Artists and technicians of Tollywood have become vocal in demanding an investigation and justice over the death of actor Rahul Arunoday Bandopadhyay. The Artist Forum has now called for an indefinite work stoppage.
At a meeting of the organization held last Sunday, it was decided that all types of shooting in Tollywood will remain suspended starting Tuesday. The strike will continue until adequate safety measures are ensured at shooting sets. Artists and technicians will be present at studio premises from 10 am on Tuesday to observe the work stoppage.
Speaking on behalf of the Artist Forum, actor Shantilal Mukherjee said, “We all stand by Rahul’s family. The struggle for the safety of the 4,000 members of the Artist Forum, along with 7,000 technicians under the Federation, including directors, producers, and other crew members, begins today.”
“We are afraid. There is no guarantee that we will return home safely after going out for shooting. Rahul has taught us that one should not leave home without safety. The work stoppage will begin Tuesday morning and will continue until proper safety arrangements are made,” he said.
Eminent actor Prosenjit Chatterjee said, “Rahul has left us, but his passing has united all of us. We want to build a system where artists, directors, producers, technicians, and cameramen all remain safe.”
Director Kaushik Ganguly said, “Accidents or mishaps are sudden; they cannot be anticipated in advance. However, there must be rules in place to ensure the dignity and safety of artists. Rahul’s family should be able to know how their loved one died. If anyone thinks it is acceptable not to disclose that, it will not be tolerated.”
Vice President of the Artist Forum, actress Rituparna Sengupta, said, “This is a fight for our humanity. Artists are emotional, but alongside emotions, safety must also be considered. That is why we have come together.”
“The way Rahul left us is never desirable. We will fight till the end. We want to know why this happened. Rahul has united us all and raised the question of whether we are truly safe,” she stated.
Federation President Swarup Biswas said, “We are not in favor of a work stoppage, but due to our own safety concerns, we have been compelled to do so. First and foremost, proper safety regulations are needed. That is why we have called for this work stoppage starting Tuesday. Ensuring the safety of all artists and technicians is our goal. We want to give our all to our work, but we are not willing to sacrifice our lives.”
On March 29, actor Rahul Arunoday Bandopadhyay tragically drowned in the sea while shooting for the serial “Bhole Baba Par Kare Ga” in Talsari. Allegations have been raised that adequate safety measures were not in place during the shoot.
The Artist Forum had sent a letter to the production company Magic Moments to find out what exactly happened during the shoot. However, they were not satisfied with the response.
As a result, members of the organization held a meeting. During that meeting, it was decided to file a complaint with the police demanding a full investigation into the actor’s death.
Accordingly, on Saturday, accompanied by members of the Artist Forum, Rahul’s wife, actress Priyanka Sarkar, filed an FIR at Regent Park Police Station in Kolkata and at Talsari Police Station in Odisha. On the same day in the afternoon, artists and technicians took out a protest rally titled “Justice for Rahul” from the Technicians’ Studio in Kolkata.
