Death-defying stunt: heart-stopping moment a man smashes a coconut on his wife's throat with a machete.

Wielding the huge knife, the man spins the weapon in the air several times before bringing it down hard on the coconut, which was balanced between the woman's neck and chest.

Balashankar Budati often performs the death defying stunts with sticks, stones, knives and other sharp objects to entertain the public in their village, Chirala Mandal, in India.

And it's usually his wife Bhramharamba who is in the firing line when her husband gets up to show off his tricks.

With just inches between the coconut and certain death, Bhramharamba lies motionless on the ground as her husband chops the shell in half, thankfully leaving her neck intact.