Ishwak Singh: The underwater sequence was particularly demanding

With a sequence in Adhura depicting an underwater struggle, actor Ishwak breaks down how he trained to hold his breath for a long duration

A well-made horror offering relies not on thrills and jump scares, but on a taut story and solid performances to make an impact. Ishwak Singh knew that being part of the supernatural thriller, Adhura—that revolves around an elite boarding school, which hides a dark secret—would require fair emotional prep, but Gauravv K Chawla and Ananya Banerjee’s directorial venture demanded intense physical prep as well.

The scene was shot in January, after prep of over a week

In a pivotal sequence in the series, Singh’s character Adhiraj is dragged into the depths of a swimming pool while he fights an evil force. Before the sequence was shot in January this year, the actor underwent specialised training with swimming coach Brij Lal for over a week at a private club in Mumbai. During these lessons, Singh—who learnt swimming in his childhood— was trained to hold his breath underwater for a long duration, and pick up techniques that would depict his struggle in the pool. 

The six-minute sequence was shot in two parts, in Mumbai and Dehradun. The actor recounts, “The character I portray presented unique challenges. The underwater sequence was particularly demanding, but I was determined to give it my best. I received exceptional guidance and training, which helped me execute the scene with conviction.” The Amazon Prime Video offering, which also stars Rasika Dugal and Rahul Dev, marks Singh’s second series this year after the acclaimed Rocket Boys 2.

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