Three assistant directors killed, 9 hurt on Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 2’ set

Three people were killed while nine more were injured in a crane accident on the set of actor Kamal Haasan’s upcoming film ‘Indian 2’ on Wednesday (February 19), police said.

The accident took place at EVP Film City near Chennai when the crane employed to erect the set crashed, killing three and leaving nine injured, police said.

Director Shankar is making a sequel to the 1996 film, Indian. Police sources told NDTV that it’s not known if Shankar was at the site when the crane crashed. However, India Today reports that the director was working close to the spot, but had a miraculous escape.

Indian 2, an action thriller, is being seen as Kamal Haasan’s film that dabbles in politics. The Tamil Nadu assembly election is due next year.

Kamal Haasan took to Twitter to share the mishap. “I have faced and overcome many accidents, but today’s is the most horrific one. I lost three colleagues. The distress of their family members will be many times greater than my own pain. I share their grief as one of them. My deepest condolences to them,” he wrote.

எத்தனையோ விபத்துக்களை சந்தித்து, கடந்திருந்தாலும் இன்றைய விபத்து மிகக் கொடூரமானது. மூன்று சகாக்களை இழந்து நிற்கிறேன்.எனது வலியை விட
அவர்களை இழந்த குடும்பத்தினரின் துயரம் பன்மடங்கு இருக்கும். அவர்களில் ஒருவனாக அவர்களின் துயரத்தில் பங்கேற்கிறேன்.அவர்களுக்கு என் ஆழ்ந்த அனுதாபங்கள்

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) February 19, 2020

He also said he had met with the doctors at the hospital and spoken to them about giving first aid to those who were injured.

மருத்துவமனையில் விபத்தில் சிக்கியவர்களை பார்த்து மருத்துவர்களிடம் பேசியுள்ளேன்.

முதலுதவி வழங்கப்பட்டு உரிய சிகிச்சைக்கான வேலைகள் நடக்கிறது.

இவர்கள் விரைவாக உடல் நலம் பெற்றிடுவார்கள் என்ற நம்பிக்கையுடனே இந்த இரவு விடியட்டும்.

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) February 19, 2020

The director’s personal assistant Madhu, 29 and assistant director Krishna, 34, died in the accident, reports India Today without naming the third victim.

Lyca Productions said, “We are extremely saddened” over the mishap. They said, “no words could ease what we truly feel.” adding that they have lost three of their “most hardworking technicians.”

pic.twitter.com/Yqxd0RVx0s

— Lyca Productions (@LycaProductions) February 19, 2020

Lyca Productions expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families.

The three killed were assistant director Krishna, art assistant Chandran and Madhu, a production assistant, Lyca said in a statement.

The accident happened when a light set-up on top of a crane fell on the crew who were at the spot. The rope that was used to hold up the set-up gave way, say reports.

Police have filed a case against crane operator Rajan, who is currently on the run.