Who Was SM Raju aka Mohan Raj? 52-year-old Stuntman Who Died Performing High Risk Car Stunt Scene In Chennai

Seasoned stuntman SM Raju tragically passed away while performing a high-risk car sequence for the movie Vettuvan, featuring Arya and directed by PA Ranjith. Videos from the site of the tragedy show the SUV driven by SM Raju going out of control and toppling violently on the ground, resulting in a deadly accident. If reports are to be believed, the young artist died on the spot following the crash. Allegedly, MS Raju was rushed to the Nagapattinam Government Hospital following the accident, but he was declared dead on arrival.

Who was SM Raju? 

SM Raju, popularly known as Mohan Raj, was a renowned stuntman in the regional film industry. As per local reports, he was a native of the Kanchipuram district in Tamil Nadu. While his body of work remains mostly unknown, it is said that Raju was a seasoned artist who had appeared in movies featuring some of the biggest stars. As per reports, he was 52 years old at the time of his passing. His father's name is allegedly Selvaraj.

Chilling video from the stunt that killed SM Raju surfaces 

On July 14, a day after Raju's passing, crew members who were at the site during the film shoot took to their social media accounts to share a video of the exact moment of the stunt going wrong. The clip features a black SUV, most likely being driven by Raju, approaching a slope at a very high speed. Following the takeoff, the motor vehicle landed violently on the ground, resulting in the car toppling entirely. When the stuntman did not come out of the vehicle for a while, onlookers rushed to check on him. The video ends on a grim note when horrified crew members take cognisance of the tragedy.

Also Read:  Gross Negligence? Security Concerns Flagged After Stuntman Raju's Death

Such a brave person: Actor Vishal remembers MS Raju in a moving post

The news of Raju's passing first surfaced from a post by Tamil actor Vishal. In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), the actor penned a note for the stuntman in which he wrote, “So difficult to digest the fact that stunt artist Raju passed away while doing a car toppling sequence for jammy @arya_offl and @beemji Ranjith’s film this morning. I have known Raju for so many years, and he has performed so many risky stunts in my films time and time again, as he is such a brave person.”

Also Read: Video Shows High Risk Car Stunt That Killed S.M Raju On Vettuvan Set

In his note, the actor also extended support to the bereaved family of MS Raju and continued, "My deepest condolences and may his soul rest in peace.  May God give more strength to his family for their grave loss. Not just this tweet, but he will definitely be there for his family’s future, being from the same film industry and also for his contribution to so many films. From the bottom of my heart and as my duty, I extend my support for them.  God bless."

Pa Ranjith's appalling silence and negligence flagged after MS Raju's unfortunate passing 

The bleak conditions of the crew on the film set are not unknown, but MS Raju's death puts forth serious concerns about basic safety measures on the film set. As soon as the news of the stuntman's passing surfaced online, social media users questioned the presence of first responders, ambulance and other safety gear on the film set, especially during such a high-risk action sequence shoot. The incident has also raised an alarm on the difference in the treatment given to the crew as opposed to the main cast of the movie. While the lead actors, more often than not, have an entourage following them on sets and events, other members of the film, like the stuntpeople who risk their life, do not even get basic facilities, as per social media users.

Also Read: Veteran Actress B. Saroja Dies At 87 Due To Age-Related Ailments

To add to this, Pa Ranjith and other industry insiders silence even after nearly 24 hours of the tragic accident has been alarming.