia’s Mumbai schedule of Shabaash Mithu, Amit Sharma’s Maidaan, Ahmed Khan’s Heropanti 2 and Om Raut’s Adipurush, among others.

Apart from films, TV shows are also in a tizzy after the announcement. Many TV producers had already started doing the groundwork in the last couple of weeks after cases were on a rise in Mumbai. The places that have emerged as preferred destinations to shoot are Umbergaon, Goa and Hyderabad. Rajesh Ram Singh, producer of Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin and Chhoti Saradarni, says, “Hyderabad has Ramoji Film City and the probability of shoots being stalled is less.” He has also shortlisted Goa for the shoot. “We have seen a bungalow there for indoor shoots. Now we have to take a final call in a day or two. Our teams are geared up to shoot at a new location,” he shares.

Producer Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s studio in Umbergaon is also a possible temporary option for some producers, who have done a recce of the location recently. Siddharth shares, “I am already shooting my show, RadhaKrishn, here, and this is a complete green zone with all the facilities. The place is only a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Mumbai.”

Meanwhile, some producers do not want to shift locations and feel that’s not a solution given the uncertainty of the pandemic. Producer Nitin Vaidya, who has shows like Punyashlok Ahilya Bai and Rudrakaal, says he will go as per the government’s order and stop shooting. “We will air the bank of episodes we have and then the re-runs will be aired. We can’t be changing locations because the Coronavirus scare is everywhere,” he says.

After foraying into digital entertainment with The Final Call in 2019, actor-dancer Jaaved Jaaferi is gearing up for his next with Siddharth Kumar Tewary's tech thriller titled, Escaype Live.

"In the current technological climate, Escaype Live dives deep into the minds of young Indians to reflect the impact it has on their lives. It is conceptually a gripping and relevant idea," says the actor, who made his Bollywood debut with Meri Jung in 1985.

What drew Jaaferi, 56, to the series is the unpredictability of his character. "My character is layered and not simply black or white. It has tremendous potential and the process of discovering it as we go along has been great," says the actor, who will be seen sharing screen space with Siddharth, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Waluscha De Sousa, Plabita Borthakur and Swastika Mukherjee. "Working with all these versatile and committed talents across the board has been truly incredible and insightful," he adds.

Currently being shot in Umbergaon, the series follows the lives of five individuals, who are desperately trying to alter their mundane lives in the promise of overnight fame and fortune on a live-streaming app. The series explores the suspended reality of the internet and its impact on an emerging digital Bharat.

After making his Hindi movie debut with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti (2006), Siddharth has charted his Bollywood career judiciously, cherry-picking only two projects — Chashme Baddoor (2013) and Leila (2019) — in the interim. Now, the South star is set to return to Hindi entertainment with the 10-part tech thriller, Escaype Live. The web series, created by TV producer Siddharth Kumar Tewary, traces five youngsters who use a popular live-streaming app that promises overnight fame and fortune, in a bid to escape their mundane lives.

Through its protagonists, the show — written and co-directed by Tewary — explores the impact of the internet and social media on the youth. "I pick projects that I instinctively relate to; the script has to move me. Siddharth and Abhishek Sengupta [co-director] have built the story such that it honestly depicts Indian youth's affinity to the internet. I am excited about the scope of the show and how it will present me to the Hindi audience," says the actor.

The series, which will eventually be sold to a digital platform, is slated to go on floors mid-October at Swastik Bhoomi Studio in Umbergaon. Though he understands that shooting amid the Coronavirus pandemic comes with its share of responsibilities, Siddharth is happy to dive into work. "We need to do our bit while ensuring that we adopt every necessary safety protocol," he states.

The makers of TV show Bandhan and the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) are involved in a legal battle over the issue of alleged cruelty to elephant calf Suman, who was the main character in the show. According to PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals), the baby elephant was not treated well on the set and after conducting an inspection, it was found that she had developed skin infection and exhibited abnormal behaviour. The case came up for hearing on March 20 in the Bombay High Court, but has been adjourned till April 1.

Dr Manilal Valliyate, director of veterinary affairs at PETA, says, “Suman and her mother were with a circus, but was sent to Jaipur through some illegal trading. Then the production company brought her to the studio in Gujarat. This recently came to our attention. Separating a three-year-old calf from its mother is unethical. The production house also didn't furnish proper information to AWBI, but somehow, the board allowed the use of the animal. When we notified AWBI that the calf had been separated from its mother and about the illegal trade through which the calf reached Jaipur, they immediately cancelled the registration of the animal. After that, the production house went to the Bombay High Court against the board, asking for the reason for cancellation of permission. Now, the case is sub judice. While all this was happening, AWBI pleaded with the court to allow inspection of the show's set. In the last week of January, the board sent a team of experts from the Centre for Studies on Elephants, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala, a board member, a PETA veterinarian and officials from the NGO Animal Rahat. They inspected the calf and found severe violations.“

He adds, “Based on this report, AWBI moved a motion on the existing case, that the use of the calf should be stopped and she should be rescued and rehabilitated. The producers violated the norms of the Performing Animals (Registration) Rules. As per the law, they were supposed to send raw footage to AWBI from time to time and take an NOC from the board. All this was ignored by the production company . They had pleaded to the court that they won't be able to submit the footage daily but they can submit it on a weekly basis, and the court allowed it.“

Meanwhile, AWBI reps claim that the production house used another elephant in another show, Razia Sultan, without taking permission from the board. Dr S Chinny Krishna, vice chairman of the board says, “Initially, they received an application for the use of two elephants, one of them was Suman and the other was Pawan Mala, and the permission was given. When we came to know that the elephant was kept without its mother, we withdrew the permission. It was then that the producers went to court. Meanwhile, the committee got an application for an NOC for using another elephant called Parvati for Bandhan which was rejected. We also got to know that they used Parvati in Razia Sultan too without permission.“

Producer Siddharth Kumar Tewary didn't wish to comment on the issue since the case is sub judice. Sources close to the production house tell us, “The producers have not done anything wrong and are shooting with proper permission. The PETA reps created an issue and the AWBI cancelled the permission without giving any reasons. That's why we have been fighting a case for the last four months.“