Renowned fight choreographer and stuntman Jolly Bastian – who worked across several film industries, predominantly in Kannada cinema – passed away recently. Leaving a cloud of gloom over the film industry, he succumbed to a sudden heart attack on Tuesday, December 26 at his home. He was 57 years old. Premaloka and Masterpiece are only two of the many films, for which he directed stunts. Jolly’s rise from bike mechanic to a top action choreographer was interesting and inspirational. He was born in Alleppey, Kerala, and brought up in Bengaluru. Initially employed as a mechanic, he was discovered by a filmmaker, while performing a passionate wheelie on his bike. The filmmaker was impressed by his stunt. This led to his introduction to the Kannada film business as a stuntman. His first opportunity was at the age of 17 when he got to play the stunt double of actor Ravichandran in Premaloka (1987). He started off as a stuntman, before advancing to full-fledged action choreographer.
With the passage of time, Jolly became an expert in adrenaline-kicking stunt work, contributing to more than 900 Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam films. Through his spectacular action sequences in films such as Masterpiece and his directorial debut Ninangagi Kadiruve, Jolly enthralled audiences. Jolly’s remarkable talent and commitment were recognised when he was named the highest-paid action director for a period of time. With every stunt, he broke new ground, making an impression on films like Putnanja, Annaiah, and Shanti Kranti.
Despite the risks associated with his line of work, Jolly met each obstacle head-on with courage. He bore scars from his line of work and sustained injuries from a bike accident during Putnanja and a bomb blast scene from Bhale Chatura.
The film industry honours Jolly Bastin today for his unquestionable brilliance and contagious zeal, in addition to his death-defying exploits. The innumerable films he worked on, each of which bears witness to his unwavering commitment to creating amazing cinematic experiences, bear witness to his legacy.
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