Stuntman Raju Dies in Tragic Car Crash During Filming of Arya’s Vettuvam

July 14, 2025: In a devastating accident during the shooting of Tamil actor Arya’s upcoming film Vettuvan, seasoned stuntman Raju lost his life while performing a high-risk car toppling stunt. The incident occurred on Sunday morning in Tamil Nadu, sending shockwaves through the Tamil film industry.

Terrifying visuals from the set show a high-speed car sequence that went terribly wrong. The vehicle, driven by Raju, lost control and toppled violently, crumpling upon impact. Crew members rushed to extract him from the wreckage, but he had already succumbed to fatal injuries.

Actor Vishal, a close associate of Raju, confirmed the heartbreaking news with a deeply emotional tribute on X (formerly Twitter). “So difficult to digest the fact that stunt artist Raju passed away while doing a car toppling sequence,” he wrote. “He was such a brave person. My deepest condolences. I will definitely be there for his family’s future.”

Popular stunt choreographer Stunt Silva also paid homage on Instagram, calling Raju “one of our great car jumping stunt artists,” and acknowledging the void his passing leaves in the Indian film industry.

SM Raju was a highly respected figure known for executing high-risk stunts in numerous Tamil films over decades. His professionalism, courage, and commitment to authenticity made him a go-to performer for dangerous sequences.

The shoot was part of Vettuvan, directed by Pa Ranjith and featuring Arya in the lead alongside Sobhita Dhulipala, Attakathi Dinesh, Kalaiyarasan, and Lingesh. The film was reportedly in its final stages of production. As of now, neither Arya nor Ranjith has issued a public statement.

The South Indian Cine Stunt Directors and Stunt Artists Union is expected to conduct an internal review of safety protocols followed on set. The film fraternity is calling for stricter enforcement of stunt safety regulations to avoid such tragedies in future.