Bollywood betrayed me, says Tanushree Dutta

With Nana Patekar’s NGO suing Tanushree Dutta for defamation, the actress — who is rightly considered the pioneer of the #MeToo movement in Bollywood — finds herself being pushed financially and emotionally into a corner by forces much more powerful than her. 

Interestingly, she was slapped with the case on the same day when Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexual offences.

“It’s ironic that not only am I fighting for justice alone, with no sign of redress for my personal losses but to be inundated with legal threats for speaking out against harassment and corruption is another level of anarchy in India,” she says about the coincidence, adding that it has been a challenging experience.

“It’s been very hard on me emotionally, psychologically, and financially these 12 years, after the mob violence on the sets of Horn OK Please in 2008 instigated by Nana Patekar and his goons. I had gone into severe depression post that episode for many years,” she recalls about the ordeal.

Tanushree rues that the film fraternity has not been helping her in the matter. “Instead of getting justice, I have further been pushed and forced into legal hassles by these people while everyone else watches the drama. I will remember this for sure and make a report of it. I feel like I have been let down by many people and I will return the favour when I rise to power again — and I will,” she asserts.