Director Pa Ranjith booked for stuntman's death on film set
What's the story
Director Pa Ranjith and three others have been booked by the Keelaiyur authorities in connection with the demise of stuntman SM Raju on set while performing an SUV stunt. The incident happened on Sunday in Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam district during the filming of Vettuvam, starring Arya. As per reports, Ranjith and three others have been charged with negligent conduct, abetment of an offense, and culpable homicide.
Legal update
Police suspect lapses in safety protocols
Initially, a case was registered against Ranjith, the car's owner, Prabhakaran, stunt choreographer Rajkamal, and Neelam Productions under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act. After examining evidence and questioning the persons involved, the police have revised the charges against the team. They are now booked under 125 (abetment of an offense), Sections 289 (negligent conduct), and 106(1) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the BNS Act. The authorities suspect lapses in safety protocols and poor planning.
Aftermath
Disturbing videos from the scene of accident have gone viral
Raju's remains were given to his family after a postmortem. The case is still developing as police examine possible negligence on the part of the film's crew and production team. Disturbing clips from the set show a speeding car overturning violently. Crew members are then seen rushing to the crash site and pulling Raju from the destroyed vehicle, eventually to discover he had not survived the impact.
Industry reaction
Raju's death has reignited conversations around stunt safety measures
Raju was a well-known and respected name in the Tamil movie industry. He was known for choreographing several intense action scenes throughout his long career. His sudden demise has sent shockwaves through the industry and sparked conversations around stunt safety measures. Actor Vishal, who had previously collaborated with Raju on many action-heavy movies, expressed his grief. He also assured support for Raju's bereaved family.
Twitter Post
'So difficult to digest...'
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