Stuntman Raju dies during Arya-Pa Ranjith's film shoot; actor Vishal mourns tragic loss

Tamil actor Vishal mourns the loss of stunt artist SM Raju, who died during a car stunt for Arya's film. Vishal pledged long-term support for his family.

Tamil actor Vishal confirmed the tragic loss of stunt artist SM Raju, who passed away on Sunday while performing a high-risk car toppling stunt on the sets of Arya’s upcoming film, directed by Pa. Ranjith. Vishal, who has collaborated with Raju on numerous projects over the years, paid an emotional tribute on social media.

Tamil actor Vishal mourns the loss of stunt artist SM Raju, who died during a car stunt for Arya's film.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) account, Vishal confirmed that Raju passed away while doing a car toppling sequence. 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 again. He was such a brave person. My deepest condolences and may his soul rest in peace.”

Beyond expressing grief, Vishal also pledged to support Raju’s family in the long term. “May God give more strength to his family for their grave loss. Not just this tweet — I will definitely be there for his family’s future, being from the same film industry and in gratitude 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,” he added.

Popular stunt choreographer Stunt Silva also paid tribute on Instagram, writing: “One of our great car-jumping stunt artists, S.M. Raju, died today while doing car stunts. Our stunt union and Indian film industry will be missing him.”

A screenshot of Stunt Silva's post for stuntman Raju.

Raju was a respected and seasoned stunt artist in the Kollywood industry, widely known for his fearless execution of high-risk action sequences. Over the years, he worked on numerous films, earning praise from both actors and filmmakers for his skill, dedication, and courage.

The film he was working on at the time of the accident is believed to be the sequel to the 2021 Tamil sports drama Sarpatta Parambarai, which is reportedly slated for a theatrical release in 2026.