Arya pushes physical limits to shoot for intense 20-feet deep underwater sequence for 'Mr X'

CHENNAI: Actor Arya, who plays one of the leads in director Manu Anand's eagerly awaited spy thriller Mr X, has now disclosed how he had to go to extraordinary lengths to do a pivotal underwater sequence in the film.

The sequence — the film's opening shot — was filmed in a 20-foot deep diving pool in Mumbai. Sources close to the unit say that the actor descended 20 feet into ice-cold water, bare-bodied, holding his breath for a sequence that director Manu Anand had claimed was unlike anything Tamil cinema had attempted before.

For the unaware, most underwater sequences in Indian cinema are filmed at a depth of six feet using submerged stages.

For Mr X, sources claim that was not an option. The sequence required Arya to descend to 20 feet to authentically simulate the deep ocean — a depth that brought extreme physical challenges, most significantly the temperature of the water, which hovered between 15 and 16 degrees.

Arya said, "As we go deeper, the temperature of the water reduces — it was around 15 to 16 degrees, ice-cold water. Performing the scene bare-bodied, the body shouldn't shiver. Controlling the shivering while holding my breath for 30 to 40 seconds of action was an immense task for me."

Performing bare-bodied at that depth, Arya had to maintain complete physical control to prevent any visible reaction to the freezing conditions — all while delivering a performance that the camera had to believe entirely.

The logistics of the shoot extended the physical demand far beyond individual takes. To maintain efficiency and avoid the time lost by repeated ascents and descents, Arya and the underwater camera crew remained submerged for stretches of one-and-a-half to two hours at a time. The actor has described it as the most physically challenging experience of his career.

Arya said, "Once we went underwater, the camera team and everyone stayed there — we could only come back out after one and a half to two hours."

Despite the extreme conditions, the set was technically advanced, sources claim and pointed out that underwater speakers and microphones allowed Arya to hear director Manu Anand's instructions and receive real-time feedback on his performance between takes.

Arya, reflecting on the process, said, "At the end of the day, when you see it on screen, I am very happy about the output of the sequence. When people watch the film, they will understand the significance of this sequence"

Mr X is based on seven real incidents that took place in India between 1965 and 2023.

Produced by Maverik Movies Pvt Ltd and Prince Pictures, the film also stars Gautham Karthik, Manju Warrier and Sarathkumar and others. The film is set to release worldwide in theatres on April 17 this year.