NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, FEB 21
Actor Kamal Haasan said on Thursday that he escaped death by a “whisker” when a crane came crashing down on the sets of his latest film ‘Indian 2,’ killing three people including an Assistant Director.
He said the ace director Shankar could have also died had he not moved away from the spot just four seconds earlier.
“We escaped by a whisker. Four seconds before (the incident), the director (Shankar) and cameraman moved away and I was standing nearer along with the heroine (Kajal Aggarwal),” he said.
Talking to reporters after paying homage to the three victims, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder also announced an interim compensation of Rs. 1 crore to the kin of the deceased and to the injured.
The producers of the movie too announced they would give Rs. 2 crore to the families of the deceased and those injured. “We will take care of all the medical expenses of those injured as well,” said Tamil Kumaran, CEO of Lyca Productions.
Kamal Haasan said it was shameful that the cinema industry did not provide safe working conditions for its technicians. “I have been in this industry since my childhood, and this incident has once again proved that there is no safety compliance,” he said.
Case filed against movie company, others
We boast about big budget films; there is no point in boasting without providing safety to people working for the movies,” he said. The actor said the whole industry should come together to ensure technicians were safe and insured.
Asked if safety measures should be implemented better in the film industry, Kamal Haasan said nowhere in the country was there proper safety compliance in any field. “There are accidents waiting to happen and we should take steps to ensure that they are prevented,” he said.
Meanwhile Nazarethpet police registered a case under IPC sections 304(A) (causing death due to negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 287 (Negligent conduct with respect to machinery) against Lyca Productions, the crane operator and the crane owner. However, so far no one has been arrested.
