Kamal Ghorui
The sudden demise of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee has left the Bengali entertainment industry in deep shock. Alongside grief, it has also sparked questions among audiences, particularly about the absence of his friend and co-actor Ambarish Bhattacharya from the funeral and silent march.On Monday, Ambarish took to social media and wrote: Over the past few days, many viewers and my colleagues have been wondering why I haven’t made any statement regarding the tragic incident involving Rahul, and why I was not present at his final journey. I feel I owe it to my audience and colleagues to answer these questions. However, I was honestly not in the right mental state over the past week to do so. Finally, today, I have been able to give these interviews. Please read them and see if you find the answers to your questions. (sic)
Addressing the speculation, Ambarih finally spoke. He revealed that on the day of the incident, he had already left the location after finishing his shoot for Bholebaba Paar Karega at Talsari beach. By the time he learned about the tragedy, he was no longer nearby. The news, he said, left him emotionally shattered, making it extremely difficult for him to attend the final rites or public gatherings.Sharing more about his state of mind, the actor explained that he had grown quite close to Rahul over the past couple of months. The two even shared a room during shoots, and the sudden loss brought back a flood of memories, leaving him mentally disturbed. “In such a condition, I chose to remain silent and stay away from public appearances,” said the actor.However, Ambarish clarified that he did take a significant step shortly after the incident. Within two days, he informed the production house that he would no longer continue working on the two ongoing television shows he was part of. “This is my personal decision, and I did not feel the need to publicize it on social media,” said Ambarish. He added, “Returning to the same studio environment, where I had worked closely with Rahul, is something I am currently unable to cope with emotionally.”Speaking on the larger issue, Ambarish supported the growing demand for better safety protocols in the industry. He emphasized that structured guidelines should be introduced not just for actors, but also for technicians. He mentioned having discussions with senior members of the industry regarding the need for such measures.Drawing comparisons with work environments outside Bengal, the actor pointed out that safety standards elsewhere are far more advanced. He expressed concern over the lack of adequate precautions in high-risk scenes, stating that many artists often take emotional risks without proper protection.
