Actress, Priyanka Sarkar reacted to her rumoured relationship with director, Subhrajit Mitra. It resurfaced amid her husband, Rahul Banerjee's demise.
Popular Tollywood (Bengali film industry) star, Rahul Arunoday Banerjee passed away on March 29, 2026. The actor reportedly drowned at Odisha's Talsari beach at the age of 43. The mishap occurred after the wrap-up of the shoot of an episode of Bhole Baba Paar Karega, leaving fans heartbroken. He was well known for his roles in films such as Zulfiqar and Katakuti, and for TV serials such as Tumi Ashbe Bole, Ardhangini, and Lalkuthi. However, his marital life with Priyanka Sarkar was as much in the talks as his acting. Following his death, details of her alleged affair with director, Subhrajit Mitra resurfaced.
While Priyanka Sarkar was estranged from her husband, Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, reports surfaced that the duo allegedly found new lovers. While Rahul was rumoured to be dating either of his co-stars, Sandipta Sen and Rooqma Ray, Priyanka was linked to a photographer she worked with and a Bengali director, Subhrajit Mitra. The actors usually opt to ignore such specualtions; however, they respond once it gets out of hand. According to an article on Steemit, Priyanka shut down rumours of a linkup with the National Award-winning filmmaker Subhrajit, stating that they were just friends.
Priyanka quashed the chatter around her alleged affair with Subhrajit Mitra, tagging them as baseless rumours. According to Steemit, she considers her bond with Subrajit professional and friendly, with no romance angel involved. She shared that she did not have a lot of friends in the Tollywood industry and thus, spent time with the few people she was close to, like Subhrajit. Stating that hanging out with someone doesn't mean that they are in love, she mentioned:
"It is a rumour. I have done a lot with Subhrajit. Our friendship is like one and a half years. We talk through about our work...chatting because of work. My friends in the industry are very few, so often we go to the movies together. We have a small group. Walking with him doesn't means we are dating."
Priyanka and Rahul got separated in 2017, after which their linkups with co-stars and industry acquaintances began to surface. Chatter regarding the couple's strained relationship persisted for a long time; however, a report by Radio Bangla Net stated that the problems in their marriage escalated after their son, Sohoj was born in 2013. During their 2017 divorce filing, Priyanka stated that the marriage was "not peaceful" and that, while she gave 100 per cent to the relationship, Rahul did not reciprocate.
The spouses had a messy, publicised legal separation, during which Priyanka alleged that Rahul subjected her to mental and physical torture, and also claimed that he did not financially support their son, Sohoj, according to Radio Bangla Net. She went on to say that Rahul didn't even want to get their son admitted to school, even on her repeated pleading. She alleged that he was an absent father and she had to shoulder all of Sohoj's parental responsibilities, including financial support, for the past two years before they filed for divorce.
Notably, Rahul vehemently denied his wife's allegations, including that he refused to pay their son's school fees. As per Priyanka, her issues with Rahul and their strained marriage took a toll on her mental health, leading to depression. Looking back at that time, she revealed feeling guilty that her deteriorating mental health affected her son, Sohoj. It was then that she decided to walk away from the marriage. She wanted to raise Sohoj in a better environment, but that wasn't possible while she was in a tumultuous relationship. However, it was their son himself for whose sake the separated couple reconciled in 2023 and reportedly lived together until his death.
We share our heartfelt condolences to Rahul Arunoday Banerjee's family as they deal with his loss.
Also Read: Rahul Arunoday Banerjee's Wife, Priyanka Sarkar's Reason For Divorce Filing Revealed Amid His Death