New Delhi: Several Bengali actors, including Kharaj Mukherjee and Samm Bhattacharya, along with Bangladeshi actor Apu Biswas, were caught up in the flood situation in Nepal while shooting for the Bangladesh-Bengal film Shikar. The film’s shoot was underway in Nepal, including areas near the Nepal-China border, when heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides disrupted road and air connectivity. Actor Mansi Parekh was also caught up in the wider Nepal-Tibet crisis while travelling to Kailash Mansarovar.
Kharaj Mukherjee, known for films including Kahaani and Special 26, travelled to Nepal on August 20 with his wife, Pratibha Mukherjee. The couple was scheduled to return to Kolkata on August 26, but worsening weather and disruptions to connectivity left them stranded.
Speaking to IANS, Kharaj’s elder brother, Sreeraj Mukherjee, said the family initially struggled to establish contact with the actor after the floods.
“They went for the shoot on the 20th. Initially, there was no contact, but later we were able to get in touch with them. We came to know about the flood later as well. But they are safe now; they are safe,” he said.
Samm Bhattacharya was also in Pokhara for the Shikar shoot when the situation deteriorated. He shared a video on his Instagram Story, filmed from an airplane, showing the flood-affected areas from above. He said that he and the team were in Pokhara and Kathmandu, where the situation was not bad.
“We are not affected,” he told ThePrint.
Bangladeshi actor Apu Biswas, who is also part of Shikar, was in Nepal with the team. With roads disrupted and flights from the region in high demand, her return journey was also affected. On Thursday, Biswas said the team had arranged a vehicle to take them to Kathmandu, from where she planned to fly back to Dhaka.
“Our vehicle has been arranged. We will travel to Kathmandu today. There is a lot of rushing for flights. I will return to Dhaka from Kathmandu by flight tomorrow, Friday,” Biswas said.
Meanwhile, actor Rajatava Dutta clarified that he had already completed his portion of the Shikar shoot and returned to Kolkata before the floods.
“I went to Nepal to shoot the film. The shooting of my part was already over. So I returned to Kolkata on August 13. I also shot for a film of Parambrata,” he told Anandabazar Patrika.
Meanwhile, Mansi Parekh, the National Award-winning actor known for Kutch Express, was travelling to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar as part of Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation pilgrimage when a flash flood struck the Gyirong area of Tibet. She had narrowly missed being at the flood-hit location.
“I was literally welcomed at this spot five days ago. So warmly! And now the whole place is submerged,” she wrote alongside a video on her Instagram Story.
She also shared a separate emotional update about how uncertain life is and how what happened is absolutely heartbreaking. The videos are now no longer available on her Instagram page.
“We are constantly praying for the people affected by this tragedy. By God’s grace, we are safe in China, and Isha Foundation is doing its best to get us back home, as well as find those who are in the midst of the floods. Please keep praying for everyone’s well-being,” she said.
(Edited by Prashant Dixit)