Veteran Bengali actor and former BJP leader Joy Banerjee passed away at the age of 62 on Monday. He was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata on August 15 due to breathing problems and was diagnosed with pneumonia. His condition reportedly worsened on August 17, when he was placed on a ventilator. After battling his illness for over a week, he succumbed to a heart attack around 11.30 am on Monday.

Born on May 23, 1963, Banerjee was a prominent figure in both the Bengali film industry and state politics. He began his acting career in the 1980s and gained popularity with films such as Dadar Kirti, Hirak Jayanti, Milon Tithi, Jibon Moran, and Nagmati.

Later, Banerjee transitioned to politics, joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Birbhum constituency in 2014 against Trinamool Congress’s Shatabdi Roy and also from the Uluberia constituency on another occasion, though he was unsuccessful both times. In 2021, he announced his “retirement” from the party.

The news of his death has led to an outpouring of grief from the political community. BJP leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar, have expressed their condolences. Majumdar posted on social media, “We are deeply saddened by the passing away of senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, West Bengal and eminent actor Jay Banerjee. We pray for the eternal peace of his departed soul.”

His body is scheduled to be released from the hospital on Monday evening and taken to his residence in Taratala, and then brought to the BJP state headquarters for a final tribute. The funeral will be held thereafter.