Tanushree Dutta, the actor who ignited the “Me Too” movement in India back in 2018, has once again spoken out about Nana Patekar, the actor she accused of sexual harassment on the set of the 2009 film ‘Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss.’ During a recent press conference in Mumbai, Dutta refused to discuss Patekar, asserting that he has lost relevance in her life. She emphasized her reluctance to provide any further publicity to him by addressing him on a public platform.
Responding to a question about why individuals who she believes adversely affected her career continue to enjoy success while she struggles to secure offers, Dutta dismissed the topic. She stated that figures like Nana Patekar and Vivek Agnihotri no longer hold any significance for her and questioned the need to discuss them. Dutta suggested that they still rely on her name to promote their films, recalling an incident in 2008 when she had a dispute with Patekar, and his film was struggling to find buyers. According to Dutta, in such situations, they approach her for cameo roles to boost their film sales.
Tanushree Dutta’s accusations against Nana Patekar in 2018 marked a turning point in India’s #MeToo movement. However, it’s worth noting that she had initially reported the incident to the Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA) in 2008, though no action was taken at that time, as the case was treated as a criminal matter. She reiterated the allegations in a 2013 interview, which largely went unnoticed.
In another interview, Tanushree Dutta alleged that Patekar had summoned members of the MNS party to vandalize her car and claimed that he had the support of choreographer Ganesh Acharya in these actions.