When Sivaji Ganesan said 'MGR does better stunts'



MG Ramachandran’s body double, stunt master Sahul Amir, explains the under-appreciated lives of stuntmen

M Sahul Amir never left his house on an optimistic note.

Instead he settled for the word “poren”, instead of the comforting, more commonly used phrase, “poitu varen”, whenever he left for work. “I used to tell my wife, ‘If I return home, I’m your husband. If not, consider me dead’,” he smiles.

Sahul, 71, is ‘Sahul master’ to people in the Tamil film industry. His job? Standing in for heroes and doing death-defying stunts. Stunts that are often received with nothing more than a casual “take okay” from directors. Now retired, Sahul is one of Kollywood’s senior-most stunt masters, having spent 47 years of his life in this line of work.

Dream job

A self-professed fan of MGR, Sahul’s dream to meet his matinee idol was fulfilled when he was introduced to fight coordinator Shyam Sundar, who had choreographed stunts in MGR’s films like Aayirathil Oruvan (1965), and including his last feature film, Madhuraiyai Meetta Sundharapandian (1978).

Call it destiny, but Sundar was looking for a body double for MGR in Pattikaattu Ponnaiya (1973), which had MGR playing a dual role. If you recall the boxing fight, it was Sahul and fighter Jeyamani beneath the masks, who took the blows for MGR.

MGR with Latha in Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban

MGR with Latha in Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban
 

The actor, however, was so impressed by how the scene played out that he hugged the starstruck stuntman, and said, Romba nalla pannirkinga”, Sahul recalls. He was the go-to body double for MGR-starrers. “They’ll shoot the long shots with me. So, if MGR had to roll on the floor, it’s me doing the action. When the scene cuts to a close-up, you’ll see him,” he says.

Protector-in-chief

Unlike MGR, whose USP was dishyum-dishyum, Sivaji Ganesan never showed interest in fight scenes, says Sahul. “Every time I explained the situation to Sivaji, he’d say, ‘I’m not an action hero. You have MGR for that’, and he would ask why we were torturing him,” he laughs.

He says only a few actors in his time preferred to do their own stunts. Kamal Haasan, for example, who even underwent stunt training.

Jaishankar and Rajinikanth in Murattu Kaalai

Jaishankar and Rajinikanth in Murattu Kaalai
 

Sahul recollects an incident when MGR jumped off a 12m building. “When he shot that scene for Meenava Nanban (1977), the entire unit was in a state of shock.

“The director (Sreedhar) rushed to see if he was fine, and I remember MGR saying, ‘Relax. This is what people expect from me’,” he says.

Between life and death

  • Sahul has been the body double for actors like MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, Dharmendra, Jai Shankar, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.
  • Stunt performers are paid depending on the number of fight sequences. When Sahul worked for MGR, he was paid ₹5000 per film.
  • The modern day stunt master is paid according to his market value. A big star film can net him a cool few lakh rupees, while the stuntmen in the team are daily wagers.
  • Sahul turned producer with the Kannada film Raja Yuvaraja (1989) starring late actor Ambareesh.
  • He, however, quit production after his second film because the hero, Shankar Nag, died in a car accident during the post-production stages. The film, Sundarakanda (1991), was released posthumously.

Being a stunt performer in the 1970s and 1980s was a matter of pride and prestige for Sahul, as they were expected to perform real stunts then, he says. Like crashing through glass, jumping from a moving train, and so on.

“Today, the hero beats 50 fighters to a pulp. Stunt has become a gimmickry these days. But back then, people literally bought the fight,” he says.

“It’s okay for stunt performers to get hurt. Because if the artiste is injured, the production comes to a halt,” adds Sahul, who remembers the time when MGR gave him an earful because his co-star Latha tripped, and almost drowned, while shooting for Neethikku Thalaivanangu (1976).

A star is born

Sahul’s growth from a stunt performer to a stunt master is a story in itself, and involves Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi.

Kamal Haasan and Ambika in the Tamil film Sakalakalavallavan

Kamal Haasan and Ambika in the Tamil film Sakalakalavallavan
 

An irresistible offer forced stunt master Raju to exit the Telugu film Goonda (1984) midway. When the news reached Chiranjeevi, he turned to Sahul and said, “You’re the [stunt] master for this film. Get your card from the union.” Sahul complied, and choreographed the action scenes. The film was a runaway hit.

What’s the toughest part of your job? “Shooting for a climax scene,” admits Sahul. “The villain has captured the hero’s mom and sister, and he is on the verge of murdering them. This is all that I get from the director,” he says.

With this little information, the stunt master is expected to lay out a plan, and begin rehearsing four days prior to shoot.

Badge of honour

Like a child, Sahul gets excited when he discusses injuries. “I fractured both my knees and shoulders. My hip bone was damaged. I can’t think of what’s left,” he laughs, pointing at his dislocated shoulder.

Sivaji Ganesan in Thirisoolam

Sivaji Ganesan in Thirisoolam
 

Why would someone voluntarily risk their lives, knowing very well that it’s a one way road? The question seems to have touched a nerve because Sahul leaps on the defensive. “Have you asked this question to a pilot? Life is about taking risks,” he says.

To prove his point, Sahul recalls a scene during the climax shoot of Karnaa (1995), which was his last Tamil film. A fan of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, Sahul tried replicating a Jackie Chan spot for Karnaa, involving a bike. The producer, naturally, was hesitant about investing money for the scene, but the hero, actor Arjun, was convinced.

The mood on the set that day was intense since “people prepared for the worst”. But the stunt performer pulled off the sequence in a single take, and drew a loud applause from the crew. “The producer couldn’t believe his own eyes. And guess what? Karnaa was a blockbuster.”

Source: Read Full Article