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A shocking video capturing the fatal crash that claimed the life of stuntman S.M. Raju on the set of the Tamil film 'Vettuvam' has gone viral. The clip shows a car veering off and crashing during a stunt sequence. The visual is disturbing and has reignited concerns around on-set safety standards in Indian cinema.The stuntman was part of an elaborate action shot when the vehicle lost control. The impact was severe and immediate, and despite being rushed to hospital, Raju sadly succumbed to his injuries. The crew, initially unaware of the gravity of the situation, is seen reacting in horror in the footage.
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Indian Express
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Lokesh Kanagaraj reacts to Rajinikanth's comment that ‘Coolie looked like Thalapathi to me': ‘Hearing him say those words…'
With exactly one month left for the worldwide release of director Lokesh Kanagaraj's 'Superstar' Rajinikanth-led action thriller Coolie, anticipation has already gone through the roof. One of the most awaited Indian movies of the year, Coolie not only marks the first collaboration between Rajinikanth and Lokesh but also features several massive stars, including Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj and Shruti Haasan, with a cameo appearance by Bollywood icon Aamir Khan. While Lokesh is busy giving the film its final touches, a remark made by 'Thalaivar' after watching a cut of Coolie has left him elated, confirming that what he set out to achieve has been accomplished. Mentioning that director Mani Ratnam's Thalapathi (1991) is his most favourite Rajinikanth film, Lokesh recently shared that what he tried to do in Coolie was emulate the same artistic and commercial balance that the 1991 gangster drama achieved. Also Read | Malayalam cinema's most beloved 'yakshi' took her own life at 22; was in Class 8 when she debuted 'After watching the film in the dubbing studio, he (Rajinikanth) hugged me and said, 'It looked like Thalapathi for me!' That made my day, and that was the night I slept very peacefully after many months. That is what I was telling my friends, too. If at all, I am doing a film with Rajini sir, it has to be somewhere close to Thalapathi. I cannot write a film on par with Mani sir's quality, as his film and writing is unmatched… But I get a little satisfaction when we compare that film with this one. Listening to the same words from Rajini sir was an achievement,' she shared during a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India. Opening up about his experience working with the ultimate superstar, Lokesh said: 'I loved writing for Rajini sir. I initially wrote a fantasy film for him, and he immediately said okay to it, but assembling it took so much time… it would've taken at least a year and a half to go ahead. You can write anything for the actor because he is larger than life. Even though I have tried a lot of new techniques and styles in the film, it will still be a Rajini sir film. I also don't want to change that.'
Indian Express
28 minutes ago
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A star beyond language and region: Legendary actor Saroja Devi dies
'Kappa, nimageke kodabeku kappa (Royalty, why should we pay the royalty)', the iconic dialogue by actor B Saroja Devi, playing freedom fighter Kittur Chennamma in the 1961 film by the same name, established her as one of the leading female stars of Kannada cinema. Only 23-year-old then, the young actor went on to become a legend in not just Kannada, but also Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. B Saroja Devi, 87, died on Monday at her residence in Malleswaram following age-related illness. The doe-eyed beauty with over 200 films to her credit was one of the first Kannada actors to act in other language movies opposite biggest stars of that time. Saroja Devi was always up for learning new things, so much so that she opened her Instagram account at the age of 83 years (in 2021). Following her death, who's who of the film industry and political world took to social media to convey their condolences. Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her an exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture. 'Her diverse performances left an indelible mark across generations.' Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called her 'Abhinaya Saraswati' and said her departure is a great loss to the Indian cinema. Superstars Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Khushbu Sundar and others remembered her as a great artist who lived beyond the boundaries of 'language and region'. Born in a Vokkaliga family with her roots in Mandya district, Saroja Devi was the daughter of a police officer, Bhairappa. In those days, when women were not encouraged to act in movies, Bhairappa supported Saroja Devi to make her debut at the age of 17 opposite Dr Rajkumar, who went on to become another Kannada superstar, in 'Mahakavi Kalidasa' (1955). Her screen presence immediately captured the hearts of people and she started getting offers for Tamil films as well. In 1958, Saroja Devi played the female lead in 'Nadodi Mannan' opposite Tamil cinema legend M G Ramachandran (MGR) and later went on to give more than 20 back to back Tamil hits. It was not just MGR, she was cast with several other reigning superstars of the time, including Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Dr Rajkumar and N T Rama Rao (NTR). She became the face of 'Kittur Chennamma' in 1961 with her powerful dialogues as the Queen of Kittur fighting the British against royalty collection from princely states. In those days, it is said, when children were asked who Kittur Rani Chennamma was, they would instantly reply 'Saroja Devi'. Hindi film, 'Paigham' (1959), starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala in lead roles, was a blockbuster hit and Saroja Devi, despite her 'bit role', managed to impress the audience and directors with her crackling screen presence. 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Umesh Banakar, president of the Kannada Film Producers Association, recalled Saroja Devi as an extremely disciplined and no-nonsense superstar. 'Be it a superstar or a commoner, no one could meet her without an appointment. She always arrived on time for any event. Some superstars used to turn up late but she never stayed back,' he said. A veteran photographer recalled that Saroja Devi was always conscious about her public appearance. During an interview at her residence, she asked him not to take photos from a low angle as it would expose her double chin. In 2019, Saroja Devi appeared for the last time in the late Puneeth Raj Kumar-starrer 'Natasaarvabhowma', a horror film by actor-producer Rockline Venkatesh.
India.com
30 minutes ago
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Meet actor who did over a hundred films as a child artist, now all set to share screen space with Rajinikanth in Coolie, he is...
In an industry where stardom takes years or a miracle, Master Mahendran was a household name before he could spell it. A true child prodigy, he began acting at the age of 3, and by the time most actors land their first break, he had already worked in 100+ films across six Indian languages. That's not just impressive—it's a national record that still stands. What was his breakout role? Among his many childhood performances, Mahendran's portrayal of 'Master Babu' in the 2001 Telugu film Simharasi remains one of his most celebrated. Despite the film starring big names like Dr. Rajasekhar and Sakshi Shivanand, it was Mahendran's emotional flashback scenes that truly left an impact. How did the transition to lead roles happen? After collecting accolades as a child actor, including two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Mahendran reintroduced himself in 2013 as a lead actor in Vizha, opposite Malavika Menon. From child charm to adult command, his growth as a performer has been gradual, grounded, and quietly consistent. Mahendran all set for Coolie Fresh off his powerful appearance as young Vijay Sethupathi in the Tamil hit Master, Mahendran is now gearing up to share screen space with none other than Rajinikanth in the much-awaited film Coolie. While his role remains under wraps, sources suggest it's a significant character arc in the storyline. Alongside Coolie, he's also part of other upcoming films like Musashi and Pulse, marking a busy and exciting phase in his career. From a scene-stealer at age three to a rising force in Tamil cinema again, Mahendran's journey feels less like a comeback and more like a continuation of a legacy he quietly built, one frame at a time.
