Actor Vishal discussed the car accident that led to the death of stuntman Raju. During a recent interview, he stated that Raju was advised against performing the stunt by choreographer Dhilip Subbaryayan. However, he didn’t listen and insisted on doing it.
In an interview with NDTV, Vishal said, “The stunt choreographer actually told Raju not to do it. He said it is a normal stunt. Just do the lead, the rest I’ll do with the canon blast. But he wouldn’t listen. He wanted to do the stunt.”
As the autopsy report is awaited, he mentioned that Raju had no visible injuries or bleeding after the topple. “He was numb after the topple. No injuries, no bleeding… We are clueless what went wrong,” the actor, who is also General Secretary of the South Indian Artistes Association, said.
He further highlighted the presence of rigorous safety protocols on sets. “Irrespective of what they are doing – whether it’s glass breaking or toppling of car or jumping from a building – they make sure they are safe. Don’t risk your life for that one shot. That’s what they say,” said Vishal.
The 47-year-old further shared, “An ambulance, doctor, nurse, and physio are always present on the sets of stunts. Sometimes there would be no hospital nearby and we can’t rush. All such cars or vehicles are fitted with rock-solid pipes to prevent collapse of the shell that would harm the driver. They wear a helmet, a special suit, and a seat belt is always mandatory. There is no compromise on safety.”
However, he expressed concern over the hand-to-mouth attitude of stuntmen. “Many stunt artistes don’t report injuries unless we ask them. They fear they won’t be called the next day. It’s a hand-to-mouth survival attitude. I myself have 116 stitches from past stunts,” Vishal stated.
He noted that his heart is in his mouth till they finish the stunt – an expression to suggest that he’s completely restless until the stunt is over. “It’s not just a job, it’s a life on the line,” the actor said.
Visuals from the set of the stunt sequence showed the car flipping over in a dangerous manner.
Raju died on the set of Pa Ranjith and actor Arya’s upcoming film ‘Vettuvam’ on July 13. He was well-known in the Kollywood industry for his daring stunts and had been a part of numerous films over the years.
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