Mumbai: Swastika Mukherjee, known for her performances in ‘Paatal Lok’ and ‘Qala’, called out former Team India captain Sourav Ganguly for his comments following actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee’s death by drowning in Odisha’s Talsari beach.
Rahul died in on March 29 while shooting for the Bengali TV show ‘Bholebaba Paar Karega’.
Sourav called Rahul’s death unfortunate and questioned why the actor had gone near the water body in the first place.
“I don’t know why he went into the water even though it was for shooting,” Sourav said.
Speaking to Sharmila Maiti on her channel, Swastika said, “As a public figure he should be aware of what words are coming out of his mouth. I do not understand cricket or football. Now if I tell you (the host), ‘Why are you bothering about YouTube channel for a few likes? This comment in itself has a condescending tone. You are doing your job well and this is your income. It might not be mine. I might be a huge someone. But if I say today why are you doing
this YouTube interview? Do something else… then I immediately making your work feel less.”
“Not everyone can be knowledgeable of every single thing. Now he is indispensable and without him the project might not go ahead. But if Rahul does not go in the water body, then someone else will replace him and go. Whoever is a public figure of his stature, should also, understand what he is speaking. He does a non-fiction show as Sourav Ganguly, on the AC floor. So, he is not supposed to know how the shooting is done. He is provided everything he needs because he is Sourav Ganguly. But another Rahul Ganguly might not be getting all the amenities.”
Sourav’s comments did not go down well with many social media users, who criticised him for being insensitive.
Rahul was shooting with co-actor Sweta Mishra when the tragic drowning incident happened.
There have been different versions on how the mishap took place, and the Bengali film industry has demanded clear answers, lodging FIRs against the production house.
Both Rahul and Sweta were taken to a nearby Digha hospital, but Rahul could not be saved.
The Bengali film industry on Tuesday called off an indefinite strike which they announced two days ago demanding better safety measures on film, TV and web series sets, but announced a boycott of the concerned production house until they come out with what actually happened on that fateful afternoon.