Actress Tanushree Dutta, who has spoken up about sexual harassment at the hands of veteran actor Nana Patekar, is getting support from the Hindi film fraternity.

Bollywood celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, and Hansal Mehta, among many others, have spoken up in favour of the actress.

The former beauty queen, who had first raised the allegation against the actor in 2008, brought up the issue once again in a recent interview.

Also read: Akshay Kumar, Rajnikanth should boycott actors like Nana Patekar: Tanushree Dutta

Here’s what the celebrities have tweeted:

Farhan Akhtar, who has launched a social campaign Men Against Rape and Discrimination or MARD in 2013, re-tweeted a string of posts by an eyewitness about the details of Tanushree’s ordeal.

“This thread is very telling. Janice (Sequeira, who at that time was with a news channel) was there at the time of the incident being debated today. Even when Tanushree Dutta had career concerns to keep quiet 10 years ago, she did not. And her story has not changed now. Her courage should be admired, not her intention questioned,” Farhan said.

This thread is very telling. @janiceseq85 was there at the time of the incident being debated today. Even when #TanushreeDutta had career concerns to keep quiet 10 years ago she did not & her story hasn’t changed now. Her courage should be admired, not her intention questioned. https://t.co/Ola3MNdmtS

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) September 27, 2018

Priyanka Chopra retweeted Farhan’s post and spoke up in support of the actress.  “Agreed..the world needs to believe survivors,” she wrote.

Agreed..the world needs to #BelieveSurviviors https://t.co/ia82UsCkkq

— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) September 28, 2018

Actress Richa Chadha wrote that “It hurts to be Tanushree Dutta right now. 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 did not back down — (that) takes a special courage to be Tanushree Dutta.”
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta tweeted: “India in general does not have a conducive work environment. Mental harassment, abuse and predatorial behaviour by people in positions of power are prevalent and considered perks of being in power. Years of oppression and colonial rule have permanently altered our DNA.”

It hurts to be #TanushreeDutta rn. 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.

— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) September 27, 2018

Actress Swara Bhasker re-tweeted a series of posts and wrote: “This is a long thread, but one that must be read…. lots of clues here as to why Bollywood’s #MeToo moment is so far away. Because we don’t want to hear these voices.”

A female assistant director on set of the film speaks up. #IBelieveYouTanushreeDutta https://t.co/SjH0foQKbu

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) September 28, 2018

Producer, author, and wife of actor Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna tweeted: “Please read this thread before judging or shaming Tanushree Dutta — 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!”

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! https://t.co/f8Nj9YWRvE

— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) September 28, 2018

On Wednesday, journalist Janice Sequeira tweeted a thread recalling the unsavoury episode saying “some incidents that take place even a decade ago remain fresh in your memory. What happened with Tanushree is one such incident.”

Some incidents that take place even a decade ago remain fresh in your memory. What happened with #TanushreeDutta on the sets of “Horn Ok Please” is one such incident – I was there. #NanaPatekar

[THREAD]

— Janice Sequeira (@janiceseq85) September 26, 2018

She said she had seen how the actress was visibly upset about something on the sets while Nana, choreographer Ganesh Acharya, and the producer huddled around.

“Amidst this chaos, I got hold of #NanaPatekar. All he said was, “Meri beti jaisi hai”, which didn’t really make any sense at that point.” It was only later that she realised.

“The chat I had with Dutta hours after the incident was identical to the account she’s come out with now. How could a person’s version remain the same a decade later if there wasn’t any truth to it?(Our chat was off-the-record, even though she went on to give interviews later.)” Sequeira said.

Read more: Nana Patekar reacts to sexual harassment allegations made by Tanushree Dutta

On Thursday, Nana said to Mirror Now, “What can I do about what one says? You tell me. What does it mean by sexual harassment.”

On 27 September, in an interview to Zoom TV, Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of harassing her on the sets of Horn Ok Pleassss. Dutta claimed the actor insisted on adding an intimate dance sequence with her, which wasn’t mentioned in her contract.

-With agency inputs