Lara Dutta not scared of diving underwater anymore

Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) After the success of 'Partner', Lara Dutta is on a fast track now. There's a new determination in her to overcome her inhibitions, whatever they might be worth. And the first one is overcoming the fear of diving underwater.

While she prepares to do her first ever avant-garde film 'Devdas' with Sudhir Mishra, in which she intends to change her entire image and get-up to play a modern-day Paro, in a new sporty film entitled 'Blue', Lara has gone several steps further.

She has actually managed to overcome her fear of the underwater to do some serious scuba diving with the ever-sporty Akshay Kumar.

For years now, Lara has been petrified of taking the plunge. Akshay urged her to not only accept a film that needed her to go against her ingrained fears, but also helped her out of the dive-despair.

Laughing throatily, Lara admits she has gotten over a lifelong fear.

'But I can't speak about what it is. Yes, Akshay's natural sporty spirit is contagious. And it helped me take the plunge.'

She reminisces fondly about Akshay.

'He was my first co-star in 'Andaaz' and was very helpful. Then we did 'Bhagam Bhaag' when he was fully into comedy. I didn't know I had a comic streak in me until then. Now that he's returning to action, I'm also moving on from comedy to big time action.'