Bengali actor Abhishek Chatterjee passes away after cardiac arrest

Popular Bengali actor Abhishek Chatterjee passed away in the early hours of Thursday at his residence here following a massive cardiac arrest, family members said.

Chatterjee, 58, had complained of uneasiness in the stomach on Wednesday during the shooting of a non-fiction show and was later administered saline at his Prince Anwar Shah Road residence, they said.

He is survived by wife and a daughter.

Chatterjee had debuted in Tarun Majumder's Bengali film 'Pathbhola' in 1986 and proved his mettle in several hits in the years that followed, including Rituparno Ghosh's 'Dahan' and 'Bariwali' and Majumder's 'Alo'.

He was also a known face in Bengali tele-serials.

Condoling his death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "Sad to know of the untimely demise of our young actor Abhishek Chatterjee. Abhishek was talented and versatile in his performances, and we shall miss him. It is a great loss for TV serials and our film industry. My condolences to his family and friends".

Chatterjee's co-actor in several movies like 'Sujansakhi', 'Lathi', 'Sankha Sidurer Dibbi', Rituparna Sengupta, said he had set a new benchmark in commercial films and will always remain in the hearts of audiences.