Kolkata, April 7 (NationPress) Following extensive discussions, the President of the Artists’ Forum, Ranjit Mallick, alongside Executive President Prosenjit Chatterjee, declared the conclusion of their indefinite strike on Tuesday evening.

Simultaneously, they resolved that artists and technicians would refrain from collaborating with the production company Magic Moments for the foreseeable future. This decision stemmed from the company's involvement in the outdoor shoot in Odisha’s Talsari, where the actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee tragically lost his life.

The meeting was attended by notable figures in the industry, including actors and directors such as Rituparna Sengupta, Harnath Chakraborty, Subhasree Gangopadhyay, and Dev. Piya Sengupta, President of Impa, and Swarup Biswas, Federation President, also contributed to the discussions, primarily focusing on enhancing safety for artists and crew during shoots. The presence of Rahul’s wife, actress Priyanka Sarkar, added a poignant note to the proceedings.

Rahul Arunoday Banerjee's sudden passing on March 29 has sparked numerous inquiries. He had traveled to Talsari for the filming of the television series Bhole Baba Par Karega, produced by Magic Moments.

The production company is led by Leena Gangopadhyay, who also serves as the Chairperson of the West Bengal Women’s Commission.

As per the post-mortem report, Rahul's cause of death was drowning in Talsari. Reports from the Odisha Police indicated that the production company had failed to acquire the necessary permissions from authorities.

In light of this information, the Artists’ Forum sent a letter to Magic Moments requesting legal clarification regarding Rahul’s demise. When an adequate response was not forthcoming, artists including Forum editor Shantilal Mukherjee lodged a complaint against the company at the Regent Park Police Station in Kolkata.

Later that night, Priyanka filed her own complaint at the Talsari Police Station against Magic Moments, series head Shaibal Banerjee, Leena Gangopadhyay, director Subhasish Mondal, floor executive producer Shantanu Nandi, and manager Chandrashekhar Chakraborty.

In light of these events, the Artists’ Forum quickly opted to initiate a strike on Saturday night, which was officially announced on Tuesday. However, the shooting of Bengali serials continued for an extended period on Monday.

A meeting was convened on Tuesday morning to outline the way forward. After deliberation, it was agreed that a standard operating procedure (SOP) would be developed within a timeframe of fifteen to thirty days.

This initiative is aimed at fortifying the industry’s security measures. Insurance will be arranged for artists and crew members, including special provisions for those not under contract. Until these measures are in place, shooting in hazardous locations will be avoided.

Prosenjit stated that this incident would be remembered for the next 25 years, emphasizing that the focus should be on “a son who left us and opened our eyes.” He firmly announced that artists would not collaborate with those accountable for Rahul’s death, nor with anyone affiliated with Magic Moments.

Veteran actor Ranjit Mallick, who was returning from Delhi, expressed regret for his absence. He stated that working with those connected to the incident is currently unfeasible. “We want to uncover the truth. We are eager to understand what transpired,” he remarked.

As of now, the strike initiated on Tuesday has been lifted. Artists are set to resume work tomorrow; however, none will engage with Magic Moments or its affiliates.

Prosenjit reiterated: “From tomorrow, work on television and films will recommence. No one will work with Magic Moments. We harbor no grievances against anyone. Yet, we mourn the loss of a son from our family. We have waited for eight to nine days. Legal action has been initiated. Priyanka is part of our family, as was Rahul. The entire family has resolved that we will not work with those who took our son from us. I must publicly state this. I must convey to Priyanka that I have finally accepted it. This is a family. Rahul has united us.”

Superstar Dev announced the lifting of the ban for artists who had been unable to work until now. He remarked: “We typically distance ourselves from a culture of ban and non-cooperation. However, we cannot overlook what has transpired. We will adopt a stance of non-cooperation with that organization and its director until they can establish their innocence. Several artists and directors are currently banned. Bumbada (Prosenjit) has granted them 72 hours. They will return following that period. Bumbada has assured me of this. We recognize that with the loss of one Rahul, denying work to others is a significant hardship. Those without work will comprehend this. He has assured me that the ban will be lifted within 72 hours.”