On the morning of July 13, 2025, Tamil Nadu witnessed yet another death in the name of cinematic spectacle.
Stunt artist SM Raju, a veteran of the Tamil film industry was killed while executing a dangerous car-toppling stunt during the shoot of Vettuvan. The film is directed by Pa. Ranjith and starring Arya. As the camera rolled and the SUV took off, the high-speed sequence meant to thrill audiences ended in a mangled wreck and the death of a man who risked everything to bring cinema to life.
The footage shows Raju driving the car toward a ramp, but the vehicle loses balance mid-air. It crashes, crumples, and before the dust settles, his colleagues rush in—a scene of panic, blood, and helplessness. Raju was pulled from the wreckage and rushed to an ambulance, but by then, it was too late.
Who takes responsibility when safety is treated as optional?
Actor Vishal’s social media tribute mourned Raju’s loss and promised support to his family. But sympathy from celebrities is not justice. The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has called for real action, demanding the registration of an FIR against producer Pa. Ranjith, his co-producers, and Neelam Productions for criminal negligence leading to death.
Their demands are crystal clear:
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FIR for criminal negligence against all responsible parties.
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₹1 crore compensation to Raju’s family.
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State-wide safety audit of all film sets across Tamil Nadu to prevent such tragedies.
Today (July 14), AICWA issues a statement and stated:
“Producers continue to compromise the lives of technicians and workers by cutting down on essential safety protocols to reduce production costs. The Vettuvan incident is yet another painful example of gross negligence and criminal disregard for human life.The case is currently being investigated by the Keelaiyur Police Station in Tamil Nadu.”
The case is under investigation by Keelaiyur Police Station. But if history is any indicator, this might just become another name on a long list of unaccounted-for lives—people who built Indian cinema behind the scenes, but whose deaths rarely make the posters.
SM Raju was no amateur. He had performed hundreds of stunts, all with calculated precision. But no amount of experience can compensate for a system that treats stunt workers as expendable. How many more Raju’s will it take before the Tamil film industry—and indeed all of Indian cinema—takes safety seriously?
As we mourn Raju’s death, we must demand better. This is not a freak accident. This is the result of an industry that glorifies heroism on screen but lets its real-life heroes die behind the scenes—with no safety net, no protocol, and no accountability.
