Tanushree Dutta's sister Ishita Dutta, who made her Bollywood debut with Drishyam, recounted the harrowing incident when her family was attacked by goons 10 years ago, in a recent interview to Bollywood Life. In interviews through the week, one of them also to NDTV, Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of harassing her and being sexually aggressive on the sets of 2008 film Horn 'Ok' Pleassss. Tanushree added that he also sent goons after her when she refused his unwelcome advances, who attacked and bashed her car with her parents inside it. "If you see the footages; I still remember, I was at home and I saw the video; people jumping on the car, banging the glass, the horrified and terrified face of my sister and family. I was so scared because I wasn't there with them. I didn't know what to do. That memory will never go away," Bollywood Life quoted Ishita Dutta as saying.
Ishita added that her family was escorted out safely only after the police intervened and such an incident as this continues to haunt her and her family: "I'm thankful that there was somebody who had called (the cops) and saved my family that day. Of course, it does leave an image. We always remember and will never forget what happened. While we have moved on in life, it doesn't mean I don't remember what happened."
Corroborating Tanushree Dutta's claims against the veteran actor, Ishita added: "It's sad that it happened but it happened." While many may question Tanushree Dutta as to why she decided to speak up about an incident that she claims happened a decade ago now, Ishita said her sister is "trying to set an example": "What she is trying to achieve is that she is trying to set an example. If something like this happens, it is not your fault. You should not shy away from it. And speak about it." Ishita also added that Tanushree, who quit films after 2010, has been a major support system for her career as an actress and that she is thankful for all the support Tanushree is getting in her battle for justice.
Meanwhile, tweets stating "I believe Tanushree Dutta" have poured in from Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Parineeti Chopra and others, with Twinkle Khanna among them, whose husband Akshay Kumar was named by Ms Dutta as an actor who made films with Mr Patekar despite allegedly knowing of his conduct. Tanushree Dutta's version of events has been partly confirmed in tweets by journalist Janice Sequeira and Shyni Shetty who was then an assistant director on the sets of the film. Tanushree had briefly joined Horn 'OK' Pleasss to film a song sequence, which she later quit citing misbehaviour on Nana Patekar's part.
On Friday, Nana Patekar's lawyer said that a legal notice was being sent to Tanushree Dutta demanding she apologise for accusing Mr Patekar of harassing her on the film set 10 years ago. Nana Patekar's lawyer Shirodkar told news agency ANI: "In process of sending legal notice to Tanushree Dutta as she has made false allegations and has spoken untruth. We will send the notice later today which will basically a notice seeking apology for her statements making allegations."
In another news, Tanushree Dutta has also alleged that Vivek Agnihotri - the director of her second Bollywood film Chocolate - allegedly told her to "take off your clothes and dance" while filming and that Ms Dutta's male co-stars, Irrfan Khan and Suniel Shetty, intervened. Tanushree Dutta was last seen in 2010's Apartment.
