Bengali actors Kharaj Mukherjee, Rajatabha Dutta stranded in Nepal
What's the story
Bengali actor Kharaj Mukherjee (Kahaani, Special 26) and his wife Protiva are currently stranded in Nepal due to devastating flash floods. The couple had traveled to the country for a film shoot on August 20 with the entire production team, reported Hindustan Times. Despite the challenging circumstances, Mukherjee has assured his family over the phone that they are safe. Fellow actor Rajatabha Dutta (House of Memories, Peddi) is also stranded with Mukherjee.
Family update
They couldn't fly back, will travel via road now
Mukherjee's relative, Sarswati Mukherjee, told HT that the actor and his wife are currently stuck in Nepal with the rest of the shooting team.
According to HT Bangla, the team was shooting for a Bangladeshi production and had completed the schedule amid daily rains and bad weather. Because of the floods, they couldn't fly back from Kathmandu.
Instead, the crew plans to travel to Gorakhpur by road and then fly to Kolkata now.
Disaster details
Flash floods in Nepal
The flash floods in Nepal were triggered by an avalanche of ice and rock, likely caused by a glacial lake outburst.
This disaster has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 160 people, with many others missing in the Rasuwa region. On the Tibet side, three people have been confirmed dead.
The Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, was one of the worst-hit areas.
Tourist impact
Floods affected tourists in large numbers
The floods have also affected tourists in the region, with officials reporting 384 missing individuals. This includes 291 tourists from countries like India, the US, the UK, and Malaysia.
The Bhotekoshi River overflowed at around 9:00am on Wednesday morning, damaging villages, roads, and hydropower projects.
Career highlights
Mukherjee and Dutta's careers in films
Mukherjee is a well-known figure in Bengali cinema, having worked in films like Patalghar, Bye Bye Bangkok, The Namesake, Accident, Muktodhara, and Jaatishwar.
His Hindi film credits include Yuva, Parineeta, Laga Chunari Mein Daag, and Lafangey Parindey.
He has also received the Bengal Film Journalists's Association Best Male Playback Award for Patalghar.
Meanwhile, Hindi movie audiences would recognize the prolific actor Dutta from films like Jagga Jasoos and Meri Pyaari Bindu.