The film industry needs to do more to support our stunt masters, says actress Delna Davis

Chennai, July 16 (IANS) Actress Delna Davis, who has made her mark in both Tamil and Malayalam cinema, has penned an emotional post on the tragic demise of stuntman Mohan Raj in which she has said that the film industry needs to do more to support its stunt masters.

For the unaware, stunt artiste Mohan Raj tragically passed away while performing a stunt for the upcoming film Vettuvam. Director Pa Ranjith, whose Neelam productions is producing the film, had condoled his demise saying, it deeply mourned the loss of Mohan Raj Anna as a husband, a father, an incredible stunt artist and a graceful human being.

Taking to her Instagram page to pen a lengthy post on the demise of the stunt artiste, Delna Davis, who made an impression with her performance in the Tamil film Kurangu Bommai, wrote, "It's a tragic loss, and it truly hurts. I've always had huge respect for the stunt team, the fighters in cinema.

"I really feel they are the only team on a film set who put their bodies on the line every single day. While we, as actors, act like we are fighting... they actually fight. They fall, they get injured, and most of the time, they are in real pain.

"In every movie or series I've worked on, I've seen this with my own eyes. They don't complain 100 they just give their 100% with full dedication. But still, I feel they don't get the recognition or pay they truly deserve.

"Whenever I work with them, I trust them completely. Even if I have to fall or do a risky scene, I know they'll protect me. I always feel safe around them. This loss is not just professional, it's personal. It breaks my heart. The film industry really needs to do more to support and protect our fighters and stunt masters."

Actress Simran too expressed grief at the stunt artiste's demise. She took to X to pen her thoughts.

She wrote, "Behind every intense action scene is a brave soul like S M Raju. His tragic death while performing a stunt is devastating. May we never take these heroes for granted. We honor his courage and mourn his loss. Strength and prayers to his loved ones. Om Shanti"

--IANS

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