Actress Lara Dutta has spent many years working in Bollywood and has done all kinds of roles from glamorous to action packed. But one of the most unforgettable moments of her life did not happen in front of the camera in a controlled setting. It was a real and frightening accident that took place in the sea and nearly cost her life. In a recent interview, Lara spoke about this incident and how it completely changed the way she feels about water.
The incident happened during the shooting of the film Andaaz, where she was filming a dance sequence with co star Akshay Kumar. During the shoot, a strong wave suddenly pulled both of them into the sea. The situation quickly became dangerous, especially because Lara did not know how to swim at that time. She shared that she went underwater and could not control herself. She was wearing heavy clothes, which made it even harder for her to stay afloat. She described how she sank quickly and felt helpless in that moment.
Thankfully, Akshay Kumar was already in the water and reacted quickly. He managed to reach Lara in time and brought her safely back to the shore. What could have turned into a tragic situation was avoided because of his quick action. However, the experience left Lara deeply shaken. After being rescued, she went into hypothermic shock and had to be rushed to the hospital. The shoot was stopped immediately.
This incident stayed with her for a long time and created a strong fear of water in her mind. So when Akshay later suggested her name for the film Blue, which involved underwater scenes, her first reaction was to say no. She even called him to explain that she could not do it because of her past experience.
Akshay’s advice to her was simple and direct. He told her to learn swimming. At first, Lara found the idea surprising and even joked about it. But she decided to face her fear instead of running away from it. At the age of 30, she learned how to swim and even trained in diving. This helped her build confidence and eventually say yes to the film.
Directed by Anthony D’Souza, Blue involved real underwater shooting in the ocean. The film included challenging scenes, sometimes even with real sharks, making it a tough experience for the actors. Even Akshay Kumar faced danger during the shoot when he got injured underwater after hitting a sunken ship.
Lara’s story is not just about a scary accident but also about courage and growth. She turned a traumatic experience into a chance to overcome her fear and come back stronger.