Sona Mohapatra Defends Tanushree Dutta Amid Mourning for Nana Patekar

Singer Sona Mohapatra posted a video on X and Instagram defending actress Tanushree Dutta after veteran actor Nana Patekar died. Nana Patekar passed away in Goa on October 8 at 75 from cardiac arrest. Mohapatra said mourning the actor is natural but condemned the online attacks on Dutta for speaking about sexual harassment on his sets. She reminded viewers that Dutta faced public humiliation, professional setbacks and an exhausting legal battle after accusing Patekar of harassment. Mohapatra added that dying does not erase uncomfortable chapters of a person’s life and that respect for the dead should not demand a woman silence her own story. She pointed out the hypocrisy of praising Patekar’s philanthropy while silencing Dutta’s account, citing a comment that his donations to farmers and the poor excuse his misconduct. To illustrate her point, Mohapatra referenced the British abuser Jimmy Savile, noting that charity does not cancel wrongdoing. She also criticised women who joined the chorus against Dutta, asking if humiliating another woman is their idea of engagement. Dutta’s reaction to the news included calling Patekar an “evil dead” and posting a video asking why she should forgive someone who never apologized. Mohapatra concluded that both the dead and the living deserve dignity. ## Context