Lights…..Camera……and Action!! When it comes to shoot these three words resounds with the audience at large. However, the story is completely different if you are stunt performer. The thrill of performing daredevil Bollywood stunts with complete safety and precision with pinch of danger and many retakes in the process of delivering perfect shots. My journey began when I was 12 years old as a stunt double for Aishwarya Rai for diamond jewelry Ad (Nakshatra Diamond). Luck played its part as my skin tone, height and figure matched with actress (as it was basic requirement to become a stunt artist) however, it was consistency hard work and determination which made me a renowned stunt woman in Bollywood industry.

The first day of shoot was pretty exciting, going behind the cameras and understanding the precision of every shot helped me to mold stunt artist of the industry. Wearing a harness and performing a summersault from staggering height of 30 feet was my first stunt. As thrilling as it may sound has it owns challenge, being a stunt artist, you don’t perform stunt for yourself but for the camera, which means even a simple out of focus shot can result into retake of the stunt. When stunt was performed to precision, I made Rs 10,000/- for one day shoot (which might me be salary for a month of work a stunt of from 30 feet height made me earned it in single day) That’s a lot to think as your 1^st pay as a stunt artist 20 years back. Thrill, fun and having a good pay at the end of the day made fall in love with this profession and the journey of being a stunt artist and doing daredevil Bollywood stunts being a stunt double. You can check out the ad for Nakshatra Ad here….

Thankfully, over the 20 years the journey never stopped. With sheer determination, fitness and never give up attitude the journey has been hard yet fruitful with many achievements and accolades. Featuring over 145 movies and being double for Bollywood biggies like Vidya Balan, Tapsee Pannu, Aishwarya Rai to name a few and being nominated 5 times for Taurus World Stunt Nomination, being a stunt artist, my mantra has been simple “estimate the consequence before performing any stunts” and that’s the message I would like to give my fellow stunt artist in the industry.