Stunt Silva is an Indian stunt actor, action director and stunt co-ordinator who has worked in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali, Hindi films. He made his debut with the 2005 Telugu film Chatrapathi, directed by S. S. Rajamouli and has since also made appearances in films, portraying a supporting antagonist.
Career After training as a nurse at Stanley Medical College, Silva began working as a male nurse at hospitals in his home town of Tuticorin before joining Vijaya Health Centre in Chennai in 1990. He also pursued work as a peon in offices and dabbled in a transport business to keep a float financially. In 2002, he met a dance choreographer from the film industry who advised him to sign up as a background dancer in films. He took up dance lessons at Paul Raj's school but was unable to gain access into the dancers' union and instead, as a means of making any sort of money, opted to apply for membership with the union for stuntmen. Silva then began working as an assistant to stunt choreographer Peter Hein in Run (2002) and Thirumalai (2003), and choose to leave his hospital ward boy duties. During his time as an assistant, (2005) he helped Rajinikanth perform stunts in Sivaji (2007).
After serving as an assistant fighter in several Tamil and Telugu films, director S. S. Rajamouli gave Silva an opportunity to work as the stunt director of his fantasy film Yamadonga (2007), for which his work won critical acclaim. He has since gone on to work in over one hundred Indian films as the lead stunt director, working with leading directors and actors. He won recognition for his chase sequences in Mankatha (2011) and has regularly collaborated in films directed by Venkat Prabhu. In 2014, he was described by Sify.com as having achieved a "career high" through his work on prestigious film projects.
Stunt Silva has also featured in films portraying a supporting antagonist. After being seen as a henchman in Yamadonga (2007), Thalaiva (2013), Jilla (2014) and Veeram (2014), he portrayed the role of a gangster in Gautham Menon's Yennai Arindhaal (2015). He was also revealed to be a playing a leading role in the sports film, Brazil, which began production in 2014.
Personal life Stunt Silva was credited in films under his original name, Selvam, and also as Selva, before being mistakenly referred to as Silva in the credits of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) by Gautham Vasudev Menon. He has subsequently chosen to adapt it as a stage name, noting that the industry's fixation with foreign stunt directors, meant that a foreign-sounding name would benefit him.
Awards and nominations YearNominated MovieLanguageAwardCategoryResults2011MankathaTamilSouth Indian International Movie Awards — SIIMA & Vijay Television AwardsBest Action Choreography2012VettaiTamil Nadu State Film AwardsTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Stunt Coordinator3South Indian International Movie Awards — SIIMA & Vijay Television AwardsBest Action Choreography2013VettaiSouth Indian International Movie Awards — SIIMABest Action Choreography2014VeeramVijay Television AwardsBest Stunt DirectorJillaVijay Television AwardsBest Stunt DirectorAnjaanSouth Indian International Movie Awards — SIIMABest Fight Choreographer2015BajiMarathiInternational Marathi Film Festival Awards — IMFFABest ActionVedhalamTamilEdison AwardsBest Action Choreography2022Chithirai SevvanamEdison AwardsBest Debut Director 2025L2: Empuraan Malayalam Mazhavil Entertainment Awards Best Stunt Director Thudarum
Filmography Stunt director and film director YearTitleLanguageNotes 2007 Yamadonga Telugu 2008 Pourudu Telugu Yaaradi Nee Mohini Tamil Homam Telugu Hare Ram Telugu Souryam Telugu Saroja Tamil Arai Enn 305-il Kadavul Tamil 2009 Kadhalna Summa Illai Tamil Eeram Tamil Sankham Telugu Drona Telugu Rechipo Telugu 2010 Police Police Telugu Shambo Shiva Shambo Telugu Ye Maaya Chesave Telugu Kedi Telugu Goa Tamil Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa Tamil Panchakshari Telugu Vamsam Tamil 2011 Anaganaga O Dheerudu Telugu Nadunisi Naaygal Tamil Vaanam Tamil Venghai Tamil Mankatha Tamil Osthe Tamil Velayutham Tamil 2012 Ek Deewana Tha Hindi The King & the Commissioner Malayalam Murattu Kaalai Tamil 3 Tamil 2013 Naayak Telugu Thalaivaa Tamil Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya Tamil Biriyani Tamil 2014 Jilla Tamil Veeram Tamil Mr. Fraud Malayalam RajadhiRaja Malayalam Bramman Tamil Anjaan Tamil Oru Oorla Rendu Raja Tamil 2015 Yennai Arindhaal Tamil Baji Marathi Vai Raja Vai Tamil Maari Tamil Yatchan Tamil Loham Malayalam Kaaval Tamil Idhu Enna Maayam Tamil Thani Oruvan Tamil Uppu Karuvaadu Tamil Thanga Magan Tamil Vedalam Tamil Massu Engira Masilamani Tamil 2016 Style Malayalam Oppam Malayalam Oozham Malayalam Kasaba Malayalam Rajini Murugan Tamil Chakravyuha Kannada Thozha Tamil Kodi Tamil Achcham Enbadhu Madamaiyada Tamil 2017 Kuttram 23 Tamil Power Paandi Tamil Vanamagan Tamil Ivan Thanthiran Tamil Yuddham Sharanam Telugu Masterpiece Malayalam Oxygen Telugu Jawaan Telugu 2018 Street Lights MalayalamKammara Sambhavam Malayalam Diya / Kanam Tamil / Telugu Parole Malayalam Abrahaminte Santhathikal Malayalam Lakshmi Tamil 2.0 Tamil Saamy Square Tamil Maari 2 Tamil 2019 Lucifer Malayalam Kodathi Samaksham Balan Vakkeel Malayalam Oru Yamandan Premakadha Malayalam LKG Tamil Boomerang Tamil Watchman Tamil Love Action Drama Malayalam Aruvam Tamil Enai Noki Paayum Thota Tamil 2020 Big Brother Malayalam Shylock Malayalam Dagaalty Tamil Mookuthi Amman Tamil 2021 Master Tamil Tughlaq Durbar Tamil Thalaivii Tamil / Hindi MGR Magan Tamil Maanaadu Tamil Thalli Pogathey Tamil Chithirai Sevvanam Tamil Released on Zee5; Also writer and director 2022 Maaran Tamil Thiruchitrambalam Tamil Godfather Telugu Monster Malayalam Kaapa Malayalam Ottu Malayalam Rendagam Tamil Malikappuram Malayalam 2023 Rudhran Tamil Chengiz Bengali 2024 Mission: Chapter 1 Tamil 12 Gaun Nepali DNA Malayalam Baby John Hindi 2025 Paranthu Po Tamil L2: Empuraan Malayalam Bazooka Malayalam Thudarum Malayalam Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 Telugu They Call Him OG Telugu Diesel Tamil 2026 Mr. X Tamil Thudakkam Malayalam
As an actor Year Title Role Language Notes 2002 Naya Anubhav Hindi Uncredited appearance 2004 7/G Rainbow Colony Tamil / Telugu 2005 Chatrapathi Telugu Anniyan Passerby Tamil 2006 Ashok Telugu Bommarillu Rajesh Telugu 2007 Yamadonga Telugu 2010 Kedi Telugu Panchakshari Telugu 2011 Margazhi 16 Tamil Velayutham Tamil 2012 Murattu Kaalai Tamil 2013 Thalaivaa Tamil Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya Kolaveri David Tamil 2014 Jilla Tamil Veeram Tamil Mr. Fraud Malayalam Oru Oorla Rendu Raja Hitman Tamil 2015 Yennai Arindhaal Matthew Tamil Baji Marathi Yatchan Tamil Massu Engira Masilamani Prince Tamil 2016 Style Malayalam 2017 Kuttram 23 Tamil Power Paandi Tamil Ivan Thanthiran Tamil 2018 Street Lights Murugan Malayalam Diya / Kanam Tamil / Telugu Uncredited role Maari 2 Tamil 2019 Watchman Tamil Aruvam Tamil 2020 Dagaalty Tamil 2021 Maanaadu Tamil Thalli Pogathey Tamil Uncredited role 2022 Thiruchitrambalam Tamil 2023 Karungaapiyam Tamil 2024 12 Gaun Drug Dealer Nepali 2026 Mr. X Sampath Tamil Uncredited role
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