The Tollywood film industry is in mourning following the tragic death of popular actor Rahul Banerjee, who drowned on Sunday while filming for a television serial at Talsari, near Digha.

The 43-year-old actor, best known for his iconic debut in the film Chirodini Tumi Je Amar, was on location shooting for the upcoming series Bhole Baba Par Karega when the incident occurred.

According to production sources and local reports, the actor entered the water during the shoot and suddenly went under.

Although technicians and crew members managed to pull him out after a frantic search, he had remained submerged for a significant period. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Digha, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Actor Diganta Bagchi, representing the Artist Forum, provided further details on the tragedy. "Either he didn’t know how to swim, or he got stuck somehow," Bagchi stated.

"Suddenly, the technicians shouted, ‘Rahul-da is drowning.’ When he was rescued, he was still alive, but by the time he reached the hospital, he had passed away."

While preliminary reports confirm drowning as the cause of death, authorities are still investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the accident.

Rahul Banerjee rose to superstardom with his breakout role opposite Priyanka Sarkar in the 2008 blockbuster Chirodini Tumi Je Amar. The on-screen pair eventually married and have a son together.

Throughout his prolific career, Rahul transitioned successfully between cinema and television; most recently, he appeared in the 2025 film Academy of Fine Arts and the web series Thakumar Jhuli.

The sudden loss of the versatile actor has sent shockwaves through the West Bengal entertainment industry, with colleagues and fans expressing profound grief over the untimely passing of a beloved performer.

With Inputs from UNB