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India’s daredevils defy gravity in the Well of Death

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Ahmer Khan
Stunt performers show off their moves at speeds of up to 60 mph during a Well of Death performance.
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| Aligarh, India

Muhammad Faheem, a stunt performer in northern India, rides his motorcycle inside a 30-to-50-foot-diameter wooden cylinder formed like a barrel. The breathtaking show – known in Hindi as Maut ka Kuan, or Well of Death – brings a modern twist to classic tent circuses, with cars and motorcycles replacing animals and tightrope walkers.

Despite the modest wages, dangerous operational hurdles, and declining attendance, Mr. Faheem says he is passionate about trying to thrill the heart of every audience member who shows up.

Why We Wrote This

Some people seek out thrills, and others provide them. In India, stunt drivers ensure that audiences feel an adrenaline rush from death-defying performances.

“Every challenge we face, financial or logistical, is just another part of the act,” he explains. “It’s what makes the final applause so worth it.” 

Expand the story to see the full photo essay.

When he was a teenager, Muhammad Faheem visited a festival in Delhi and watched gravity-defying performers drive up and around the steep walls of a cylindrical arena. In Hindi, the carnival attraction is known as Maut ka Kuan, or Well of Death, because performers risk falling off at any moment.

“I wasn’t scared; I was drawn to it,” Mr. Faheem says. “It felt like the roaring engines and the cheering crowd were saying, ‘You belong here.’”

Today, Mr. Faheem is one of those stunt performers in northern India, riding his motorcycle inside a 30-to-50-foot-diameter wooden cylinder formed like a barrel. The breathtaking shows – which were once very popular in the region but now pull in smaller crowds – bring a modern twist to classic tent circuses, with cars and motorcycles replacing animals and tightrope walkers.

Despite the modest wages and dangerous operational hurdles, Mr. Faheem remains passionate about thrilling the heart of every audience member.

“Every challenge we face, financial or logistical, is just another part of the act,” he says. “It’s what makes the final applause so worth it.” 

Ahmer Khan
A vehicle races around the steep walls of a wooden cylinder formed like a barrel during a Well of Death performance.
Ahmer Khan
Stunt performers sip cups of tea before they participate in a Well of Death show.
Ahmer Khan
Crowds enjoy a fair in Aligarh, India. The Well of Death shows were once very popular in northern India, but attendance is waning.
Ahmer Khan
Muhammad Faheem – a performer in the Maut ka Kuan, or Well of Death – stands next to his motorcycle in Aligarh in northern India.

Ahmer Khan
A worker eats amid the dismantled pieces of carnival rides after a Well of Death performance.

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