Kolkata is all set to witness a unique and historic tribute to the memory of the late Rahul Arunoday Banerjee—a brilliant actor who always batted one-down on the silver screen and remained a lifelong, die-hard East Bengal supporter. On behalf of the team behind Chobiwala, one of the last films starring the beloved actor, and through the special initiative of director Bappa, a unique tribute exhibition match will be organized on June 15 at the historic East Bengal Club Ground.

Blending Bengalis’ football frenzy with cinematic emotion, the event has been aptly themed: “Lal-Halud Gallerir Chobiwala” (The Chobiwala of the Red-and-Gold Stands).

The entire Tollywood fraternity and the Maidan deeply miss Rahul Da’s familiar presence—holding the iconic torch high, roaring in celebration, and his sheer madness for the game. To honor their beloved fan right from the pitch, a constellation of former East Bengal football stars will lace up their boots once again. Legendary names like Alvito D’Cunha, Mehtab Hossain, Dipankar Roy, Syed Rahim Nabi, Ashim Biswas, Arnab Mondal, Saumik Dey, and Mohammed Rafique, among other veterans, will feature in this special match, running across the green turf for the fans they lost.

In recent history, neither the film industry nor the sports world has seen such a novel, noble, and deeply emotional initiative dedicated to a fan. The Chobiwala team expressed their heartfelt gratitude to East Bengal Club’s top official, Debabrata (Nitu) Sarkar, for extending his support and granting permission to use the historic ground.

Director Bappa said, “He might not be with us in person, but through his legacy in Chobiwala and the deep-rooted passion of this ground, Rahul Da will live among us forever. On June 15, the film industry and the sports fraternity will unite for this poignant and unforgettable tribute”.

12 Players Name:

Rahul 12th Man:

Subhashish Roychowdhury

Arnab Mandal

Mehtab Hossain

Dipankar

Sasty Duley

Alvito D Cunha

Chobiwala 12th Man:

Sandip Nandy

Safar Saddar

MD Rafique

Rahim Nabi

Saumik Dey

Ashim Biswas

Match Schedule & Details:

Date: June 15

Time: 5:00 PM onwards

Venue: East Bengal Club Ground (Turf)

Priyanka Dutta