Stuntman Raju dies on Arya’s film set; Vishal pledges support, safety lapses under question

Stunt artist S.M. Raju lost his life during a car stunt gone wrong on July 13, on the set of a film starring Arya and directed by Pa Ranjith. The accident occurred while he was performing a car toppling sequence, leaving the Tamil film industry reeling from the sudden loss of one of its most experienced and respected stunt professionals.

Actor Vishal, who had worked with Raju on several films, took to social media to share his grief. In his message, posted on X (formerly Twitter), Vishal said, “So difficult to digest the fact that stunt artist Raju passed away while doing a car toppling sequence for Jammy @arya_offl and @beemji Ranjith’s film this morning. Have known Raju for so many years and he has performed so many risky stunts in my films time and time again as he is such a brave person.”

Vishal added that his condolences were not limited to words. He assured long-term support to Raju’s family, stating, “From the bottom of my heart and as my duty I extend my support for them. May God give more strength to his family for their grave loss.”

Stunt choreographer Silva also paid tribute, calling Raju one of the best in his field. On Instagram, he wrote, “One of our great car jumping stunt artist S M Raju died today while doing car stunts. Our stunt union and Indian film industry will be missing him.” The loss has also raised quiet concern within the industry regarding the protocols followed during high-risk action scenes. While stunt professionals often push physical limits for realism on screen, the incident has renewed calls for stricter safety standards.

So far, actor Arya and director Pa Ranjith have not issued any statements. Their silence is being viewed with some unease, as colleagues and industry members mourn a man who dedicated his life to performing dangerous feats for the big screen. As tributes continue to pour in, Raju’s death is being remembered not just as a tragedy, but as a reminder of the unseen risks behind every action sequence.