The producers of Bengali television serial ‘Bhole Baba Par Karega’ have expressed grief over the death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee and pledged full transparency in the ongoing inquiry.
Rahul died on March 29 after a drowning incident at Talsari beach in Odisha while filming. His sudden death has sent shockwaves through the Bengali entertainment industry, with colleagues and industry bodies calling for a thorough investigation.
In a statement, the production house said the cast and crew were in “profound mourning” and that efforts were underway to gather detailed accounts from those present during the incident. The producers also said they would welcome a representative from the actor’s family or the West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists’ Forum to observe the inquiry process to ensure fairness.
Preliminary findings suggest the actor was pulled out of the water alive and was able to communicate briefly. He was first taken to a nearby clinic where no doctor was available, and later transferred to Digha State General Hospital, where he was declared dead. The production house has disputed claims that he remained underwater for a prolonged period.
They further stated that all permissions, communications with authorities and relevant documents would be made available as part of the investigation, adding that no aspect, including possible negligence, would be overlooked. Director Saibal Banerjee, who was in Mumbai at the time, returned immediately after receiving the news.
Reports indicate that the incident occurred while filming a sequence in shallow water, when the actor and a co-performer slipped into a deeper section. Both were rushed to hospital, but Rahul could not be saved.
Rahul rose to prominence with ‘Chirodini Tumi Je Amar’ in 2008, where he starred opposite Priyanka Sarkar under the direction of Raj Chakraborty. The pair later married and had a son before separating in 2017. They reconciled in 2023.
