Rahul Banerjee death: Bengali film and TV industry announces indefinite strike

The Bengali film and television industry has announced an indefinite strike following the tragic death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee during a shoot. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting attended by leading industry members, including Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta. The forum has demanded stricter safety measures on sets, stating that work will resume only after concrete steps are taken to ensure artists’ and technicians’ safety.
Bengali film industry declares indefinite strike
The official statement from the West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists Forum was shared on Facebook after a meeting that was attended by Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rituparna Sengupta, Shantilal Mukherjee, Swaroop Biswas, along with several directors, producers, and channel representatives.
The statement read in Bengali, “Dear members, all of us are aware that on March 29, during the shoot of the Bengali soap Bholebaba Paar Karega, our friend and forum member Rahul Arunoday Banerjee died. We are still not aware of the reasons for his sudden demise.”
The statement continued, “Taking that into consideration, we had organised an emergency meeting on April 5. It was attended by members of the Artists Forum, Federation, television producers, and directors. It was decided that, from April 7, 2026, at 7 AM, we, the artists and technicians, will go on an indefinite strike. Until there is a step taken to ensure the safety and security of artists and technicians during shoots (both indoors and outdoors), the strike will continue.” Another meeting will take place on April 7.
About Rahul Banerjee’s death
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. Nearly a week after the tragic passing of the 43-year-old actor, his wife, Priyanka Sarkar, has approached the police seeking a thorough investigation into the incident. The West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum on Saturday lodged a police complaint against the production house. Kolkata Police treated this as a “Zero FIR,” allowing the case to be transferred to the appropriate jurisdiction.