Former Miss India Universe and 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne' fame Tanushree Dutta, who initiated what can be called India's very own #MeToo campaign in 2008, is now back in the country and has once again accused veteran actor Nana Patekar, choreographer Ganesh Acharya, ‘Horn Ok Pleassss’ producer Sami Siddiqui and director Rakesh Sarang of harrassing her on the sets of the film.
Tanushree also claimed that Nana Patekar has had a history of assaulting women and that everyone in the industry is aware of the same. After recalling the harrowing incident, the actress added that the fact that A-listers like Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Shahid Kapoor continue to work with these alleged "criminals" is something beyond her understanding.
On Thursday afternoon, Tanushree invited the media to talk further about the controversy. While exclusively speaking to DNA about her debut film 'Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets' (2005), which also starred Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty, Irrfan Khan, Emraan Hashmi among others; Tanushree shared a rather unpleasant incident that took place on the sets of the film.
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As per the actress, the director (Vivek Agnihotri) apparently asked her to give cues to Irrfan for a scene in which she was not even present. 'Kapde utaar ke naacho' (Remove your clothes and dance), is what he told her. Tanushree was too shaken to respond but Irrfan, being the gentleman that he is, immediately stopped the director and told him that he knows how to act and he doesn't need someone to give him 'cues'. Suniel Shetty also reprimanded the director.
Here's what Tanushree said:
"This guy (Vivek Agnihotri) wanted me to give cues to an actor (Irrfan Khan). It was an actor's close-up. It was not even my shot. I was not even going to be in the shot. It was the actor's close-up and he had to just look at something and give expressions. This director, he told me jao jaake kapde utaar ke naacho, usko cues do."
"...The male actor had to shoot back at the director saying, 'I don't need her to take off her coat and dance for me to give facial expressions. This was Irrfan Khan. I really appreciated that he actually spoke up like that because it was his close-up shot. I'm not in the frame. He had to look at me and give some expressions. Why do I have to dance in front of him for him to give expressions on his close-up shot. This director tells me 'jao jaake kapde utaar ke naacho'. I was shocked!"
"...The actor was horrified. And, because he had done some work, he could say something. He just told the director, 'What are you talking about? I can give my closeup. Mujhe acting aati hai'. Suneil Shetty also spoke up. He was also there, he heard it and he got offended by it. He was like, 'Main aayun kya wahaan cues dene ke liye?' Yeah ofcourse, there are good people in the industry. Both, Irrfan Khan and Suniel Shetty spoke up. Suneil scolded that guy."
Though Tanushree didn't name and shame Vivek Agnihotri, she did admit that, it was because of a few actors like Irrfan and Shetty that she didn't give up on her acting career until ofcourse the 2008 incident took place.
Watch this space for more revelations on the controversy.
