Bollywood actor Nana Patekar reacts while talking to the media in Mumbai, Monday, October 8, 2018. (PTI Photo)
The Maharashtra State Commission for Women Tuesday took cognisance of the complaint filed by Tanushree Dutta alleging sexual harassment against actor Nana Patekar. The Commission issued notices to the Bollywood actor along with choreographer Ganesh Acharya, producer Sameer Siddiqui and director Rakesh Sarang to submit their response within 10 days.
According to officials from the commission, a notice has also been shot to the Cine and TV Artists Association (CINTAA) to explain the procedure to redress sexual harassment complaints. “As per the Act, production houses and TV artist association must have a redressal mechanism to ensure sexual harassment at sets does not happen. Recently we have seen a rise in such complaints,” said Vijaya Rahatkar, chairperson of women commission.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women said that they are in process of gathering detailed information of complaints and revelations being made by several women. The Commission added that are also personally reaching out to the survivors via telephone.
The #MeToo movement has taken India by storm with several bigwigs from media and entertainment industry being accused of sexual misconduct and harassing women. In the latest case, a woman on Tuesday levelled sexual harassment charges against lyricist and screenwriter Varun Grover. The incident is said to have happened in 2001, according to the woman. However, Varun has denied all the alleged claims of sexual harassment against him in a statement.
A TV writer-director accused actor Alok Nath of raping and harassing her. She said that there was no tension in naming him but she did not realise that the incident, which has affected her for 20 years, would blow up on social media. The woman said she is yet to decide what her next course would be but her first instinct was to “protect” herself. “It has been ages since I have held onto something that has affected me for 20 years. It has been the nucleus of my every situation. I lost my confidence as a writer and as a human being. It changed me fundamentally.”
However, denying the allegations, Alok Nath said, “Neither I am denying this nor do I would agree with it. It (rape) must have happened, but someone else would have done it. Well, I do not want to talk much about it as for the matter if it has come out, it will be stretched.”