Kolkata, March 30 – A group of actors in the Bengali film and television industry demanded an investigation into the death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, who tragically died while filming at Talsari beach in Odisha.
Actors Sudipta Chakraborty and Rupanjana Mitra have publicly called for a thorough and impartial investigation into his death.
Rupanjana Mitra expressed her grief on her Instagram Stories after Rahul's death. She stated, "Filming is taking place without any safety measures; the industry must be held accountable for this. This cannot be ignored. The so-called Bengali film industry is not a safe environment for artists. Many artists have worked in this field, constantly risking their lives. Arunoday was a highly professional artist. Filming was in progress at the time. May God not spare those responsible."
On the other hand, Sudipta Chakraborty, a member of the West Bengal Motion Pictures Artistes' Forum, posted on social media demanding an investigation. She wrote, "I demand a thorough and impartial police investigation into the unnatural death at the shooting site."
Rupsa Guha is a well-known figure in the television industry. She, too, initially could not believe the news of Rahul's death. Later, in a Facebook post, she raised a direct question: "Did he fall from the boat, or did he get swept away into the deeper currents of the sea while walking – during filming for a drone shot? That is my only question. There is no transparency. We demand transparency.”
On Sunday, the 42-year-old actor was filming for the television series 'Bhole Baba Paar Karega'. He entered the water at Talsari, just as the tide was coming in. Reports suggest that he was swept away at that very moment. Technicians subsequently pulled him out of the water. Preliminary reports indicate that his death was caused by drowning. It is reported that he was rushed to a hospital in Digha in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal. However, he passed away before reaching the facility.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out at Tamluk hospital on Monday afternoon. His body will be handed over to his family later in the day.
A case of unnatural death has been registered at the Digha Police Station.
The tragic incident has brought the entire Bengali film and television industry to a standstill. Fellow actors, directors, and technicians have expressed shock at the tragic death of the actor.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday evening condoled the death. He was best known for his blockbuster Bengali film, 'Chirodini Tumi Je Amar'. The actor is survived by his mother, his wife, actress Priyanka Sarkar, and his 13-year-old son.
Rahul, known in the Bengali television industry for his character roles, had been active in soaps for several years.
He gained fame with his role in the blockbuster 'Chirodini tumi je amar' in 2008, followed by hits such as 'Tumi asbe bole' (2014), 'Zulfiqar' (2016), 'Byomkesh Gotro' (2018), 'Biday Byomkesh' (2018), 'The Academy of Fine Arts' (2025), among others. He had acted in TV serials such as 'Hargouri pice hotel' and 'Mohonna'.