Swastika Mukherjee has strongly reacted to comments made by former cricketer Sourav Ganguly on the tragic death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, who died in a drowning incident in Odisha on March 29 while shooting for the Bengali show Bholebaba Paar Karega.A few days ago, when Sourav was asked to comment on Rahul’s death, he said it was a “very unfortunate” incident but added, “I don’t know why he went into the water even though it was for shooting.” The remark did not go down well with many on social media.Reacting to this, Swastika questioned the tone and intent behind the statement.
‘As a public figure, he should be aware of his words’
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, ‘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 am immediately making your work feel less.”
‘Not everyone understands every field’
She further added, “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.”
Rahul’s death has also reignited conversations around on-set safety in the Bengali entertainment industry. According to reports, the actor was shooting a sequence with co-actor Sweta Mishra in knee-deep water when they slipped into a ditch. Both were rushed to a hospital in Digha, but Rahul could not be saved. Following the incident, the Bengali film and television industry has called for an indefinite strike from April 7, demanding stricter safety measures on sets.
