This is quite an exciting time for actor Soundarya Sharma — she has a big Bollywood release next year with Housefull 5, and recently, she dropped pictures with Chad Stahelski, director of the John Wick film series, announcing her Hollywood debut.

Sharma reveals that her maiden Hollywood project is a feature film. “I believe that manifestations are really powerful. I happened to meet a friend, who knew the producers and they called me when I was training there. They don’t have any hang-ups. If you actually deserve it, they will call you. There’s no backup of surnames, or push-and-pull games like kisi se phone kara do. That is what they keep asking you here,” she says, adding, “They are very particular about timings and there is no discrimination.”

Talking about Housefull 5, she says, “Working on it has been an incredible experience. I am treated the same way as Akshay (Kumar, actor) sir and others. I have worked in an ad with Akshay sir previously and he also came to the trailer launch of my film Ranchi Diaries six years ago. Being his heroine is an overwhelming feeling.”

Sharma faced flak for doing an ad associated with a paan masala brand, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kumar and Ajay Devgn. Ask her about it and she says, “I was given an opportunity to share screen space with three of the biggest stars of India. Do you think I’m foolish enough to say ‘no’ to something like that? The choices I make as a person are different from those I make as an actor.”

Soundarya Sharma made her Hindi film debut with Ranchi Diaries that hit the screens in 2017. Three years later, she marked her foray into the web space with Raktanchal, a crime-drama. Known for her glamorous image, the actor was seen shedding her popular avatar and playing rather gritty characters in these projects.

“It was a conscious choice,” she says, adding, “People will see whatever you serve them. And it is totally the actor’s call as to how they want to be seen. In Hollywood, Julia Roberts is considered the most glamorous actor but she isn’t considered dumb. But here in Bollywood, you’ve to do a non-glamourous role to be accepted and be taken seriously.”

The actor confides that screen time isn’t her priority as long as she’s able to capture the imagination of the audience. “I’m open to doing a dance number or even play a small role in a big-budget film. Priyanka Chopra Jonas had just one song in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) but when she came on the screen, it was magical. So, I believe even a smaller part can sometimes do wonders bigger than a character that you see throughout a film. It totally depends on the character that you play and ultimately the fate of the film,” she elaborates.

So, what are the factors that draw her to a project? “It has to be a good story as it is the main hero in today’s time. It needs to connect with me. The second criterion is my character. The third is the production house and the platform. To get a better understanding, I went to New York Film Academy and Lee Strasberg Theatre And Film Institute,” she replies.

Going ahead, Sharma reveals that she has a chock-o-block schedule. “I had started shooting for two web shows but we had to postpone them due to the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. I also finished shooting 80% of the second season of Raktanchal. I recently signed a film but that too had to be halted. Another show was supposed to release on May 15 but we couldn’t shoot for the promotional material and so, that got postponed too,” she concludes.