Tanushree trains her guns on Nana Patekar
He called the MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) party to bash up my car. He was behind everything and was supported by Ganesh Acharya, the producer and director
Tanushree Dutta
new delhi — The ball for India’s #MeToo movement could have started rolling a decade ago, had the industry not remained silent when she had first levelled harassment accusations against veteran actor Nana Patekar, says actress and former beauty queen Tanushree Dutta.
The incident had happened on the sets of Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss in 2008, and was brought out in the media as well, but not much happened.
Tanushree recounted Nana’s “misbehaviour” on the set.
“He called the MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) party to bash up my car. He was behind everything and was supported by Ganesh Acharya, the producer and director.”
A recent interview in which Tanushree has stated that the #MeToo movement will never arrive in India because of the industry’s hypocrisy, has refreshed discussion about her unsavoury experience and allegations.
“I have always been hoping for an apology from all of them. It was not just Nana Patekar, but (choreographer) Ganesh Acharya who was an accomplice in that, director Rakesh Sarang and producer Sami Siddiqui. And the entire industry that has been an accomplice through silence,” Tanushree told IANS in an interview over phone from Mumbai on Wednesday.
The former Miss India Universe feels let down that the entire industry has continued to work with those whom she named.
“Ganesh Acharya rolls out songs every year with top stars, Nana has worked with stars like Akshay Kumar and Rajinikanth and the producer and director have continued to work. They were not the ones who went through the trauma of being mobbed by goons, or being called names,” she added.
“I had to deal with that over the years while these people were happily enjoying the limelight,” added the actress. Tanushree claims she was “slut shamed”, and was called a “heroine who came and did a few item songs and bold kissing scenes”.
She has been wanting to change the narrative, fighting against the tide. —