Tanushree Dutta To NDTV: "No Scope Of Justice In Maharashtra, Molesters Hobnob With Politicians"

NDTV

6 days ago

Actor Tanushree Dutta, who was at the forefront of India's #MeToo movement, has claimed that she is being stalked, harassed, and psychologically targeted for years, and has not received any help from authorities.
On late Tuesday night, the former Miss India Universe posted a disturbing video of her crying on Instagram, alleging that she has been "harassed at my own home" for the past five years, so much so that her "health has deteriorated".
Tanushree Dutta told NDTV in an exclusive interaction that she has been facing relentless harassment and intimidation over the past few years, both in public and private spaces, and has been left disillusioned with the system meant to protect her.
Speaking in the wake of her distressing Instagram video she posted, the actor claimed to have noticed a pattern of incidents that she said have taken a toll on her mental and physical health.
"My experience with the Mumbai Police during the 2018 MeToo movement left a very bitter taste in my mouth," she told NDTV. "They encouraged me to file an FIR back then. I spent four to five hours at the station, gave a detailed statement, and kept following up and nothing came of it. In Maharashtra, these molesters and harassers are often hobnobbing with politicians. They're protected. So, there's no real scope of justice."
Tanushree Dutta, known for films such as Aashiq Banaya Aapne, Chocolate, Bhagam Bhag, and Dhol, also alleged that her ordeal hasn't stopped since. She said she suspects that even hotel staff and insiders may have been complicit in stalking and intimidation during her travels. "Whenever I raised the issue at hotels during my pilgrimages, I was either stonewalled or met with excuses. I didn't want drama. I had gone to pray, meditate, and heal. But the incidents followed me everywhere."
She claimed food deliveries would arrive tampered with, groceries would be misplaced or opened, packages would be meddled with and there seemed to be a deliberate attempt to destabilise her. "It's psychological warfare," she says. "They're trying to scare me. And it's been happening since I came back from one trip so unwell that I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, triggered by prolonged stress and anxiety."
According to Tanushree Dutta, in multiple cities, at different hotels, someone would use a spare key to enter her room. "Whether I was in the room or not, they'd come in, move small things, steal just enough to make me notice. They wanted me to know I wasn't safe even in what should be a private, protected space."
Now, she said, the pattern has reached her Mumbai home. "People bang on my door at odd hours. They've left foul-smelling substances outside. I've reported it to my building society many times. Yesterday, when it happened again and no one responded to my calls I broke down. I called the police. They came, spoke to the watchman, but it was all vague, everyone blaming each other. They asked me to visit the Oshiwara Police Station and speak to a senior officer. I said I will but only if they are willing to act. I won't waste more years chasing justice that never comes."
Tanushree Dutta's 2018 allegations against veteran actor Nana Patekar helped spark the #MeToo movement in Bollywood. The actor has been away from the world of films since the 2010 movie Apartment, but has kept fans and followers updated about her life through her Instagram page.
The latest series of alleged revelations made by the actor, however, indicate that the aftermath of that decision and the fight for accountability is far from over.