- Raj Chakraborty on Monday expressed grief over the tragic death of actor Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee
- Chakraborty said he initially thought the news was a rumour
- Rahul died in a tragic accident during a shoot near Digha, officials said
Filmmaker Raj Chakraborty on Monday expressed grief over the tragic death of actor Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee, calling it "very shocking" and a big loss for the film industry.
Chakraborty said he initially thought the news was a rumour. "I felt very bad when I heard about Rahul. At first, my wife called and told me about the accident. I said it must be false, such rumours keep spreading. But later, when I started calling people in the industry, I found out the news was true," he said.
He added that the news has left the entire industry in mourning. "Since I heard it, our whole industry has been in great sadness because he was a very good and intelligent actor," Chakraborty said.
Rahul Banerjee worked in Chakraborty's directorial Chirodini Tumi Je Amar. Recalling their early association, he said, "My first film was also his first film. I had cast him as Rahul, and that is where he got his name."
Expressing shock over the untimely demise, Chakraborty said, "He was only 42 years old and much younger than me. This is very shocking."
He also mentioned that he could not be present due to prior commitments. "Today the whole industry is with him. I am here because of my commitment, so I couldn't go," he added.
Rahul died in a tragic accident during a shoot near Digha, officials said. According to police, the incident occurred on Sunday evening at Talsari, near the Odisha-West Bengal border.
Rahul was shooting for a TV series alongside co-actor Sweta Mishra.
Officials stated that the two were allegedly performing a dance sequence in knee-deep water when they suddenly slipped into a ditch. Both were rushed to Digha Hospital; however, Rahul could not be saved.
Sharing details of the incident, SP Balasore Pratyush Diwakar said that Talsari police first received information from Digha police, after which further action was taken. Police also noted that the shooting team had not obtained permission to film at the location. Authorities from Talsari are now coordinating with Digha police to investigate the matter.
Rahul came from a film and theatre background. He was born to director Biswanath Banerjee and started acting at a very young age. As a child artist, he was part of many stage shows linked to his father's theatre group.
He later appeared in films and gained recognition with the 2008 romantic film Chirodini Tumi Je Amar, directed by Raj Chakraborty and co-starring actress Priyanka Sarkar. The film was a big hit and helped him become a known face in Bengali cinema.
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