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Indian actor Tanushree Dutta alleges Nana Patekar harassed her a decade ago

Indian actor Tanushree Dutta alleges Nana Patekar harassed her a decade ago

In 2008, Dutta had said an unnamed actor misbehaved with her during a shoot. Now she's revealed who it was
26 Sep, 2018

With Bill Cosby being sentenced to prison and Harvey Weinstein's future looking grim, the global #MeToo movement is witnessing powerful abusers falling from grace.

It was only a matter of time until its impact was felt in Bollywood; actor Tanushree Dutta, who had previously shared in 2008 that a fellow co-star had behaved with her inappropriately on set, has now named her harasser, stating it was veteran actor Nana Patekar.

"I want to take names - actor Nana Patekar, producer Sami Siddiqui, director Rakesh Sarang and choreographer Ganesh Acharya. When Nana Patekar misbehaved with me, he said out loud that he would do an intimate step with me in the song, which wasn’t mentioned in my contract. It was supposed to be a solo sequence of mine. I would feel very uncomfortable when he would come next to me and try to put his arm around me," she said in an interview with Zoom TV.

"He was grabbing me by the arms, pushing me around then he would ask the choreographers to move and teach me how to dance, and the next thing I know he wanted to do was an intimate sequence with me. It was ridiculous.”

She adds: “Everyone knows about Nana Patekar that he has always been disrespectful towards women. People in the industry know about his background, that he has beaten actresses, he has molested them, his behaviour with women has always been crude but no publication has printed anything about it.”

Dutta also says she was "probably one of the first people in the history of this country in the media field to speak up and stand up" against sexual misconduct.

"Everybody saw what happened but the memory and the popular perception of it is that Tanushree Dutta spoke up against harassment and then she was no more."

The alleged incident took place on the shoot of a special number for Horn Ok Pleassss due to which she opted out of the appearance and was replaced by Rakhi Sawant.

Comments

Leoman Sep 26, 2018 03:46pm
Though very difficult to clearly define and defend but surely this can produce some at least some good results like some respect, freedom and equality for women.
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Dr Asif Sep 26, 2018 04:13pm
I hope she gets justice
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FIDA SAYANI Sep 26, 2018 06:13pm
She should take him to the court. Indian moviegoers should boycott his movies.
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N abidai Sep 26, 2018 06:49pm
BW had made movies where they shown how actors and directers,and producers harress young artists ,not realizing that was predicting the me too movement ,miss use of power!, BW has big money so level of harresment has only grown. Me too movement in BW will leave HW behind!
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Maroof Sep 26, 2018 07:44pm
I always thought Patekar was creepy looking.
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zack - chicago Sep 26, 2018 10:43pm
proud of her!
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zack - chicago Sep 26, 2018 10:43pm
Nana should be questioned and punsihed!
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M. Emad Sep 27, 2018 03:59am
Patekar is a bad person to do such shameful act. I never watch any of his films for how he treats women.
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joe Sep 27, 2018 06:29am
Investigate and Prison for the culprits
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joe Sep 27, 2018 06:29am
Justice for all
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ankita Sep 27, 2018 07:31am
I really do not understand these interviews. If you are so aggrieved, file an official complaint with the Police and Women's commission, there are provisions in the law for that. Why is it that you do not wish to do anything, but want the world to somehow "fix" it for you ? There was a remarkable case in India where two uneducated village women despite being ostracized and pressured, stood firm and got their attackers punished, and the law stood by them. You are far more empowered, yet you behave like this.
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Sameer Sep 27, 2018 08:11am
With out proof, it is just an allegation. Some cctv or eye witness account must be acquired other wise no one would care what happened 10 years ago. And the harrasser will leave content.
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M Wasim Kureshi Sep 27, 2018 11:17am
On screen - off screen differences in personality, never really liked his acting but always thought Nana Patekar was a gentleman. But the true face eventually gets shown. His hate for the neighbouring country of Pakistan is also a revealing point in his mysterious and now controversial character.
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