KOLKATA: Members of the Kolkata film industry on Wednesday expressed grief over the killing of Bangladeshi actor Shanto Khan and his father, producer Salim Khan, during the unrest in the neighbouring country.
Kolkata-based actors, many of whom have worked with Shanto Khan in Bangladeshi film projects, however, did not want to comment on the reasons for the killing, saying it was an internal matter of another country.
Popular actor Rajatabha Dutta said, “I was shocked to hear the news that he and his father were killed. We don’t know the circumstances under which they died. It pains me to know this. Artists like us who thrive on art and creativity always wish for peace, harmony and brotherhood.”
Dutta, who worked with Shanto in the 2022 Bangladeshi film “Bikhov” (Outrage), told PTI that the young actor was cooperative and respectful on the sets.
He said, “While shooting the film in Chandpur, Bangladesh, he personally took care of my needs. Even in the hotel, he was attentive to my needs. I don’t know how and why he had to die at such a young age, when his career was on the rise.”
The critically acclaimed actor said he did not want to comment on the situation in Bangladesh.
Shanto debuted with ‘Prem Chor’ in 2019 and later worked in ‘Piya Re’ in 2021, ‘Babujaan’ in 2023 and ‘Anto Nagar’ in 2024.
Actress Kaushani Mukhopadhyay, who starred opposite Shanto in ‘Piya Re’, said: “I received this extremely disturbing news late Monday night and have been in agony since then.”
He recalled that during the shooting of the film in Chandpur and Dhaka, Shanto had extended warm hospitality to him and the other artistes from India and not once did they feel like outsiders in a foreign land.
“Since I was a senior in the industry, Shanto had great respect for me and shared my ambition to make a significant impact in the industry,” Mukhopadhyay said.
She said, “I believe in the victory of humanity and hope that the situation there will return to normal soon.”
Shanto, who also tried his hand at modelling, played the role of young Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the 2021 film ‘Tungiparar Miya Bhai’.
Filmmaker Raj Chakraborty said, “Any death, whether it is that of a protesting student, a policeman, an actor, a producer or a political activist, is shocking. We all have memories of working in Bangladesh. I say this not just as a stakeholder in the film industry but also as a human being and a citizen of India.
Actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee, who has worked on several projects in Bangladesh, was also shocked by the killings in the neighbouring country.
He condemned the damage to statues of eminent personalities during the unrest there.
According to media reports, Shanto and his father Salim Khan were killed by a mob in Chandpur on Monday night. Salim Khan was the owner of a famous Bangladeshi production house that financed films like ‘Tungi Parar Miya Bhai’, ‘Commando’ and others.
Salim Khan was an expelled Awami League leader whose supporters had been facing attacks for the past several days.
Sheikh Hasina, who was leading the Awami League government in the country, resigned on Monday.
