Akshay Kumar may be one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars, but beneath the action-hero persona lies a man with a deep sense of responsibility. In a recent conversation with Sonal Kalra on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra Season 2, the actor shared the painful memory that led him to champion the cause of stunt performers in Indian cinema.
The conversation took a turn as Akshay reflected on the recent passing of veteran stuntman S Mohanraj during a shoot for Vettuvam. The incident triggered memories of a tragic mishap on the sets of his 1999 film Jaanwar, where a stunt gone wrong claimed the life of a young stuntman. “I still remember locking eyes with him, he gave me a thumbs up. Moments later, the car flipped and he died on the spot,” Akshay said.
Back then, there was no system of insurance or safety net for stunt performers, despite the life-threatening nature of their work. Determined to make a difference, Akshay partnered with heart specialist Dr. Panda and gained the stunt community’s support to launch an insurance scheme in 2017.
The initiative, fully funded by Akshay himself, has quietly helped support countless stuntmen for over six years. “I’m a stuntman first and an actor next,” Akshay said, a sentiment that perfectly sums up his quiet, impactful efforts behind the scenes.