Hyderabad: He is juggling a slew of projects, but Baahubali is one of the most intense. Peter Hein, the celebrated stunt director, who has choreographed breathtaking action sequences for several south Indian films, is currently busy coordinating some crucial scenes from the much talked about bilingual, Baahubali. He’s having a tough time, handling 2,000 stuntmen and several elephants on the sets, but it’s going to be worthwhile waiting for the film, according to him.
“Each and every shot has been dealt with studiedly. Since it’s a period flick, there are huge requirements that we don’t see in regular movies. I have worked earlier with S.S. Rajamouli, the director, and Prabhas, the male lead in the film, which makes me feel at ease improvising various scenes.” After Baahubali, Peter is likely to work with Karan Malhotra of Agneepath fame for a B’town movie and a Hollywood project.
He regrets having missed out on Shankar’s magnum opus, Ai, due to prior commitments. “He gives people the freedom to explore and come up with their best. He it was who catapulted my career to another level,” Peter says. As one who has worked with the master filmmaker in three consecutive films — Anniyan, Sivaji and Endhiran — Peter reveals that Endhiran had him ‘sweat it out’ to get it right. The stuntman, who broke 19 bones while working on the film, says that food had to be injected into him through the hip part of his body as his mouth and hands couldn’t open.
“I know that a small act of carelessness on my part can have huge repercussions,” Peter says, “and I do try to be careful. My family worries, but they know that I am enjoying what I am doing.” Deprived of the normal joys of childhood, such as school, Peter holds his family close to his heart.
