Inquest To Examine Actor, Paul Bhattacharjee's, Death

Inquest To Examine Actor's Death

An inquest will be held today into the death of actor Paul Bhattacharjee, whose body was found near cliffs two days after he disappeared.

The 53-year-old, who had starred in James Bond film Casino Royale and EastEnders, was last seen leaving rehearsals at the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, London, on July 10.

The body of the actor, whose full name was Gautam "Paul" Bhattacharjee, was found near cliffs at Splash Point in Seaford, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, on July 12. The death was not treated as suspicious.

Tributes poured in from colleagues across stage and screen following the death of the star, who had also appeared in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, White Teeth and Dirty Pretty Things.

Meera Syal, who appeared alongside him in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Much Ado about Nothing, said: "Paul was an incredibly gifted, versatile and generous actor but also complex, deep thinking, engagingly opinionated and politically committed as a personality, truly wonderful to share a stage with."

Tributes were also paid on Twitter, with director Jamie Lloyd writing: "Very sad to hear about the death of Paul Bhattacharjee. He was a very fine actor. My thoughts are with his family."

Muzz Khan, who appeared in Much Ado About Nothing alongside the late actor, said: "Rest In Peace, Paul Bhattacharjee. I can't believe you're gone, mate."

Playwright Duncan Gates wrote: "'When you depart from me sorrow abides and happiness takes his leave'. RIP Paul Paul Bhattacharjee."

Following his disappearance, Bend It Like Beckham actress Parminder Nagra, Sex in the City star Kim Cattrall and Stephen Fry - who went missing for a week in 1995 - appealed to their Twitter followers for information about the actor.

Mr Bhattacharjee played a doctor in Casino Royale in 2006 and was in several episodes of EastEnders as Masood's brother Inzamam between 2008 and 2010. Other television credits for the actor included Waking the Dead, Spooks and The Bill.

The inquest will be held at Eastbourne Magistrates' Court from noon.

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