Bengali Actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee's Death Sparks Police Complaint
Formal Complaint Filed by Artists Forum
File image of Bengali Actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee(Photo: @NDTVProfitIndia/X)
Kolkata, April 4: The Artists Forum has announced its intention to lodge a formal police complaint against the production company associated with the tragic death of Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, citing dissatisfaction with the explanations provided thus far.
According to sources, the FIR is set to be filed at the relevant police station after 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Forum claims that the information released by the production house, which was responsible for the filming of the Bengali television series during which the incident occurred, was insufficient and left many questions unanswered.
During a press conference held at Technicians’ Studio late Friday night, Bengali superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee revealed that the Forum had reached out to the production company on April 1 but had not received a satisfactory reply.
“We were expecting a response that would adequately address our concerns. Since that did not happen, we have resolved to file an FIR,” he stated.
When asked why the decision to involve the police was made several days after the incident, Prosenjit explained that the loss had profoundly affected the industry. “It is impossible to bring back someone who has passed away. We were all in shock. It took us a few days to accept that Rahul is no longer with us. Now, we will do our utmost to uncover the true circumstances surrounding his death,” he added.
Actor Shantilal Mukherjee echoed the Forum's dissatisfaction with the production company's response, noting that legal counsel was sought. “After consulting with lawyers, we decided to file a complaint with the relevant police station, demanding a thorough and impartial investigation,” he informed reporters.
Numerous actors from the Bengali film and television sector have alleged that the production company's statement, released three days post-incident, was inconsistent and failed to address critical issues, including compensation. They also criticized the spokesperson, Leena Gangopadhyay, for not reaching out to Rahul Banerjee’s family following his passing.
In the meantime, social media has seen the emergence of posters calling for “Justice for Rahul,” alongside calls for protests seeking accountability.
The 42-year-old actor tragically drowned on March 29 while filming for the television series ‘Bhole Baba Paar Karega’ at Talsari in Odisha. Reports indicate that he entered the water just as the tide rose and was swept away. Technicians managed to retrieve him, but he could not be revived. Preliminary findings suggest that drowning was the cause of death.
An unnatural death case has been registered at Digha Police Station. This incident has left the Bengali film and television industry in shock, with actors, directors, and technicians expressing their grief.
Rahul Banerjee is survived by his mother, his wife—actor Priyanka Sarkar—and their 13-year-old son.
Renowned for his character roles, Rahul gained fame with ‘Chirodini Tumi Je Amar’ (2008) and subsequently appeared in films such as ‘Tumi Asbe Bole’ (2014), ‘Zulfiqar’ (2016), ‘Byomkesh Gotro’ (2018), ‘Biday Byomkesh’ (2018), and ‘The Academy of Fine Arts’ (2025). He was also a well-known figure on television, featuring in serials like ‘Hargouri Pice Hotel’ and ‘Mohona’.