On Sunday morning in Tamil Nadu, S.M. Raju, a seasoned stuntman in the Tamil film business, unfortunately died in a horrifying vehicle accident.
The tragedy happened while a high-risk automobile flip stunt was being filmed for the upcoming film Vettuvan, which is directed by Pa. Ranjith and stars Tamil actor Arya. The stunt, which was supposed to be carefully managed, went horribly wrong.
The video crew is left in complete amazement as the shocking footage from the scene shows Raju driving a car at great speed just before it abruptly flips and shatters on impact. In a last-ditch effort to save him, team members are shown racing towards the wreckage, only to learn that he had already passed away from his wounds. The entire set was shrouded in sadness as what was supposed to be a scripted stunt devolved into a tragic tragedy.
Vishal, an actor and Raju’s long-time friend, was one of the first to disclose the heartbreaking news. Vishal conveyed his profound sorrow and incredulity in a heartfelt ode posted on X (previously Twitter).
Vishal commented, “It’s difficult to believe that stunt artist Raju died while doing a car flip scene.” ” I’ve known Raju for a long time, and he’s performed numerous dangerous stunts in my films. He was quite courageous. May his soul rest in peace, and please accept my sincerest sympathies.
In addition to paying his respects, Vishal promised Raju’s bereaved family his undying support. He went on to say, “I pray that his family finds the strength to get through this heartbreaking loss.” This goes beyond a simple tweet. In appreciation for his contributions to so many films and for his family’s future, I swear to always be there for them. We are part of the same film industry, after all.
On Instagram, well-known stunt choreographer Stunt Silva also paid respects to the passing of a gifted colleague. “S.M. Today, we lost Raju—one of the finest stunt artists known for his exceptional car-jumping skills—during a stunt gone tragically wrong. The Indian film industry and our stunt union will never forget him. Due to his bold and accurate action work in several of his films, S.M. Raju was highly regarded in the Tamil film industry. Actor Arya and director Pa. Ranjith have yet to make a formal statement on the incident. A multi-star film that is apparently almost finished, Vettuvan also stars Lingesh, Kalaiyarasan, Attakathi Dinesh, and Shobhita Dhulipala in important roles.
