As the Tamil film industry mourns the unexpected demise of stuntman Mohan Raj on the sets of Pa Ranjith's upcoming film Vettuvam, the tragedy has sparked serious conversations about the safety and precautionary measures in place for stunt performers.
In a recent interview with Indian Express, American action choreographer Lee Whittaker, who has coordinated with multiple big-budget films in Hindi as well as South Indian industry such as the Baahubali films, Vishwaroopam, Arrambam and more, shared that the community around the world has expressed their grief on Mohan Raj's passing and emphasised the need for safety on film sets.
He said that no one should die performing a stunt and that if safety precautions don't meet high standards for the safety of the stunt person, then the stunt should never happen. "If there’s not enough funds with production, the stunt should never happen. Corners in the action/stunt department should not take place because people can die. Unlike any of the other departments on productions," he added.
In Bollywood, Whittaker has worked in Aamir Khan’s Thugs of Hindostan and the recent Fateh, starring Sonu Sood and Rajkummar Rao's Maalik.
On Sunday, the stuntman reportedly performed a stunt with an SUV, which, as per a few viral visuals, is seen toppling over a ramp. Following which, the crew members on the set rushed to save Mohan Raj, but in vain, as he was already unconscious by then. While the actor was rushed to the hospital following the stunt mishap, he unfortunately succumbed to the heart attack.
Following his death, director Pa Ranjith had been booked for his death. Initially, an FIR was filed after the accident took place, but additional charges were included along with the concerned persons. Along with Pa Ranjith, three others involved in the film Neelam Productions executive Rajkamal, stunt artiste Vinoth, and the owner of the car Prabhakaran, have been booked under three sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), viz., Section 106(1), Section 289, and Section 125.
Neelam Productions had released a statement condoling his death and extended their support for his grieving family and friends.
They further added, "We relied on the expertise of our Stunt Director Dilip Subbarayan and followed every protocol, every detail that was needed to make this safe. That inspite of all of our preparations and precautions, we ended up losing a man who had unparalleled experience and achievements, who made his family, colleagues and Directors proud with the quality of his work has affected us deeply. He will have our respect, love and adoration always."