There is only one Tom Cruise. Every other actor wisely leaves dangerous stunts (sometimes even a cartwheel or complicated dance routine) to a body double. As Indian films plan bigger, more ambitious action sequences, splurging on foreign locations, prepping for months, and bringing in new tech, where does this leave stunt people? The answers reflect an industry in which, as much as things change, they also sometimes remain the same.
Mansoor Ali Khan, who has served as Hrithik Roshan's action stand-in for 16 years, says that action sequences are no longer the ad-hoc operations they used to be a decade ago. For one scene in Vikram Vedha (2022), in which Roshan's character leaps from the fifth floor of a building, a crew of about two dozen headed to Dubai, built a set and rehearsed for a week. When Roshan joined, he rehearsed as well. Only then was the shot filmed. "Action bits include physical work as well as acting," Khan says. "It takes a lot of practice before you shoot the actual scene. Something that the public doesn't see." Khan, 35, got his break as a stuntman in 2007, standing in for Salman Khan in Wanted. He trained in gymnastics, martial arts, learned on set, and took lessons from the 64-yearold Movie Stunt Artiste Association in Andheri, Mumbai.
Esta historia es de la edición October 14, 2023 de Brunch.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 14, 2023 de Brunch.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Rohit Chawla
Photographer, artist, @RohitChawlaPhotography_
Congratulations, it's a goal
Lakeside vows, pastel palettes, bayous, backyards and boats. These celeb weddings are what modern fairytales are made of
Rail against the machine
Valay Shende's Virar Fast depicts more than Mumbai's constant state of rush. Despite the struggle, there's empathy too
No need for soirée excuses
Not all party guests are created equal. Make sure you have an escape plan, in case you're stuck with someone dull
100 years, one epic dinner
How did the Hindustan Times celebrate its centenary in Delhi? With a lavish, ambitious dinner served by a top chef, in a magical garden. It can never be done again
Sauce and sorcery
Video projections on your plate, holograms dancing at the table, customised tunes with every course. Tech's coming to dinner. Will you reorder or reboot?
Who hates the haters now?
Online trolls used to terrify influencers. Now, hate is hardly a surprise. It's a sign of engagement, real viewers; a chance to clap back and wield power. Take a look
Are you earring this?
Don't put the heavy jewellery back in storage after the festivities. Stylists offer tips on how to wear them all year and still look chic
Clash of clans: Festive edit
Set boundaries, ask your own questions, prep for the prying moments. Here's how to survive the family gathering without going nuts
Krutika
Content creator, @TheMermaidScales