Kolkata: Odisha’s Talsari, which is close to Digha, is known for its calm waters and estuaries. The death of Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, a Tollywood actor, has highlighted the destination’s challenges. Annual visitors to the destination rose from 1.5 lakh in 2012 to nearly 3.5 lakh in 2024. Despite its popularity, many have complained about poor cleanliness and infrastructure. “I have visited the beach earlier. We went for a trip to Mandarmani this weekend. But we didn’t go to Talsari as we were disheartened to know about Rahul’s demise,” said IT professional, Shaoli Banerjee. Behala resident Amrita Roy, who was vacationing with her family last year, said, the beach is unsafe. “It lacks safety network usually seen in commercial destinations usually,” she said. Logistical issues for shooting have persisted for years. A production member who shot a film there in 2018 spoke about the dangers at the beach. “In afternoon, the water starts to rise. Unless one knows the timing of the high tide, it gets difficult to return. Despite some beautification, the place is underdeveloped,” he added. Kolkata based filmmaker, Sutirtha Basu said, “The unpredictability of tides is a risk factor. I avoid shooting at Talsari.” Industry people, including Sreelekha Mitra and Aniket Chattopadhyay, have questioned the safety measures during the shooting of Rahul’s project. Actor Sudipta Chakraborty has called for an independent probe. People in the film industry agree that local units lack the budget for medical teams on the site. Producer Anjan Bose, who shot a film in the Sunderbans, noted it is a ‘miracle that shooting happens regularly under risky conditions without mishaps.” Bose recalled a risky incident involving actor Bibhu Bhattacharya. “The cast and crew are willing to take risk since it is the survival of the fittest,” he said. While local teams usually carry basic medicine box, outstation units with bigger budgets always prioritise safety. “Outstation units always carry a medical support team. We shot a series in the Sunderbans where a doctor, nurse and even gunmen were taken along. Safety and security of cast and crew are paramount,” a production member said.
