While everyone is busy criticizing the disaster of a movie, Raavan, a certain MS Balram has some other complaints with the film. Balram claims that the now-famous dive from the movie, as opposed to Abhishek’s claims that it was done by him, was actually performed by this former national diving champion.
Abhi had claimed to reporters during a press meet that the 80-feet dive of a cliff into a deep river – a prominent scene in the promos as well- was performed by him without the help of a double. However, Balram says that the dangerous stunt was actually performed by him after being selected after various test dives. He says that his intention is not to create any unnecessary bad publicity but merely to set the record straight.” I am a great fan of the Bachchans. Moreover, it is Mani Ratnam Sir’s movie. I only want the movie to do well. But it is true that I performed this thrilling stunt for Abhishek and was paid for it. I feel proud to have done this stunt,” is what he was quoted as saying. Also, many unit members have confirmed that a stunt double was used for the scene. In fact, an assistant of Mani Sir sent him a message stating that the rolling credits of the movie do mention his name as Abhishek’s body double which should put any doubts to rest.
However, Abhishek has a different story to offer. He says that Balram had performed and showed the stunt to him after which he had himself given it a try in spite of the producers and the director advising him to do otherwise. The final dive included in the movie is the one performed by him or the test dive by the stunt double is what he doesn’t know, he says.
Controversies are many a time used as a publicity tool hence it is obvious that many people have raised questions as to the timing of Balram’s claim and his quiet subsequent disappearance. With the collections of the movie taking a tremendous nose dive, it really seems irrelevant as to who performed the dive in the movie.
