A tragic accident on the sets of SJ Suryah’s upcoming film Killer has claimed the life of a young technician and left three others injured. The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday during a filming session at the B&C Mill premises in Chennai’s Otteri area.
Fatal accident disrupts filming of Killer
According to reports, the production unit had been shooting at the location for several days as part of the film’s latest schedule. More than a hundred technicians, workers and crew members were reportedly involved in the ongoing shoot.
At around 3.30 am, a gas balloon cylinder is said to have exploded on the set, triggering a fire-related accident. The blast resulted in chaos at the location, with crew members rushing to help those caught in the incident.
Madhan, a 26-year-old technician from Maduravoyal, suffered severe injuries and died at the spot. Three others identified as Sakthivel (27) from Kundrathur, Surya (23) from Maduravoyal and Dinakaran (24) from Nerkundram sustained injuries in the explosion.
Co-workers immediately transported the victims to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. While doctors declared Madhan dead on arrival, the three injured technicians are currently receiving treatment for their injuries.
Police from the Otteri jurisdiction have registered a case and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. Authorities are expected to examine safety measures followed on the set and the circumstances that led to the cylinder explosion.
Production faces setback as SJ Suryah returns to direction
The incident is expected to have a significant impact on the production schedule of Killer, with filming temporarily halted following the tragedy. The project has been one of SJ Suryah’s most anticipated ventures, marking his return to directing after a decade-long gap.
Killer is particularly significant in Suryah’s career as it marks his first directorial outing since 2015’s Isai. Over the last several years, he has earned widespread acclaim as an actor across Tamil, Telugu and pan-Indian cinema, but the filmmaker behind cult hits such as Vaali, Kushi and New has remained absent from the director’s chair.
The film stars Preethi Asrani as the female lead, while details regarding the rest of the cast are still being kept under wraps. Suryah has written the screenplay and dialogues himself and is also playing the lead role.
Adding to the anticipation is the reunion between SJ Suryah and Academy Award-winning composer AR Rahman. The duo have previously collaborated on several projects, including the romantic entertainer Anbe Aaruyire.
The filmmaker has described Killer as a commercial entertainer that blends action, romance and comedy. In earlier interactions, Suryah revealed that the film carries the emotional flavour of his blockbuster Kushi while also incorporating the adventurous spirit of a James Bond-style thriller.
The project is being produced by Sree Gokulam Movies in association with Angel Studios. Notably, the film marks Sree Gokulam Movies’ entry into Tamil cinema after establishing a strong presence in the Malayalam film industry.
Earlier this year, SJ Suryah himself suffered injuries while filming a stunt sequence in Chennai’s Palavakkam area after colliding with a metal rod during a rope-based action setup. While he recovered and resumed work, the latest accident has cast a shadow over the production.
Killer is planned as a pan-Indian release and is expected to arrive in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi. However, the immediate focus remains on the investigation and the wellbeing of those affected by the tragic incident.
Also Read: SJ Suryah, Sai Pallavi, Anirudh & KJ Yesudas Shine in Tamil Nadu’s Kalaimamani Honours
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: filmfare.com
