Bollywood comes out in support of Tanushree Dutta
Tanushree Dutta recently claimed that veteran Bollywood actor Nana Patekar has allegedly harassed her on the sets of a 2008 film, Horn OK Please. She even criticised Akshay Kumar for making films with Nana Patekar despite allegedly knowing of her accusations against him.
In the mean time, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna and more Bollywood celebrities have shown their support to Tanushree through Twitter. Bigg Boss host Salman Khan also spoke on the matter. Times Now quoted him saying, “I am not aware of this. Let me know and understand what is happening. I have been here and I am sure that the legal team will handle that. We will see what is going on. I am not aware of it.”
Twinkle tweeted with a link to posts shared by journalist Janice Sequeira who says she was on set the day of the alleged harassment and corroborates a large part of what Tanushree Dutta said happened. She said, “A working environment without harassment and intimidation is a fundamental right and by speaking up this brave woman helps pave the way towards that very goal for all of us.”
Please read this thread before judging or shaming #TanushreeDutta a working environment without harassment and intimidation is a fundamental right and by speaking up this brave woman helps pave the way towards that very goal for all of us! https://t.co/f8Nj9YWRvE
— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) September 28, 2018
Actress Sonam Kapoor, whose father Anil Kapoor has worked with Nana Patekar in Welcome and Welcome Back, also backed Tanushree and Janice and tweeted: “I believe #TanushreeDatta… It’s upto us to stand together.”
I believe #TanushreeDatta and @janiceseq85 recollection of the account. Janice is my friend, and she is anything but an exaggerator or a liar. And it’s upto us to stand together. https://t.co/sF3mS5o1P8
— Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) September 28, 2018
Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra, Parineeti Chopra, Swara Bhasker, Richa Chadha and Anurag Kashyap also stood up for Tanushree Dutta.
This thread is very telling. @janiceseq85 was there at the time of the incident being debated today. Even when #TanushreeDutta had career concerns to keep quiet 10 years ago she did not & her story hasn’t changed now. Her courage should be admired, not her intention questioned. https://t.co/Ola3MNdmtS
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) September 27, 2018
Agreed..the world needs to #BelieveSurviviors https://t.co/ia82UsCkkq
— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) September 28, 2018
I agree too. Survivors are survivors because they have dealt with something and come out on the other side. So believe them, respect them. @janiceseq85 #TanushreeDutta https://t.co/L6bxaG5HPk
— Parineeti Chopra (@ParineetiChopra) September 28, 2018
It hurts to be #TanushreeDutta rn. To be alone, questioned. No woman wants publicity that opens the floodgates of trolling and insensitivity.What happened to her on set was intimidation.Her only fault was she didn’t back down-takes a special courage to be #TanushreeDutta.
— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) September 27, 2018
#IBelieveYouTanushreeDutta https://t.co/slMxDwcGWx
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) September 27, 2018
If my previous tweet sounds vague let me clarify it. This should stop the questioning of intention of Tanushree Datta because there is a witness account of what happened and @janiceseq85 is as credible as the come .
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) September 28, 2018
Twinkle’s husband Akshay Kumar and Rajinikanth were named by Tanushree Dutt for knowing about Nana Patekar’s alleged bad behaviour yet working with him in films. But not all actors looked the other way, she said. Ms Dutta told DNA that Irrfan Khan and Suniel Shetty stood up for her while filming Chocolate when the director (Vivek Agnihotri, whom she didn’t name) allegedly instructed her to ‘take her clothes off and dance’s for a scene.
Also read: Nana Patekar laughs off sexual harassment allegations by Tanushree Dutta