The Ongoing Struggle of Tanushree Dutta
Actor Tanushree Dutta, a prominent figure in India’s #MeToo movement, has recently come forward with alarming claims about years of stalking, harassment, and psychological targeting. She has expressed deep frustration over the lack of support from authorities, stating that her health has significantly deteriorated due to these experiences.
In a distressing video shared on Instagram, Tanushree showed herself crying, revealing that she has been harassed at her own home for the past five years. This incident has brought renewed attention to her ongoing struggle and the challenges she faces in seeking justice.
During an exclusive interview, Tanushree spoke about the relentless harassment she has endured over the years, both in public and private spaces. She mentioned feeling disillusioned with the system meant to protect her. Her experience with the Mumbai Police during the 2018 MeToo movement left a bitter taste, as she felt encouraged to file an FIR but was met with silence and inaction.
She highlighted the issue of molesters and harassers often having connections with politicians in Maharashtra, which makes it difficult to achieve real justice. “There’s no real scope of justice,” she said, expressing her disappointment with the current state of affairs.
Tanushree, known for her roles in films like Aashiq Banaya Aapne, Chocolate, Bhagam Bhag, and Dhol, has faced continued challenges since then. She suspects that even hotel staff and insiders may have been involved in her harassment during her travels. “Whenever I raised the issue at hotels during my pilgrimages, I was either stonewalled or met with excuses,” she said.
Her experiences included tampered food deliveries, misplaced groceries, and meddled packages, all of which seemed to be part of a deliberate attempt to destabilize her. “It’s psychological warfare,” she explained. “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, in multiple cities and 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.”
The pattern of harassment has now extended to 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.”
She emphasized that she will only visit the Oshiwara Police Station if they are willing to act. “I won’t waste more years chasing justice that never comes,” she said.
Tanushree’s 2018 allegations against veteran actor Nana Patekar helped spark the #MeToo movement in Bollywood. Although she has been away from the film industry since the 2010 movie Apartment, she has kept her fans and followers updated through her Instagram page.
The latest series of revelations made by the actor indicate that the aftermath of her decision and the fight for accountability is far from over. Her story serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by those who speak out against harassment and seek justice.
