Stunt artists, including veterans Sham Kaushal, Ram Shetty, and Aejaz Gulab, on Monday mourned the death of popular stuntman S. M. Raju during the shooting of an action scene for director Pa Ranjith’s film Vettuvam.
The 52-year-old stuntman, whose real name was Mohan Raj, was driving an SUV in an action sequence for the film in Nagapattinam on July 13 when he suddenly collapsed. His colleagues pulled him out of the vehicle and rushed him to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
A video of the incident, now viral on social media, shows crew members frantically rushing to help him as he is extracted from the car. According to stunt directors and artists, car stunts in films are inherently more dangerous and unpredictable than most other action sequences, despite the precautions usually taken.
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran offered his condolences, taking to Instagram to express his sorrow. “Rest in peace Raju! So many moments of magic that would have been impossible to film without your skill and guts. You will be missed forever.”
A screengrab from Prithviraj’s Instagram Stories
Veteran stunt director Sham Kaushal — known for his work on Dunki, Gadar 2, Ponniyin Selvan, Laxmii, Sanju, Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, Krrish 3, and Gangs of Wasseypur — called Raju’s death “unfortunate.”
“I read about it and I’m saddened to hear about his unfortunate demise. I haven’t worked with him, but stunt people are like a close-knit fraternity,” Kaushal told PTI. “When you do a stunt with a car, it’s a combination of a human and a machine. In that case, if there’s a misjudgment, then it can be dangerous. The nature of stunts is that they’re risky.”
Aejaz Gulab, general secretary of the Movie Stunt Artists Association, also expressed grief after seeing the video online. “A car or motorcycle-related stunt is often risky… SM Raju was known for performing such stunts. Unfortunately, this incident has happened,” said Gulab, who has worked in films such as Baazi, Josh, Khiladi 420, and upcoming titles Dhurdandar and Battle of Galwan.
The stunt artists’ association, formed in 1959, currently has around 600 members.
Silva, a stuntman and actor, also paid tribute via social media. “One of our great car-jumping stunt artists, S. M. Raju, died while doing car stunts. RIP. Our stunt union and Indian film industry will be missing him,” he wrote.
Stuntman Shankar, who sustained serious injuries during a stunt in Chennai Express, said he was saddened by the news. “I know that Raju performed car stunts like me. We worked together on two South Indian movies about 20 years ago. He is like my brother, and I feel very sad,” he said.
Shankar continues to perform stunts today, despite suffering severe burn injuries when a car caught fire on set. “It’s been 13 years since I suffered injuries. Car stunts are the most dangerous. You need daring and physical fitness,” he said. “After Chennai Express, I continued with car stunts in Total Dhamaal and for a Himesh Reshammiya music video.”
Veteran stunt director Ram Shetty — who has worked on Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Dharmatma, Vaastav, Sadak, Tezaab, and Laadla — said his heart goes out to Raju’s family. “Such incidents are unfortunate. I’ve never worked with him, but many take up this job due to financial necessity. Some specialise in car and motorcycle stunts — they are very risky to perform.”
Stunt artist Parvez Shaikh said Raju had performed some of the biggest stunts in his career. “The accident occurred while he was performing a car stunt… I pray for his family. Stunts are risky, and every stuntman’s family knows there’s a chance of injury on the job. Everyone tries to ensure safety, but accidents do happen.”
Arvind Gupta, who has performed stunts in Maalik and Adipurush, echoed similar sentiments. “Performing a car stunt is risky. It’s heartbreaking to know about him. I didn’t know him personally, but many of us are here for financial reasons,” he said.
Ranjith’s Vettuvam stars Arya in the lead. According to reports, the film also features Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashok Selvan and Dinesh among others. Earlier, Ranjith told PTI that his film revolves around a notorious gangster, Cholan, a modern-day Robin Hood, who establishes his control over the Ponni region of Tamil Nadu. As he fights to protect his people, he makes many enemies but also legions of supporters who swear by him. When his rivals realise that Cholan is too powerful for them, they harness the power of the state in an attempt to bring him down.
Published – July 15, 2025 11:38 am IST
