Rakul Preet Singh’s Instagram feed, dotted with pictures of the sun, sand and surf, indicates that she is a water baby. Despite that, preparing for the role of a seasoned swimmer in I Love You didn’t come easy. A crucial sequence of the JioCinema romantic thriller — that also stars Pavail Gulati and Akshay Oberoi — required Singh to stay underwater for two-and-a-half minutes. Even when writer-director Nikhil Mahajan discussed the role’s nitty-gritty with her, he emphasised the need for her to train rigorously before filming the scene.

We hear the high-tension sequence arrives at a crucial juncture in the narrative. The actor reveals that she began her physical prep in mid-November before shooting the portion in suburban Mumbai in mid-December. While she was adept at the different strokes in swimming, she had to perfect her techniques. “I worked with a scuba instructor, Zahaan Adenwala, who trains people in diving. He trained me to hold my breath underwater for two minutes 30 seconds; that is the duration we were aiming for. I trained every day for one month,” she shares. Singh adds that her training enabled to gain a deep understanding of the physical as well as mental demands of being a swimmer.