Krystle D’Souza has opened up about her experience on The Traitors 2, including the controversy over contestants allegedly receiving information from the show’s “shadows.” In a recent conversation with Pinkvilla, the actor defended the show’s format and makers while arguing that contestants themselves have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the game.
Krystle, who emerged as one of the winners of the reality show, also reflected on her own journey after television and the difficulties she faced between 2022 and 2024 while attempting to transition into OTT projects and films.
Krystle Says Contestants Must Respect The Traitors Format
One of the major topics discussed was the controversy involving Parul Gulati and allegations that she may have obtained information about the identities or plans of the traitors through a shadow.
Krystle said she did not believe the show’s production team should be blamed for contestants attempting to obtain information outside the intended game mechanics.
“The format is so tight and so good that it cannot be the production’s fault. It’s not the makers’ fault. It’s the contestants’ fault. You’ve come to play. Play with integrity or go home,” she said.
Krystle went on to compare the situation to playing Mafia, arguing that contestants should rely on the information and interactions available within the game rather than attempting to extract additional clues from people working around them.
“Don’t do this that you come to the show and start asking the shadows and all,” she added.
Who Are the ‘Shadows’ on The Traitors?
Explaining the role of the shadows, Krystle said they were young interns who assisted contestants with routine requirements rather than being part of the actual game.
“Shadows are 18-year-old kids who are interning. They’ve come to basically take care of your little needs, like taking your bag downstairs and normal conversations,” she explained.
Krystle recalled that her own interaction with her shadow was limited.
“My shadow didn’t talk to me much. She would just say every day, ‘I hope you’re safe,’ and then I’d come downstairs and say, ‘Thank God, you’re safe,’ and I’d come up. That’s how much conversation I had with my shadow every day,” she said.
For Krystle, attempts to obtain game information from shadows would be a question of individual contestant conduct rather than a flaw in the show’s basic format.
“It is not the production’s fault. It is not the show’s fault. It is nothing. It is just the contestants. It’s on your integrity also,” she said.
Krystle Questions Why Shadows Had Access to Phones
While defending the makers, Krystle did identify one aspect of the setup that she believed could have created a potential problem.
She said the shadows had access to phones and suggested that this should have been restricted.
“I think the shadows had phones, and that’s something that should have been taken away from them,” Krystle said.
When asked about Parul allegedly receiving information after leaving the show, Krystle pointed to the timing of the phone restriction.
“After Parul left, they took the phones from them. So that means the information came to her somehow. Somewhere, she got some information,” she said.
Her remarks reflect her interpretation of what happened; they do not by themselves establish how, or whether, Parul received any information.
Krystle Recalls Being Surprised by Parul’s Game Knowledge
Krystle also discussed Parul’s apparent ability to anticipate developments within the game.
She recalled being impressed by Parul’s instincts and said she had even spoken positively about her intelligence during the competition.
“I was also really going out and telling people that I think she’s so smart, man. How can you wake up every day and know who’s a traitor every day?” Krystle recalled.
She questioned how Parul could seemingly predict moves and identify potential traitors without, in her view, providing sufficient reasoning for those conclusions.
“You’re waking up and knowing, like, today this will happen, I will shut this, I will do this, today it’s Krystal, I’ll change my name, I’ll call five people, I’ll make a group. It doesn’t happen like that. Give me a reason. You have no reason,” she said.
Krystle also referred to Munawar Faruqui’s elimination while discussing Parul’s reactions during the game.
“I mean, Munawar leaving and you crying, what is this reason for being a traitor?” she recalled asking.
Krystle Says She Was Emotional About Munawar’s Exit Too
Interestingly, Krystle acknowledged that she herself became emotional when Munawar was eliminated, even though she was secretly playing as a traitor.
“Munawar leaving made me very upset, even though I was a traitor. But I didn’t tell the other innocents,” she said.
According to Krystle, her emotional reaction even led to disagreements with fellow traitors inside the Secret Tower.
“I fought with my own traitors in the Secret Tower. That was shown for two minutes, but I was there for 15–20 minutes. They had to calm me down because I was fighting,” she recalled.
Her comments highlight the distinction between emotional reactions within the game and the strategic information contestants were expected to protect.
Krystle D’Souza on Her Career Transition
Beyond The Traitors 2, Krystle also spoke about a challenging period in her career.
The actor said the years between 2022 and 2024 were difficult as she attempted to move beyond television and establish herself in OTT projects and films.
Her experience on The Traitors 2 now adds another chapter to a career that began primarily in television and later expanded into other formats.
