Renuka Shahane says that Tanushree Dutta’s story resonates with her.
Actor Renuka Shahane has come out in support of Tanushree Dutta. Tanushree recently accused Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her on the sets of Horn Ok Pleassss in 2008. According to her, she was a part of a song along with Nana, where he tried to touch her inappropriately. Renuka, in a long open letter posted on her Facebook acoount, said that she is aware of Nana’s “volatile temper” and that many men and women have “faced his wrath” before. She also added that Tanushree’s story resonated with her.
Renuka further said that even if Nana’s intentions were not to molest Tanushree, could not the director and the choreographer come up with a step that did not make her feel uncomfortable. “Is the work place meant for terrorising people or about working in a healthy atmosphere? Would the film have suffered earth shatteringly if the steps were changed so that an actor felt more comfortable?” she wrote.
The actor also talked about the incident’s aftermath and decried the preference Bollywood gives to “powerful men.” Renuka Shahane wrote, “And now let’s come to the aftermath. Whose career did this incident affect? None of the men had a difficult time. Their ego had won! The men got all the support that any industry (not just the film industry) gives to powerful men. The only person who was traumatized was Tanushree. The scars have still not healed. Please do the math.”