Following the death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, the West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists’ Forum has called for a suspension of all film and television shoots from Tuesday, April 7. The decision was made at an emergency meeting on Sunday, April 5. It was attended by prominent people from the industry, such as Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rituparna Sengupta, Shantilal Mukherjee and Swaroop Biswas. Several directors, technicians, producers, and channel representatives were also a part of the meeting.
The strike will continue until steps are taken to review and ensure the safety and security of artists and technicians during shoots.
A note shared by the Forum on social media read, “As you all know, on March 29, 2026, during the shooting of the serial ‘Bhole Baba Paar Karega,’ our friend and member of our organisation, Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, passed away suddenly. The exact cause of our dear member’s untimely demise is still unknown to us. In the presence of the Artists’ Forum, Federation, television producers, and directors, it was decided that from April 7, 2026, starting at 7:00 AM, we- the artists and technicians- will observe an indefinite strike (work stoppage). This will continue until specific steps are taken to thoroughly review and ensure the proper safety and security of artists and technicians during shoots (both indoor and outdoor).”
They concluded, “We believe your spontaneous participation will boost our morale.”
Bengali actor Rahul Banerjee passed away at the age of 43, after drowning while shooting for his upcoming series. The incident occurred on March 29, 2026, at Talsari in Digha, where he was shooting with the team of the television series Bhole Baba Par Karega. The incident reportedly occurred when he was hit by a wave and fell into the sea. He was immediately rushed to the hospital. He was seemingly responding while being escorted for emergency treatment. The hospital was located about 10 to 12 kilometres from Talsari Beach. The doctors declared him dead around 6.10 pm on Sunday.
A protest march was held in Kolkata on April 5 to demand accountability and justice.
Also Read: Bengali Actor Rahul Banerjee Passes Away, Wife Priyanka Sarkar Shares Statement
