New Delhi: After the unfortunate death of stuntman Raju on the sets of PA Ranjith, Aejaz Gulab, the president of the Fighters Association, talks about the challenges of stuntmen
Aejaz Gulab told News9 exclusively, “The biggest challenge is that big films are being made, but budgets for stunts are still very low. The corporations don’t know what filmmaking is or what kind of budget is required; they have a standard rate card, and all that is done is accidental death that they cover. It will not help you live your life just in case there is an eventuality.”
Is fitness taken into consideration before a particular stuntman is chosen to do it? To which Aejaz replied, “We check experience more than fitness; we look at the person and know if he is capable of performing the stunt, and there is no medical certificate issued for a stunt, and producers are not interested in it.”
“Aejaz feels there is a lot that needs to be done for the technicians of the film industry. He said, “There is a need to have a safety instructor, safety devices for lighting, and precautionary measures like insulation of wires that are laid out on the set.”
Aejaz also puts the onus on the government and feels that it should be their responsibility to take care of the industry that pays them maximum taxes but said, “They don’t pay attention to us in spite of the fact that the maximum revenue the government earns is from the film industry. There is nothing that they give us; there is no security, there is no medical, and there is no insurance.”
Regarding the insurance of members of the stunt association by actor Akshay Kumar, Aejaz said, “He still pays the premium for our insurance, but for how long can only one man continue to do it? The government has to take responsibility; it earns so much from the film industry. There has to be a forum, a bench where we can raise our concerns and resolutions are found.”
“It is sad that all people want to know is how the accident happened; nobody really cares if the worker has eaten his food, about his safety, or about his work. What happened with Raju was unfortunate. Corporations don’t know what filmmaking is about or what kind of budget is required. They have a standard, and there is only an accidental death that they cover. It will not help you live your life.”