Stunt choreographer Anl Arasu, who made history by winning a National Film Award for his work in the Tamil film ‘Maharaja’ (2024), has revealed that he narrowly missed out on another major honour for his contribution to Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jawan’ (2023).
In an interview with Cinema Express, the action choreographer discussed the recognition received by stunt professionals and the limited opportunities available for their work to be honoured at major international awards.
Arasu explained that while the National Film Awards have introduced a dedicated category for stunt choreography, the Oscars have not traditionally included a comparable award. He pointed to the Taurus World Stunt Awards, held annually in Los Angeles, as an important platform for recognising achievements in action filmmaking.
The choreographer was nominated in the Best Stunt Coordinator and/or Second Unit Director category for ‘Jawan’. He travelled to Los Angeles to attend the event but ultimately missed out on the award by a narrow margin.
His fellow contenders included action-heavy productions such as ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, ‘Extraction 2’, ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ and ‘Fast X’.
Arasu’s National Film Award win for ‘Maharaja’ was another significant moment for the stunt community, as it highlighted the contribution of action professionals to Indian cinema.
