The tragic death of Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, a versatile actor and a pillar of support for independent cinema, is still being mourned by the Bengali film industry. Director Subhrajyoti (Bappa) has revealed that their last joint project, which was originally titled Negative, has been renamed Chobiwala in a heartfelt act of thankfulness and sorrow.

The music launch took place in the presence of the cast and crew of the film.

For Bappa, making this movie is a duty of honor rather than just a creative endeavor. Remembering his first movie, Sohorer Upokotha, Bappa revealed that Rahul Da personally supported him as a novice without any connections in the industry.

“He taught me to believe in myself, in addition to the craft. We are immortalizing the artist who lives on through his frames by renaming the film Chobiwala” said the director.

The film tells the story of a dedicated artist struggling for recognition—a recognition that, tragically and ironically, only arrives after his death. A haunting coincidence further intensifies the emotional weight of the project: the film’s final scene depicts the protagonist’s death by drowning. This mirror to reality has left the crew deeply shaken, making the release a deeply personal mission rather than a commercial venture.

The cast of the film consists of Rahul Banerjee, Debleena Dutta, Sreelekha Mitra, Shantanu Nath, Rana Basu Thakur, Rimi Deb, Aradhana Jana, and others.

The soulful soundtrack is composed by Soumyarit. Rupam Islam, Jojo Mukherjee, and Somlata Acharyya have lent their voices to the songs in the film.

Somlata Acharyya said, “This song will be very special to me. I never expected that I would be singing a song in Rahul da’s last film. I have never interacted with him on a first-hand basis. I was more of a fan. I do not know what I can say anymore”.

Anindya Chatterjee and Upal Sengupta, who graced the event, said that Rahul will live through his works always. Though it was sad that he was no longer with us, he will be immortalized through his writings and works.

Chobiwala is more than just a movie; it’s an artist’s last, unfulfilled dream that served as a beacon for up-and-coming talent.

Priyanka Dutta