Members of the Kolkata film industry expressed profound shock and sorrow on Wednesday over the tragic deaths of Bangladeshi actor Shanto Khan and his father, producer Selim Khan. The duo was killed amidst the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh.
Shanto Khan, known for his roles in popular Bangladeshi films, had developed strong ties with many actors in Kolkata through collaborative projects. However, Kolkata-based actors refrained from commenting on the reasons behind the killings, citing them as internal matters of Bangladesh.
“I was stunned after hearing the news that he and his father were killed. We don’t know the circumstances leading to their deaths. It saddens my heart to learn they were killed. Artists like us who thrive on art and creativity always yearn for peace, amity, and brotherhood,” said renowned actor Rajatabha Dutta.
Dutta, who worked with Shanto Khan in the 2022 Bangladeshi film ‘Bikkhov’ (Resentment), reminisced about the young actor’s cooperative and respectful nature on set. “During our shoot in Chandpur (in Bangladesh) for the movie, he personally took care of my needs. He was attentive to my needs even at the hotel. I do not know how or why he had to die at such a young age when his career was looking up,” Dutta added.
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Shanto Khan made his debut with ‘Prem Chor’ in 2019 and later starred in ‘Piya Re’ in 2021, ‘Bubujaan’ in 2023, and ‘Anto Nagar’ in 2024. Actor Kaushani Mukhopadhyay, who starred opposite Shanto in ‘Piya Re’, expressed her distress over the news. “I got the deeply disturbing news late Monday night and have remained distressed ever since,” she said.
Mukhopadhyay fondly recalled Shanto’s hospitality during their shoots in Chandpur and Dhaka. “Since I was senior in the industry, Shanto was very respectful towards me and shared his ambition of making a significant impact in the industry,” she noted. “I believe in the triumph of humanity and hope the situation will soon turn normal there,” she added.
Shanto Khan, who also ventured into modeling, played the role of young Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the 2021 film ‘Tungiparar Miya Bhai’.
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Filmmaker Raj Chakraborty expressed his shock at the deaths, stating, “Any death, be it of a protesting student, a policeman, an actor, a producer, or a political activist, is shocking. All of us have fond memories of working in Bangladesh. I am not merely saying this as a stakeholder of the film industry, but also as a human being and a citizen of India.”
Actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee, who had worked on several projects in Bangladesh, was also appalled by the killings. He condemned the vandalism of statues of iconic figures during the turmoil.
Media reports indicate that Shanto Khan and his father Selim Khan were lynched in Chandpur on Monday night. Selim Khan, owner of a renowned Bangladeshi production house, had financed films such as ‘Tungi Parar Miya Bhai’ and ‘Commando’. He was an expelled leader of the Awami League, whose supporters have been under attack in recent days.
The political climate in Bangladesh took a dramatic turn when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who led the Awami League government, resigned on Monday.
