The hum of the camera, the glare of the lights, and the precise choreography of a dangerous sequence. That’s the movie magic we see on screen. But sometimes, that magic comes at a tragic cost. This week, the entertainment world paused to mourn SM Raju, a respected stunt artist. He lost his life during a car stunt for an upcoming film.
Raju was working on filmmaker PA Ranjith’s new movie, ‘Aarya’. The scene called for a car to flip over. It was a standard car-toppling stunt, a common but risky move. During the shoot, the car hit a ramp. It lost control. The vehicle spun wildly in the air, flipping multiple times before crashing hard on its front end. The crew quickly realized something was terribly wrong. They rushed to the car. They found Raju with severe injuries. He later died from them.
A video of the heartbreaking accident has surfaced. It shows just how quickly things can go wrong on a film set. The raw footage is difficult to watch. It reminds everyone of the constant danger stunt performers face.
Actor Vishal, a well-known figure in the industry, spoke about his sorrow. He expressed deep condolences for Raju’s passing. Vishal shared that he knew Raju for many years. Raju had performed countless risky stunts in Vishal’s own movies. He described Raju as a “very brave person.” Vishal offered prayers for Raju’s soul to find peace. He also wished strength for Raju’s family during this painful time.
Vishal didn’t stop at just words. He promised to stand by Raju’s family. He felt it was his duty, given Raju’s important work in the film industry. Vishal committed to supporting Raju’s loved ones for their future. His heartfelt gesture shows true solidarity.
Stunt choreographer Silva also shared his grief online. He posted a message on Instagram. Silva remembered Raju as “one of our great car jumping stunt artists.” He said Raju’s death was a big loss. Both the stunt community and the wider film industry will miss him greatly. These tributes highlight the quiet heroism of stunt artists. They are the unsung heroes who put their bodies on the line to entertain us.
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
So difficult to digest the fact that stunt artist Raju passed away while doin a car toppling sequence for jammy @arya_offl and @beemji Ranjith’s film this morning. Hav known Raju for so many years and he has performed so many risky stunts in my films time and time again as he is…
— Vishal (@VishalKOfficial) July 13, 2025