'His time had come': Tanushree Dutta reacts to Nana Patekar death after MeToo allegations

Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekar. Pics/AFP

A year after Hollywood's MeToo movement gained momentum, its reverberations reached India when actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. Dutta alleged that Patekar touched her inappropriately while demonstrating dance steps during the shoot of Horn Ok Pleassss (2008). She also claimed he was not originally part of the song, but inserted himself into it. Patekar denied the allegations, calling them lies. Dutta subsequently filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police. In 2019, the police filed a closure report citing lack of evidence. Dutta continued to reiterate her allegations and accused Patekar of intimidating her.

Hours after Patekar's death, Dutta told mid-day, "My life had become difficult, but maybe every pain has an end. The last couple of days I have prayed a lot. In fact, I thought of leaving Mumbai and settling down in one of my temple towns because I was just not feeling safe. And I don't know if I am ever going to feel safe after everything that I have endured over the last five-seven years. Maybe, one evil person is dead. One person who hated you is dead. But everything that has happened to you leading up to that you can never wipe it out, the scars of this experience since 2018."

Reflecting on his death, she added, "I have never been the kind of person to hold grudges in my heart. But people do. They hold on to old things and don't admit their mistakes. Life is so short. So, does it mean anything to carry hate in our heart? What is a friend or a foe in the face of death? When death comes, it entraps anyone and everyone. So, perhaps his time had come. What else can I say?"