Khushalii Kumar - "Breathing in cold, adapting to the cylinder mask was difficult in the prep for 'Starfish'"

Actor Khushalii Kumar made an impact with her role in the film, Dhoka Round D Corner, and now she is set and ready to be playing yet another interesting and complex character being the leading face of the film, Starfish.

The trailer of the film recently dropped and it shows the actor playing a commerical diver, who is facing complexities in her relationships, is somehow influenced by drugs and several other things. 

The actor was present at a recent press conference and when asked about the role, how did she prepare for it and what are the challenges she faced, she exclusively revealed some interesting anecdotes.

She said, "I thank my brother who used to push me in the water when we were young. It might sound weird but that is what helped me get acquainted with it and I fell in love with water. When it comes to playing Tara in Starfish, this woman is a commercial diver and not because it is glamourous and fun but for some grueling work. From cleaning the debris deep inside water to getting out dead bodies that are way down below, her job is a demanding one."

She added, "It was scary as well but mostly due to the external factors. We shot extensively at the sea,  and the crew would get sea sickness and fall ill multiple times. What was only fortunate that the actors, director of photography, director and others didn't so we kept rolling and shooting. Inspite of several hurdles, it was good to see everyone doing their best.

Talking about the preparation, "Starfish has given me those facets to play that any actor would love to do. Tara isn't a simple character that you go on set and perform. I prepped for a month, i designed the look and it was a long process. I would be isolated, break down and several times wouldn't even know what to do."

She added further, "I went to Malta ten days ago. The rules there when it comes to diving are that you cannot continue if you aren't certified. So, I prepared a lot for that. Breathing in cold, adapting to the cylinder mask and such things were difficult initially. So, I would say that those ten days of preparation were tough but once we began rolling, it was sorted because I was into it and found a groove."

Starfish is adapted from the book, Starfish Pickle and stars Khushali Kumar in the lead role while actors Tushar Khanna, Ehan Bhatt and Milind Soman play parallel leads. The film is directed by Akhilesh Jaiswal and produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Almighty Motion Picture. It is set to release on 24rh November 2023.