Pa Ranjith and actor Arya’s recent death on the set of the upcoming Tamil film has once again made headlines in the entertainment industry. To understand how stunts operate in Hindi film industry and what safety measures are, Indianody.in Talked with action director Vikram Singh Dahiya, who has worked in Bollywood for more than a decade in films like Dhadak 2, Jigra, Gunjan Saxena, Antim and OMG 2. He also explained how health and accident insurance for stunts professionals have helped in health and accident insurance.

The Dahiya stunt work is not a stranger for the upper-day world, directed the action sequence for many films and collaborated with stars like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. He shared how the industry has developed, the role of insurance, and how Akshay Kumar contributed to improving situations for stunt professionals.

Security is always a priority but accidents can still occur

Dahiya insisted that today’s Bollywood sets are more security-conscious than the past. “We always take caution,” they say. “For example, during car flips, we install protective rods, called ‘cage’ inside the vehicle. The driver gets tightly stuck with a professional-grade harness to avoid any movement during effect.”

Even fuel tanks are monitored. “We make sure that there is enough petrol to complete the view, perhaps 250–300 meters driving, but never more than necessary,” they say. “But once the car flipped, it gets out of your hands. You can only plan at one point.”

Despite all these measures, Dahiya admits that the work of the stunt is naturally risky. “Even with padding and proper training, when we fall to someone at 30–40 km/h with ropes, the body absorbs shock. It calculates the risk but still risks.”

Deadly on Chennai incident

In a tragic accident, Stuntman Mohan Raj, called Raju, died on the set of Panjith and actor Arya. The accident occurred on 13 July while Raju was carrying out a car stunt. Speaking about recent deadly stunts in Chennai, Dahiya expressed his condolences. “It was a very unfortunate accident,” he said, saying that he was not present and there is no details about the safety protocol of the South Industry, Bollywood has progressed in ensuring safety for its stunt professionals.

Akshay Kumar gave insurance gift to the industry

One of the most notable reforms in Bollywood, Dahiya says, came through actor Akshay Kumar, who started health and accident insurance for stunts.

He said, “Thanks to Akshay Sir, around 650-700 stuntman and action crew members in Bollywood are now covered under insurance.” “This includes both health and accident insurance. If a stuntman is off or closed, it can avail cashless treatment up to Rs 5-5.5 lakh.”

In the unfortunate incident of death, the nominee gets a payment of about 20-25 lakh rupees. “This insurance was not there before. Akshay Kumar not only advocated it for this, but also helped to fund it. He knows what the stuntman passes through.”

How to become a licensed stunt professional in Bollywood?

Join the Film Stunt Artists Association is not as simple as walking on a set. Dahiya states that candidates should be trained in martial arts and undergo a test conducted by a panel of senior action directors. “After passing, the person is given a stunt ID card and is officially registered. There is a membership fee of about Rs 3.5 lakh, which is returned at the time of retirement,” they say.

The association includes all from stunt coordinator to action directors, with separate fees structures based on role.

What is the most risky stunt?

“There is a risk in every type of stunt,” Dahiya says the case. “Fire, explosion, car flip, high falls, underwater sequences – all of this causes the risk. Even falling from a table can cause injury if your foot land is incorrectly.”

Dahiya insisted that every stunt is treated with care. “Before every dangerous shot, we rehearsal, use dummy, and try to guess how much damage can occur. But it is still real. Nothing is fake.”

Dahiya is proud of her record. “In 11–12 years as an action director, I never did a major accident on the set,” they say. He said, “There have been minor injuries, ankle or broken finger, but nothing is ever serious.”

He takes his responsibility seriously. “When someone comes on my set, I know that their family is waiting for them. I don’t take risks lightly. I calculate everything before shooting.”

Meanwhile, a police case has been registered against film director Prabhakaran with the owner of the vehicle Prabhakaran in the death of stunt actor Vinoth, Rajkamal of Neelam Productions and Stuntman Mohan Raj.