The film world often celebrates its stars, but behind every dazzling scene, there are unsung heroes who risk everything. This week, the Tamil film industry reeled from a profound loss. SM Raju, a renowned stuntman, tragically died during a film shoot. The shocking news sent ripples through the entire cinema community.
The accident happened while filming a movie starring actor Arya and directed by Pa. Ranjith. Initial reports pointed to a terrible mishap. Now, the police have stepped in. They have filed a case against director Pa. Ranjith and three others involved in the production.
Charges Get Serious
Authorities quickly launched an investigation. They first charged Pa. Ranjith, stunt choreographer Rajkamal, Neelam Productions, and another individual named Prabhakaran. These initial charges were filed under Section 194 of the Indian Nyaya Sanhita. This section relates to causing death through negligence.
However, as the investigation deepened, the police tightened their grip. They added more serious charges. The accused now face charges under Section 289, which covers negligent conduct. Section 125 for abetting a crime has also been applied. Finally, Section 106(1), pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, has been included. These new sections reflect the growing seriousness of the legal action.
Stunt master SM Raju dies while performing high-risk car toppling stunt during film shoot in TN.
Sad! These’re REAL unsung heroes who perform dangerous stunts for so-called Superstars who can’t even ride a horse for 15 minutes. For that, they either get meagre payments or de@th. pic.twitter.com/oRZRz4MuIW— BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) July 14, 2025
What Happened on Set
The fateful incident took place in the Keelaiyur area of Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district. Neelam Productions was managing the film shoot. Raju was performing a stunt where a car was supposed to flip over. This was a high-risk maneuver, and it went wrong.
SM Raju suffered severe injuries during the stunt. Crew members rushed him to Nagapattinam Government Medical College Hospital. Despite their best efforts, doctors declared him dead upon arrival. The sudden loss left everyone stunned.
Industry Mourns a Brave Soul
SM Raju was known throughout the film industry as a courageous stunt artist. He performed daring stunts in many major films. His sudden passing has cast a pall of sorrow over the entire cinema world. Actors and directors have shared their heartfelt condolences on social media.
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran wrote on Instagram that many amazing scenes would not be possible without artists like Raju. Actor Vishal posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Raju had performed dangerous stunts in his films for years. He called Raju a brave individual and promised support to Raju’s family. Stunt choreographer Silva also offered a touching tribute to his fellow artist. He shared that the film industry had lost a truly precious talent.