Khushalii Kumar feels she’s got the acting bug from her later father Gulshan Kumar, the music mogul and founder of T-Series. Despite a successful stint as a fashion designer, Khushalii chose to quit it and pursue acting. She talks about the career switch, memories of her father and the film Starfish (streaming on Netflix) in which she plays a scuba diver.

Did you read the novel Starfish Pickle by Bina Nayak before starting work on Starfish streaming on Netflix?

Khushalii Kumar: I read the novel and it was pretty gripping. Various platforms had shown interest in it to adapt it into a film. That’s how it started. The underwater world and scuba diving were very thrilling and exciting. It is a world that has not been explored much in our cinema. There have been films that showed a small sequence or part of a song. But in Starfish, being underwater is Tara’s profession. She works in a dredging company. So, all these things were very exciting and engaging when I read the novel.

What about Tara Salgaonkar’s character appealed to you?

Khushalii Kumar: Tara’s profession. We don’t have any women working in a dredging company that cleans the oceans. Besides that, Tara’s entire journey… how she overcomes her past and the troubles she’s going through. In a nutshell, it was the whole setup and the world of Starfish that attracted me to it.

How challenging were the underwater sequences to shoot? Did you train for it?

Khushalii Kumar: It was very challenging. I had proper training for 10-15 days because in Malta, as per their rules and regulations, you can’t enter the deep sea if you are not a certified scuba diver. Europe is very chilly in February-March, so the weather was very challenging. My first day of training was in a heated swimming pool. After four-five sessions, Abigail, the girl who was training me, had confidence in me and took me to deep water.

I remember the first time I went into the sea. That experience was just so amazing because that was the time when I was learning. In fact, my learning and training period was fun and exciting because that was about exploring the ocean and the beautiful underwater world. But during the shoot, it became very challenging because it was very cold and I had to remain in character.

I had to perform some scenes where I was getting suffocated underwater and was drowning. Then you have a fear at the back of your mind — what if something actually happens to you? Underwater, they were flashing those red lights and creating an environment for the film. At times, it became a little scary and challenging to perform and do retakes. Performing underwater scenes took a toll on me because of the weather, retakes, salt water and sunburns. But I think once you are in that zone, in the character, then it just happens and it flows.

After you put yourself through all of that, what was the biggest takeaway as an actor or as a person?

Khushalii Kumar: I think with every film, you evolve as a person. You meet, interact with and learn from so many people. My DOP Jim Edgar was fantastic. He has shot the film amazingly. One thing which I took away from the film is that I am a certified scuba diver now. I don’t think I would have gone ahead and done something so daring and challenging otherwise. But film is something I’m so passionate about that it pushes me to pick up anything which is required for the script.

You’re gearing for three upcoming films — Hide, Crossfire and Dil Katiya. At what stage are each of these films?

Khushalii Kumar: I’m starting Dil Katiya. It’s a romantic crime comedy. I play a girl from Lucknow and right now I am in the preparation phase. I’m learning how to ride a scooty. I have been told to speak only in Hindi. It’s a very interesting character.

After I finish Dil Katiya, I will start Hide, a suspense thriller. It’s an interesting story of a journalist. After I finish shooting for that, I will get into Crossfire, a psychological thriller. I’ll start that film in August. That is also an interesting space for me to explore.

Recently, you were ranked at No. 4 on IMDb Star Ratings. You have more than 4 million followers on social media. How much do these things matter to you?

Khushalii Kumar: I was very surprised when the IMDb thing happened. It is a big encouragement when your work is being appreciated. This is my second film. Even for my first film (Dhokha Round D Corner), people told me that it did not look like it was my debut performance.

Nothing goes to my head because I think if it goes to your head then you can’t perform. I’m very thankful to the people who have given me this encouragement and it just pushes me to work harder. I hope that people like my performances in the upcoming films because the characters are very interesting and different from each other.

Do you ever feel the pressure of your father Gulshan Kumar’s legacy?

Khushalii Kumar: If you take pressure, you’ll never be able to do anything in life. My father is my inspiration. He was always giving to people, be it charity or giving a break to singers, actors and directors in music and films.

He did a lot of things in such a short lifespan. We had more than 5,000 employees. All those families were dependent on T-Series. I think if he had taken pressure, he would not have achieved what he did. What I have learned from my father is to not take pressure and just be focused on one’s work. Be true to what you’re doing and you’ll succeed. This has been my principle ever since.

What are your most cherished memories of your father?

Khushalii Kumar: Every moment I spent with him was precious. He used to go to the Vaishno Devi temple every month. All my trips with him to Vaishno Devi have been the most memorable ones. Even simple things like eating food together were special. Punjabis love to sit on a chatai (mat) and eat food and Papa used to love that too. These little things that we did with him are very special and I always cherish these moments.

Do you have similar taste in music as your siblings? Do you discuss music with them?

Khushalii Kumar: See, all of us are very busy with our jobs. Whenever we get time, we make it a point to not talk about anything related to work. We love food, especially prepared by our mother. So, we are always talking about food and travel.

You have designed for Justin Bieber and Shakira. How did that happen?

Khushalii Kumar: I was pushed by my mom into designing. Once I started designing, I did a fashion week in Delhi. After that, I did shows in Paris and New York. I used to make red carpet gowns and people loved those. I had a huge clientele in the UAE. My dresses were getting sold for €1500-2000 next to Dolce & Gabbana and Versace. I touched around 60-65 stores across the globe. My dresses were there at Saks Fifth Avenue where Shakira’s stylist spotted my outfits. Then they contacted me and wanted me to style them and design for them. That’s how it happened.

But my passion, my love, was always cinema. Despite all these things, I was not happy. I would always come back to mom and tell her that I wanted to get into films. She was a bit conservative and did not want me to get into acting. But later, somehow, she was convinced. Now, she is proud of my work. When she saw my film, she said, ‘I don’t know why I stopped you. I should have let you act long ago.’

Why did you keep coming back to films?

Khushalii Kumar: I think this comes from my father. I remember when he came to Mumbai, he wanted to become an actor. He struggled like many who come from outside. He slept outside gurudwaras during those struggling days. When he realised how difficult things were in Mumbai, he went back to Delhi and decided that he would come back to Mumbai to produce films and give a chance to those who were struggling.

He had a thing for acting and I think I got it from him. I enjoy playing characters rather than just looking pretty and dancing. I enjoy living a character’s life for that limited period and then switching to something else. It gives me a thrill and excitement.

What is your regimen for physical and mental health?

Khushalii Kumar: A healthy and fit mind is the key to everything. I do yoga and meditation. I always try to keep myself as focused as possible by practising various forms. I’m very disciplined about what I eat. I try not to eat post-6pm. I consume sugar only on weekends. It is very difficult for me because I love sweets. I think once you understand your body, you have to balance things out. So, I indulge sometimes and then the next day I try to keep it simple.