Bangladeshi actor Shanto Khan and his father, producer-director Selim Khan, were killed in a tragic incident during violent protests in Chandpur on Monday night. The duo had fled their village seeking refuge in Farakkabad Bazar of Belia Union in Bangladesh but were subsequently lynched by a violent mob, according to reports from Times of India.
The Bengali or Kolkata film industry actors who had worked with Shanto Khan on Bangladeshi film projects expressed shock and disappointment at the news of his death. They fondly remembered the critically acclaimed actor, highlighting his kind and nurturing nature. Actor Rajatabha Dutta, who worked with Shanto in the 2022 Bangladeshi film ‘Bikkhov’ (Resentment), shared that the young actor was cooperative and respectful on sets.
“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,” Dutta said. He further recalled Shanto’s attentiveness to his needs, both on set and at the hotel during their shoot in Chandpur, lamenting the loss of a promising career cut short.
Shanto made his debut in Bengali Cinema in 2019 with ‘Prem Chor’. He went on to star in ‘Piya Re’ alongside actress Kaushani Mukhopadhyay in 2021 and appeared in ‘Bubujaan’ and ‘Anto Nagar’ in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Actress Kaushani Mukhopadhyay, who starred opposite Shanto in ‘Piya Re’, shared that Shanto had been incredibly hospitable to her and other actors from India during their shoot in Chandpur and Dhaka. She expressed her deep distress at the tragic news.
Filmmaker Raj Chakraborty expressed his shock at the death, stating that any death, regardless of who it is, is a tragedy. He shared fond memories of working in Bangladesh. Producer-director Parambrata Chatterjee, who had also worked on several projects in Bangladesh, denounced the vandalizing of statues of iconic figures and expressed his dismay at the killings in the neighboring country.
Selim Khan, an expelled Awami League leader, owned a renowned Bangladeshi production house and produced several films, including ‘Tungi Parar Miya Bhai’ and ‘Commando’. The loss of both father and son is a significant blow to the Bangladeshi film industry.
