Mumbai, Sept 28: Actor Tanushree Dutta has finally found support in her Bollywood colleagues with many of them admiring her for her courage, two days after she alleged that Nana Patekar harassed her on the sets of a film in 2008.
In a recent TV interview, Dutta had said Patekar misbehaved with her on the sets of "Horn Ok Pleasss" 10 years ago. The actor also alleged that Patekar had the tacit support of the film's makers.
In a lengthy Twitter post, journalist Janice Sequeira narrated her account of the incident, provoking many from the Hindi film industry to react to Tanushree's allegations.
"This thread is very telling. @janiceseq85 was there at the time of the incident being debated today," Farhan Akhtar wrote late Thursday along side Sequeira's account of the incident.
"Even when #TanushreeDutta had career concerns to keep quiet 10 years ago she did not and her story hasn't changed now. Her courage should be admired, not her intention questioned," he added.
"Agreed... The world needs to #BelieveSurviviors," Priyanka Chopra commented on Farhan's post Friday.
Parineeti Chopra said, "I agree too. Survivors are survivors because they have dealt with something horrible and come out on the other side. So believe them, respect them."
Sonam K Ahuja said it was important for the industry to come together to support the victims and encourage them.
"Many of my co-workers,female and male have been harassed and bullied, but it’s their story to tell. If we don't encourage their voices and instead vilify and question them, how will victims ever become survivors? Let them speak up! Stand up with them," she tweeted.
Konkona Sen Sharma tweeted, "We all know the reality of the power imbalance that exists in the workplace. Let us encourage these voices instead of shaming them so that others may have the strength to come forward."
Sharing Sequeira's post director Anurag Kashyap said people should stop questioning the victim.
"This should stop the questioning of intention of Tanushree Datta because there is a witness account of what happened and @janiceseq85 is as credible as the come... This should stop the speculation about the intention of the survivor," he wrote.
Richa Chadha praised Dutta for being courageous enough to open up about the harassment she faced during her time in the films.
"It hurts to be #TanushreeDutta. To be alone, questioned. No woman wants publicity that opens the floodgates of trolling and insensitivity.What happened to her on set was intimidation. Her only fault was she didn't back down-takes a special courage to be #TanushreeDutta" she wrote.
Twinkle Khanna said a healthy working environment is a fundamental right.
"Please read this thread before judging or shaming #TanushreeDutta a working environment without harassment and intimidation is a fundamental right and by speaking up this brave woman helps pave the way towards that very goal for all of us," she wrote.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta said he was proud of Tanushree but was "cynical" about the results.
"Will this also die a natural death with no formal complaint, no proper investigation and no punitive action against the predator if he is found guilty? Honestly, I am cynical about the outcome. These offenders go scot free because our outrage is short-lived. #TanushreeDutta
"We must stop asking 'what did you about it then' and start asking 'what can we do about it now'. It's now or never," he wrote.
Actor Kunal Kapoor said, "Whether it's a man or a woman, just because someone is good at their work or charitable, doesn't mean they aren't capable of harassment."
Stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, however, evaded a direct answer when asked about Dutta's claim.
"My name is not Tanushree and my name is not Nana Patekar," Bachchan said when asked to react to Dutta's recent TV interview.
Aamir said it would be unfair on his part to comment on the controversy without knowing the "veracity" or the "details" of the matter.
"I don't think I can comment on it... But whenever something like this does happens it is really a sad thing. Now whether such thing has happened it is for people to investigate it," he said.
Salman dodged the question saying he was not aware about the incident.
"I am not aware of this dear let me know, let me understand what is happening. We will see. What is going on as I am not aware of what you are talking," he said.
Taking a sly dig at Bachchan, writer Varun Grover tweeted, "Neither I am #TanushreeDutta nor #NanaPatekar but even a cursory knowledge of gender-based power-dynamics and ugliness of male behaviour in this world should inform us that she's telling the truth. Telling your stories is the way things will change."
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