Akshay Kumar Insures Lives Of 650 Stunt Workers After Stuntman Raju's Death On Set, Policy Includes Health & Accident Coverage
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has taken a step towards addressing safety concerns in the film industry by personally insuring the lives of around 650 stuntmen and stuntwomen across India. The move comes in the wake of renewed scrutiny on stunt safety following the recent death of stuntman Raju during the shoot of a Tamil film directed by Pa Ranjith and starring Arya.
According to stunt coordinator Vikram Singh Dahiya, who has worked on projects such as Dhadak 2, Jigra, Gunjan Saxena, Antim, and OMG 2, the insurance plan now in place includes both health and accident coverage.
He said, "Thanks to Akshay sir, around 650 to 700 stuntmen and action crew members in Bollywood are now covered under insurance. The policy includes both health and accident coverage. If a stunt performer is injured, whether on or off set, they can avail of cashless medical treatment up to Rs 5 to Rs 5.5 lakh."
The initiative may offer temporary relief to many workers, but it also highlights the ongoing need for structured guidelines, standardised safety protocols, and greater accountability on sets across the country.
Stunt performers have long worked in high-risk environments with minimal safety measures and little financial protection. Many in the action community lack access to health or accident insurance, leaving them and their families vulnerable in case of injury or death on the job.
Stuntman Raju's death
In a shocking incident, renowned stunt artist, Raju, died after a stunt went wrong on the sets of filmmaker PA Ranjith's upcoming film. The incident took place on July 13 and a horrifying video of the mishap surfaced online from the sets of the film.
In the video, SM Raju can be seen performing a car-toppling stunt. His car lost balance as soon as it went on the ramp and turned several times mid-air before landing on its front end. It was a couple of minutes after the crash that the crew shooting the sequence realised what had happened, and they rushed towards the car, only to find Raju severely injured. He succumbed to his injuries.
news