Tragedy on Set: Bengali Actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee Dies While Shooting

Renowned Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee passed away in a tragic accident on March 29, 2026, after drowning during a shoot near the coastal area of Talsari, close to Digha. He was 43.

Rahul Arunoday Banerjee Source : The Economic Times

According to initial reports, the actor was filming for an upcoming sequence in the serial Bhole Baba Par Karega. He entered the sea to save the heroine who fell first in the sea while filming a scene but failed to return. A search operation was launched by the crew, and he was later recovered from the water and rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

An eyewitness stated, “Shooting was going on there. Suddenly in the afternoon, we heard shouting. Along with cameras, a drone was also being used. The heroine was standing in knee-deep water, but she was the first to get stuck. Then the hero went to rescue her and he also got trapped. There was a dangerous muddy current there. The shooting team did not take any local guide. They didn’t inform our local committee either. No local assistance was taken. No one knew where the mud or quicksand patches were.”The eyewitness further added, “More than quicksand, their feet got stuck in deep mud. Seeing it through the drone, people started shouting and ran to help, but they couldn’t reach in time. By then, the water level had risen to more than 7 feet. Both of them were crying for help. A boat arrived and rescued the heroine first. Later, the hero was also pulled out. He had swallowed a lot of water. They pressed his chest and expelled a significant amount of water.”

According to the same eyewitness, “Even after being pulled out of the water, the hero was alive. He was still shouting. He was then taken to the hospital, where later we heard he was declared dead.”It is also alleged that the shoot did not have proper permission.

A preliminary post-mortem report confirmed that the cause of death was drowning, with seawater and sand found in his lungs, ruling out earlier speculation of a cardiac arrest.

The sudden demise of the actor has sent shockwaves across the Bengali film and television industry. Known for his breakthrough performance in Chirodini Tumi Je Amar, Banerjee enjoyed a successful career spanning films, television, and theatre.

His wife, actress Priyanka Sarkar, has appealed for privacy during this difficult time, urging media and the public to respect the family’s grief. Fans, colleagues, and members of the film fraternity gathered at his residence in South Kolkata to pay their last respects, remembering him as a talented artist whose promising career was cut short. Authorities have registered a case of unnatural death and are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.Banerjee’s untimely death marks a significant loss to the Bengali entertainment industry, leaving behind a legacy of impactful performances and a grieving community of admirers.