Karan Johar hails Krystle D’Souza's calculated strategy on The Traitors 2 as she reaches final 6: ‘Very smart game’

In the latest episode, Karan Johar acknowledged how carefully Krystle has played the game as the show nears finale.

Krystle D'Souza has managed to make it this far on The Traitors Season 2 without giving away too much about her game. As a Traitor, she has kept her moves measured and stayed away from unnecessary attention, something that has now caught host Karan Johar's eye.

Karan Johar praises Krystle's strategy

Karan Johar praises Krystle D’Souza's gameplay as she reaches The Traitors 2 final six, says ‘very, very smart game’.

In the latest episode, Karan Johar acknowledged how carefully Krystle has played the game. While discussing her strategy, the filmmaker praised her and said, “You have played very, very smart game,” highlighting the way she has managed to make key moves without giving away too much.

Krystle has never been someone who needs to dominate every conversation. She has mostly stayed observant, picked up on where the suspicion is headed and stepped in when it mattered. By keeping a low profile and choosing her moves wisely, she has managed to stay in the game even as the pressure around the Traitors continues to build.

Krystle's calculated approach to the game

Being a Traitor means always being one step ahead. Contestants have to hide their identity, steer the Innocents in the wrong direction and, at the same time, make sure they do not give anyone a reason to suspect them. Krystle has handled that pressure by staying calm, keeping her reactions in check and picking her moments wisely.

Krystle's game took a major turn after fellow Traitor Shahneel Gill was caught and eliminated by the Innocents. As the only Traitor left, Krystle then got the opportunity to recruit someone new. She picked Rida Tharana, who had until then been vocal about finding out who the Traitors were. By bringing her into the fold, Krystle turned a possible threat into an ally.

Mallika Sherawat

In the same episode in a candid moment, Mallika Sherawat recalled having a light-hearted but honest conversation with Shahneel about her suspicions. She told Shahneel that if she eventually turned out to be a Traitor, it would genuinely hurt her. The two had grown close during their time on the show, with Mallika even saying that she had started seeing Shahneel as a sister.

She said “I asked Shahneel, ‘If you turn out to be a traitor—even just as a joke, the way I tease Ansh—my heart would break; you’ve become like a sister to me.’ She told me she isn't a traitor because her brother is a cricket captain. I also asked her about Rhea, saying I was a bit suspicious of her because she keeps going in circles with the same points. Shahneel said the same logic applies to Rhea: since the whole world already views her as a traitor, she has come here to fix her image.”

The conversation then turned to Rhea, who had also been making Mallika suspicious. Mallika explained that she had questioned Rhea's behaviour, particularly because she felt Rhea often seemed to circle back to the same points instead of giving straightforward answers.

Shahneel, however, offered a different perspective. As Mallika recalled, Shahneel believed Rhea had her own reason for trying to prove that she was innocent. With so many people already convinced that Rhea could be a Traitor, Shahneel felt it would be an odd strategy for her to enter the game as one while already carrying that level of suspicion.

About the finale

Krystle D’Souza, Rida Tharana, Mallika Sherawat and Shalini Passi are among the six contestants who have secured a spot in the finale of The Traitors Season 2.