Renowned stuntman Raju lost his life while executing a perilous car stunt on the set of an upcoming Tamil film by Pa Ranjith and featuring Arya. The incident took place on July 13 during the filming of a high-risk car sequence in Vettuvam, leaving the Tamil film industry in disbelief.
Raju was performing a car-toppling stunt involving an SUV. The vehicle was intended to launch off a ramp, but it lost balance mid-air and crashed heavily on its front end. Footage from the set, now circulating online, captures the distressing moment of impact and the immediate rescue efforts. Raju was extracted from the severely damaged vehicle and rushed to an ambulance, but sadly, he could not be saved.
Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, President of the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), has vehemently condemned this tragic incident and made an urgent appeal to the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Shri M. K. Stalin.
1. Immediate registration of an FIR against producer Pa. Ranjith, all co-producers, and Neelam Productions under relevant sections for criminal negligence leading to death.
2. A compensation of ₹1 Crore to be paid to the family of the deceased stuntman Mohanraj by the producers.
3. A state-wide investigation and audit of all film shooting sets across Tamil Nadu, to identify unsafe sets and take strict action against producers who fail to adhere to safety norms.
Vishal mourns demise of Raju
Actor Vishal, who had worked with Raju on multiple films, took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the news and pay his respects. He expressed his profound sorrow, remembering Raju as a courageous and committed stunt performer. “I have known Raju for so many years. He has performed countless risky stunts in my films. My deepest condolences to his family. I promise to support them,” he wrote.
Raju had established a strong reputation in Kollywood over the years, recognized for his fearless execution of some of the most challenging stunts in Tamil cinema. His dedication and skill earned him great respect among his colleagues.
As of now, neither actor Arya nor director Pa Ranjith has issued an official statement regarding the tragedy.
During filming of Vetrimaaran Vidhuthalai a stunt man diied after the rope that was holding him snapped and he fell 20 ft and died. The use of human beings inside the car has shocked viewers. Stunt men who spoke about the incident say that it is not a risky one that results in deaths but here the timing went wrong but still the stunt man death they feel could be that the vehicle used was not properly reinforced for stunts. The vehicle front caved in from the fall. Injuries or bruises are expected and an ambulance with emergency kit was kept ready.Raju had worked with Prithiviraj for Empuran.
