Last Updated on April 6, 2026 12:55 am by INDIAN AWAAZ
S Moin / Kolkata
All film and television shootings in Tollywood have been suspended from Tuesday following the death of Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, a move aimed at protesting the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and demanding stronger safety measures for artists.
The decision was taken at a meeting attended by Federation of Technicians’ president Swarup Biswas, television channel representatives and producers. Industry bodies said the suspension would continue until adequate steps are taken to ensure the safety of actors and crew members.
Banerjee died on March 29 after a drowning incident at Talsari Beach in Odisha while shooting for the Bengali television serial Bholebaba Paar Karega. His sudden death has sent shockwaves across the Bengali film and television industry, with many actors and filmmakers expressing grief.
Members of the Artist Forum filed an FIR on Saturday seeking an investigation into the incident, while another group of artists staged protests demanding justice for the late actor. Prior to the demonstrations, Biswas had announced that discussions would also be held with Banerjee’s widow Priyanka Sarkar and the Artist Forum following the filing of the complaint at Talsari police station.
A meeting held on Sunday was attended by several prominent Tollywood personalities, including Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta, who extended support to the family and called for improved safety protocols on film sets.
Shantilal Mukherjee, secretary of the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum, said the forum had initially approached the producers seeking clarification over safety arrangements during the shoot.
“We had some basic security questions which were not answered. Several technicians entered the water to rescue Rahul that day and they too could have faced serious risks,” Mukherjee said, adding that the suspension of shoots became necessary amid unanswered questions and conflicting accounts.
The tragic incident has triggered widespread concern within Tollywood, with industry organisations now pressing for stricter safety guidelines to protect artists and technical crews during outdoor shoots.