Tanushree Dutta questions reports of Nana Patekar’s death, links remarks to Sushant Singh Rajput case

MUMBAI— Actress Tanushree Dutta has questioned reports of veteran actor Nana Patekar’s death, speculating during an Instagram Live interaction with fans that his reported passing could be an attempt to evade possible scrutiny. Her remarks also referred to investigations surrounding the deaths of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager Disha Salian.

Dutta, who had accused Patekar of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement, said she was unsure whether the veteran actor had actually died and suggested that developments in other investigations could potentially bring people under scrutiny. Her claims about Patekar’s death were unsubstantiated.

“Nana Patekar died on October 8 at the age of 75, following a cardiac arrest,” according to the information cited in the account of her remarks.

“Best thing, he died by his own hands. If he has died also I am a little bit doubtful. Because now the case of Sushant Singh Disha Salyan has come out. So, a lot of people are getting exposed. And a very deep investigation is going on. So, if there is a connection from far away, then his name is going to come out today or tomorrow,” Dutta said during the interaction.

“So, I have a little doubt that he has really died or it is a way to escape. Anything can happen. But if he has really died, then a very big devilish person has gone from this world,” she added.

Dutta’s comments were made in the context of her longstanding allegations against Patekar, which he has denied. Her speculation about the circumstances of his reported death was not accompanied by evidence establishing any connection between him and the investigations she mentioned.

Revisits #MeToo allegations against Nana Patekar

Dutta had accused Patekar of sexually harassing her on the sets of the 2008 film Horn ‘OK’ Pleassss. The allegations became a prominent part of India’s #MeToo movement in 2018, when women across industries began speaking publicly about alleged sexual misconduct and workplace harassment.

Patekar denied the allegations.

During the Instagram Live session, Dutta spoke about what she described as the personal and professional consequences of making her allegations public. She accused Patekar and others of damaging her career, causing emotional distress and subjecting her to harassment. These claims were presented as her personal allegations and were not independently established in the account of the interaction.

“The person who ruined my life. The person who sent goons. The person who gave me anxiety. The person who harassed me. The person who ruined my work. The person who did weird things outside my house. He wasn’t alone. He was a group of devils,” she said.

“He ruined my life. He ruined my career. He ruined my mind. He almost ruined my mental balance,” she added.

The actress also alleged that she had experienced mental torture and career sabotage and that prolonged stress and anxiety had affected her health.

Speaks about spirituality and recovery

Dutta described how spirituality had become an important source of support during what she characterised as a difficult period in her life.

She spoke about visiting Ujjain and developing a deeper devotion to Mahakal, as well as chanting the Hare Ram, Hare Krishna mantra and practising meditation. According to the actress, these practices helped her cope with distress and regain a sense of direction.

She also recounted incidents that she said had left her fearful for her safety, including suspicions about a domestic worker and concerns that she might be poisoned. She further alleged that the brakes of an autorickshaw in which she was travelling had been tampered with, resulting in an accident that left her injured.

These accounts were part of Dutta’s personal recollections during the livestream and were not independently verified.

The actress said she was continuing to recover physically and emotionally.

“I have not danced. Now I am gonna start dancing because I think at least my leg is fully recovered. And health-wise I am still recovering,” she said.

Dutta maintained that meditation and chanting had helped her remain hopeful while dealing with the experiences she described.

Questions whether death should end public criticism

During the interaction, Dutta also challenged the notion that people should refrain from criticising someone after their death, arguing that a person’s passing should not automatically erase the grievances of those who believe they were wronged.

Drawing a comparison with the mythological figure Ravana, she questioned why criticism should cease simply because someone was no longer alive.

“Today’s lesson is, if it is such a thing that a dead person should not be disturbed, then from the coming year, stop burning Ravana’s statues. Because he was a great Hindu, a scholar. He was a scholar. He had great powers. He was very educated. He was very bright,” she said.

Dutta also spoke about personal boundaries, alleging that she had faced intimidation after refusing unwanted advances. She claimed that her refusal had hurt egos and led to further harassment.

The actress said her spiritual beliefs had helped her confront the fear associated with the experiences she described.

Her latest remarks have brought renewed attention to her longstanding dispute with Patekar and the allegations she made during the #MeToo movement. However, her speculation about the actor’s reported death and any possible connection to the Sushant Singh Rajput and Disha Salian cases remains unsupported by evidence presented in the account. (Source: IANS)