Some reactions arrive within minutes of a tragedy. Others arrive carefully, with a lot of history behind them. As tributes for Nana Patekar poured in on Thursday, one response stood out for its restraint. Tanushree Dutta, whose 2018 allegations against the veteran actor brought India’s #MeToo movement into the spotlight, posted a short video about the news. She did not mention his name.
Tanushree Dutta reacts to Nana Patekar’s death: ‘I have heard the news’
In an Instagram Stories video shared on October 8, Dutta said she had heard the news but that it was her workday and she was heading to Lucknow for an event that she wanted to focus on. She called it “an odd day for all this to happen” as she had a big event planned. She also said that she would share her reaction once she figured out what reaction to have, adding, “Definitely condolences to the family.” She later posted videos of herself boarding her flight to Lucknow.
Why Tanushree Dutta didn’t name Nana Patekar in her video
Outlets, including Free Press Journal and IBTimes, reported that the video did not directly mention Patekar. Dutta indicated that a fuller response might follow, but none had been reported at the time of writing.
Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekar’s 2018 #MeToo controversy, explained
In September 2018, Dutta accused Patekar of inappropriate behaviour during a song shoot for the 2008 film Horn Ok Pleassss, a moment widely seen as the start of India’s #MeToo movement. Patekar denied the allegations, and his team sent her a legal notice at the time. Police later filed a closure report citing a lack of evidence, which Dutta challenged.
Nana Patekar’s death and funeral: what we know Patekar passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. His last rites are being performed at his farmhouse in Donje, near Pune, with full state honours. His body is being kept for public darshan beforehand