Tollywood declares indefinite strike, demands safety measures in the wake of actor Rahul's death
The West Bengal Motion Artists Forum has announced a strike starting from 7 April
The shocking death of Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee on 29 March has shaken the Bengali entertainment industry. The actor, 43, died after drowning while shooting for the Bengali soap Bholebaba Paar Karega.
The Bengali entertainment industry, or Tollywood, has now called for an indefinite strike starting from Tuesday (7 April) to demand safety and security measures on the film sets, television shows and web series.
Official statement
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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 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."
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 a shoot (both indoors and outdoors), the strike will continue.
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 a shoot (both indoors and outdoors), the strike will continue."
The statement went on to add that another meeting will take place on 7 April. However, this does not apply to those who are already shooting out of Kolkata or outside the state.
What caused Rahul's death?
The news agency ANI stated that Rahul was shooting 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.
Reacting to the news of Rahul's death, his wife Priyanka Sarkar wrote, "This is a time of immense grief and deep despair for us. In this difficult moment, we sincerely request space and privacy. There is a child, a mother, a family, and loved ones trying to navigate this loss together. We kindly urge our friends and colleagues in the media to respect our boundaries, refrain from intrusion, and allow us the dignity to grieve in peace. Your understanding and support mean more than ever at this time."
Priyanka joined the protest march, and also filed a police complaint against the producers. Several members of the Bengali film industry held a procession from Technicians' Studio to Radha Studio, a distance of around 1km, carrying placards reading 'Justice for Rahul'.
The rally was led by several known faces of the industry, including actor-director Aparna Sen, Anjan Dutt, director Srijit Mukherjee, Kaushik Ganguly, actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee, actor Rudranil Ghosh, actor Riddhi Sen, actor-theatre personality Kaushik Sen, among others.
Rahul was a well-known name in the Bengali entertainment industry. He rose to fame with his role in the 2008 blockbuster Chirodini Tumi Je Amar.
He then went on to feature in films like Jackpot, Love Circus, Shono Mon Boli Tomay and more. He was also a part of several television shows such as Geeta LLB, Horogouri Pice Hotel, Desher Maati and Tumi Ashbe Bole, among others.
