Tanushree Dutta defends remarks on Nana Patekar's death, compares actor to Raavan

Actor Nana Patekar died at the age of 75 in Goa on October 8 from a cardiac arrest. Following his death, actor Tanushree Dutta posted a video making an 'evil dead' remark and received heavy criticism for it. She has now released a new live video to hit back at those critics. In the video, Tanushree doubled down on her comments and compared people being upset about her remarks to burning effigies of Raavan. She called the late actor wicked, a liar, cunning, and manipulative. She also expressed doubt about the death itself, comparing the situation to the ongoing investigations in the Sushant Singh Rajput and Disha Salian case and questioning if it was a trick to run away. She stated that she is not scared and will not hesitate to speak the truth. Tanushree previously shared a post by Sandhya Mridul which questioned if an abuser stops being one after death and if the harm they caused disappears. Tanushree had accused Nana of sexual harassment on the set of the 2009 film Horn 'Ok' Pleassss. The allegation gained public attention in 2018 during the Me Too movement, leading to an FIR against Nana who denied the claims. The case was closed in 2019 due to lack of evidence, and a Mumbai Andheri Magistrate Court officially dismissed the criminal proceedings in 2025 because the complaint was filed past the legal limitation period. She also filed complaints with the police and the artist association at the time, but no action was taken. Before boarding a flight to Lucknow for an event, Tanushree spoke about hearing the news on a busy workday and expressed worry that the media would only focus on her remarks. She also offered conditional condolences to the family.

Context

Public controversies involving past allegations often resurface during major milestones or sudden life events involving the individuals concerned. Legal proceedings regarding older workplace misconduct claims frequently face hurdles related to filing delays and evidence collection. Celebrity reactions on social media frequently draw intense public scrutiny and polarising responses from fans and critics alike.