In a tragic event, stuntman SM Raju was killed while performing a high-risk car toppling sequence in Arya's next film, directed by Pa Ranjith on July 13 in Tamil Nadu. Veteran stuntman Sham Kaushal condoled his death and shared his thoughts with NDTV after the tragic incident.
What's Happening
- Sham Kaushal, known for his work in films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Dangal, Kaabil, told NDTV that the incident shook him to the core. An emotional Sham Kaushal said that he felt like crying loud after he learnt about the incident.
- "Whenever I am asked to talk about the tragic incident that happened yesterday, I felt like crying. I feel like crying loud. It's a big big loss for our entire film community, stunt community," an emotional Sham Kaushal told NDTV.
- "I pray to God that such incidents never happen in future," he said. Talking about the precarious nature of the job, he said, "When there's a 0.1 percent safety concern, the whole team monitors the situation thoroughly. Still, accidents happen. Producers, actors, everyone on board help us. but still such incidents happen," he told NDTV.
- "Sometimes, there's a combination of a man and a machine, a man and an animal - the job of stuntmen is not easy. But such incidents shook us to the core. Even in games like cricket, hockey, accidents happen," Sham Kaushal added.
- In his parting note, he prayed that God gives strength to the victim's family to bear this irreparable loss.
The Background
In a viral video from the film set, we can see stuntman SM Raju driving an SUV for a scene. The car, moving at a high speed, went over a ramp, lost balance, and toppled, landing hard on its front end. The news of Raju's death was confirmed by Tamil actor Vishal on X. He had collaborated with him on many films.
He also extended his support to the victim's family. "My deepest condolences, and may his soul rest in peace. May God give more strength to his family for their grave loss. Not just this tweet, but I will definitely be there for his family's future, being from the same film industry and also for his contribution to so many films. From the bottom of my heart and as my duty, I extend my support to them. God bless."
Raju was working on a film titled Vettuva, which is the sequel to the 2021 Tamil drama Sarpatta Parambarai. It is expected to release in theatres in 2026.
In A Nutshell
Veteran stuntman Sham Kaushal told NDTV that the tragic death of stuntman SM Raju on a film set shook him to the core.
Also Read | Stuntman SM Raju Killed In Horrific Car Crash On Set Of Pa Ranjith Film Vettuvam