Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee passed away at the age of 43 following a tragic drowning incident at Talsari Beach in Odisha. His sudden demise has sent shockwaves through the Bengali film industry and among his fans.
He is survived by his wife, actor Priyanka Sarkar, and their 13-year-old son, Shahaj.
Rahul Arunoday Banerjee and Priyanka Sarkar's love story began when she was still a teenager. They met on the sets of the 2008 film Chirodini Tumi Je Amar, where their on-screen chemistry soon blossomed into a real-life romance.
After dating for a couple of years, the two actors tied the knot in a hush-hush ceremony. In 2013, they welcomed their son, Shahaj. However, their marriage soon hit a rough patch, and they eventually filed for divorce in 2018.
Despite the distance and speculation, the two gradually found their way back to each other, especially for the sake of their son. Rahul himself had confirmed that they had reunited and had also taken steps to withdraw their divorce case.
The news of Rahul's untimely demise came as a devastating shock for Priyanka. On Sunday night, she shared a statement on social media requesting space and privacy during this difficult moment.
Rahul was shooting for his show, Bhole Baba Paar Karega, in Odisha when the incident occurred. One of his co-stars claimed that after the shoot, Rahul went alone into the water but got entangled in something underneath. Suddenly, crew members noticed that he was drowning and rushed to pull him out of the water.
The actor was taken to hospital, but was declared dead. A case of unnatural death has been registered at Digha police station, and the authorities are investigating the sequence of events.
