Daring double

Rappelling from a helicopter onto a truck while both vehicles are hurtling past at speeds of 80 kmph would be intimidating to most. And when the landing area is restricted to a small square ramp of three feet, the challenge may appear almost foolhardy for any miscalculation could toss the daredevil between the wheels of the truck. Yet 21-year-old Sanobar Pardiwalla dared to repeat this feat 11 times until the action director of the commercial for the Mahindra Renault Logan car was satisfied with the shot. The precision of each fall depends not just on her body movement but also extraneous factors like the speed of the wind and the humidity in the air, she explains.

Sanobar Pardiwalla (left) doubling for Aishwarya Rai (right) in Dhoom II (top)

As a stunt artiste she is called upon to work as a double for many of the lead Bollywood actors. When she did the famous bike stunts for Aishwarya Rai in Dhoom II she was overwhelmed by the actor’s concern: "She was always there at the location to make sure I was all right. I don’t remember any other star being as caring. In fact before some stunts she actually went to the director and asked him if they were safe for me to do,” acknowledges Pardiwalla.

Earlier in Dhoom when she had worked as Esha Deol’s double, she was required to jump over a nine-foot high flaming fire. Although actor Uday Chopra was meant to rescue her, "In reality it was the other way round. I was the one helping Uday off the stage. We had to do 13 retakes before the shot was finally okayed,” she recalls. For the film Chehra, as the body double for Bipasha Basu she jumped from a height of 180 feet for the suicide sequence, she mentions.

The gutsy youth may have lost count of the number of films and commercials in which she has worked over the last 10 years but she remembers well her first commercial assignment for the Naksha­tra advertisement when she was in the seventh grade. As Aishwarya’s double she had to do two backflips from the second floor to the ground floor level. Soon thereafter she was commissioned for the Hero bicycle advertisement where she had to ride a bicycle on a six-foot-high ramp, one-and-a-half-foot wide, for a distance of around 20 feet. With a height of 5’5” and slim since her school days, Pardiwalla is happy that her interest in athletics and sports has turned into a profession. "You must love what you do,” she believes. "Fond of swimming, I was able to do underwater stunts. I love riding a bike, car…” Hence bike stunts and car chases she performs with relative ease and has even been able to share tips with stars like Hrithik Roshan who are relatively new to two-wheelers.

Clockwise from top left: Sanobar Pardiwalla (seated on bike) in the Hero Honda Pleasure advertisement (standing on her left is Priyanka Chopra); with Hrithik Roshan in Dhoom II and on the sets of the yet-to-be released Tashan

"Most of the stunts I perform have been learnt from my fiancé Prakash Chauhan,” acknowledges Pardiwalla. "If there are too many risks, we sit and coordinate, work out the details with precision.” Having learnt martial arts, paragliding, bungee jumping, sky diving, she emphasizes the need for professional training: "You need time and practice to perfect the art,” she mentions, adding, "There is a technique in falling. You must know how to land on your toes and not on your heels. Even the positioning of the body is important… Most stunt people are not qualified, raising the risk of breaking their head and neck. In front of me I have seen wrong moves resulting in paralysis. Death is easier. Being paralyzed for life is difficult.” Pardi­walla remembers approaching the Indian Army with a request that she be trained by them. But there was no response, compelling her to undertake expensive courses in USA, Australia, Dubai.

Above (left): Sanobar Pardiwalla skydiving and (right) in the Mahindra Renault advertisement. (Alongside) Doing the jump on the sets of Chehra

Although "satisfied with my career choice,” Pardiwalla admits, "I would have preferred being a pilot.” Considering the risk to life and limbs, the financial returns are not on par. A stunt artiste is paid not even one-hundredth of what the main actor draws, declares Pardi­walla. There are certain periods when she has to work every day in a month and there are certain lulls when she keeps herself busy as a fitness consultant and physiotherapist. She has a tie-up with the Saifee Hospital and additionally takes on clients on a private basis too.

Stuntwoman Sanobar Pardiwalla rappelling (far left); and ready for action

Having worked with action directors like Shyam Kaushal, Pervez Khan, Allan Amin, Firoz Khan, Pervez Sheikh, Pardiwalla says, "They know what they want. They are concerned about the safety of stunt artistes. Earlier no one bothered.” Blessed not to have received a single injury in the course of her amazing displays, she realizes however that the career of a stunt artiste could extend until 35 years at the most.

"Mané beek nathi laagti (I have no fear),” declares the youngster who believes that God is by her side 24 hours in a day. At the start of each act she has God’s name on her lips and feels the need to say her Zoroastrian prayers every morning and night. "I believe in my religion very firmly,” she maintains. Fortunately for her, besides receiving encouragement from Prakash she also has support from her family. Instead of dissuading Sano­bar, mother Tehmi bought her a helmet when she took to bike stunts and elder sister Zenobia presented her riding gloves. She had lost her father when she was just seven years old. Referring to the "valuable tips” she has received from astrologer Bejan Daruwalla she states how the change in the spelling of her name from Sanober to Sanobar has improved her prospects.

Now it is not only Bollywood but Hollywood too that sees her performing stunts. For films like First Fear and Million Dollar Slum Dog she has demonstrated her feats. Never tiring of her spins and drives and jumps she continues to be ready for more action…