Kolkata, April 4 (IANS) The Artists Forum has decided to file a formal police complaint against the production company linked to the death of Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, expressing dissatisfaction with the explanations provided so far.
Sources said the FIR would be lodged with the concerned police station after 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Forum alleged that the information shared by the production house, which was responsible for the shoot of the Bengali television series during which the incident occurred, was inadequate and raised several unanswered questions.
Bengali superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee addressed a press conference at Technicians’ Studio late on Friday night, stating that the Forum had written to the production company on April 1 but did not receive a satisfactory response.
“We had hoped for an answer that would address our concerns. Since that did not happen, we have decided to file an FIR,” he said.
Responding to queries on why the decision to approach the police was taken several days after the incident, Prosenjit said the loss deeply shook the industry. “It is impossible to bring back someone who has passed away. We were all in shock. It took a few days to come to terms with the fact that Rahul is no longer with us. Now, we will try our best to find out the real reason behind his death,” he added.
Actor Shantilal Mukherjee also said the Forum was unhappy with the reply received from the production company and that legal advice was subsequently taken. “After consulting lawyers, we decided to file a complaint with the concerned police station, demanding a full and impartial investigation,” he told reporters.
Several actors from the Bengali film and television industry alleged that the production company’s statement, issued three days after the incident, contained inconsistencies and failed to address key issues, including compensation. They also criticised the company’s spokesperson, Leena Gangopadhyay, for not meeting Rahul Banerjee’s family following his death.
Meanwhile, posters demanding “Justice for Rahul” have surfaced on social media, with calls for protests seeking accountability.
The 42-year-old actor drowned on March 29 while shooting for the television series ‘Bhole Baba Paar Karega’ at Talsari in Odisha. Reports said he entered the water just as the tide rose and was swept away. Technicians later pulled him out, but he could not be saved. Preliminary findings indicated death due to drowning.
An unnatural death case has been registered at Digha Police Station. The incident has brought the Bengali film and television industry to a standstill, with actors, directors, and technicians expressing shock and grief.
Rahul Banerjee is survived by his mother, wife — actor Priyanka Sarkar — and their 13‑year‑old son.
Known for his character roles, Rahul gained recognition with ‘Chirodini Tumi Je Amar’ (2008) and went on to appear 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 familiar face on television, appearing in serials such as ‘Hargouri Pice Hotel’ and ‘Mohona’.
–ANS
sch/skp