Non-swimmer actress Ira Dubey tells us how she got over her fear of adventurous sports: by plunging headlong into a river-rafting sequence for her forthcoming release, Aisha

Non-swimmer actress Ira Dubey tells us how she got over her fear of adventurous sports: by plunging headlong into a river-rafting sequence for her forthcoming release, Aisha

Jumping headlong into water can be quite a rush for adrenaline junkies. But jumping into the icy-cold Ganges, particularly if you don't know to swim can be nerve-wracking. That's exactly what happened to Ira Dubey recently.u00a0

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Two days in the water
Dubey, who plays a key role in Rajshree Ojha's Aisha, has still to recover from the outdoor shoot at Rishikesh. She says, "We had a 12-day schedule entirely at Rishikesh. We had to go river-rafting for one scene. We literally shot on the water for two days." While the rest of the cast was excited, including heroine Sonam Kapoor, Dubey admits she is not an adventure sports person. "I have never been an athletic girl."u00a0 Apparently co-star Cyrus Sahukar and she were the only ones who didn't know how to swim.u00a0

Yet, that didn't stop Ira from dipping her toe and more, in the river. The actress-anchor says proudly, "We had lifejackets on but it still called for a lot of courage for Cyrus and me to jump into the Ganges. It proved to be a scary but unforgettable experience." She adds, "I was sandwiched between the rafts and had to float down the Ganges. It is the most incredible feeling, especially when the water is icy cold."

White water bonding
Dubey, who is one of the movie reviewers on Sony Pix's Chicks On Flicks, says, "Due to the unusual circumstances, Sonam, Abhay (Deol), Amrita (Puri), Cyrus, Arunoday (Singh) and I really bonded."

She even managed to stay on in Rishikesh after the shoot was wrapped up. "Amrita, Cyrus and I stayed on in Rishikesh for a day in a camp on the banks of the Ganges. It was beautiful."

As a result of the shoot, Dubey is now determined to learn swimming. She says sagely, "When you are in water, you should know how to save yourself."