They say, what goes around comes around. And, in a way, it’s almost as if Nana Patekar’s bad karma has come back to bite him in the rear. The veteran actor, who is 67, has been in the eye of the #MeToo storm ever since former actress and Miss India Tanushree Dutta accused him of alleged sexual harassment on the sets of their film Horn Ok Pleassss in 2008.
Nana, in now turns out, has become the principal villain of #MeToo, because following Tanushree’s claims, the floodgates have burst open in Bollywood and every day some actor, director, choreographer or producer is being called out for alleged sexual harassment by young actresses, journalists and assistant directors claiming to be “survivors”.
Nana, who was working on Sajid Nadiadwala’s comedy sequel Housefull 4, stepped down from the film late last evening. His action came after a similar call was taken earlier in the day by the film’s director Sajid Khan who has several complaints against him for alleged sexual misbehaviour made by a number of young professionals from Bollywood.
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Both Nana and Sajid had to take this action after the film’s hero, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, cancelled further shooting on Housefull 4 in support of #MeToo and said he would not work with any proven offenders. Akshay’s bold and heartening decision not only rocked Bollywood on its heels, but it got Nana and Sajid removed from Housefull 4.
Nana, we regret to say, is getting a taste of his own medicine. It may be recalled that he had refused to ever work with Sanjay Dutt after the actor was found to be involved in the 1993 Bombay serials blasts case. Nana had said then, “I felt bad about what happened in 1993. I lost my brother in the Worli BEST bus blast that day. My wife missed getting killed. She took the earlier bus. I’m not saying Dutt is responsible… but even if he is responsible in a small way, I don’t want to work with him.”
He went on to explain that his decision was personal. “I’m not saying this because my brother was a victim, it’s got nothing to do with Hindu and Muslim, I have more Muslim fans and they love me. I’m doing it for everybody who got killed that day,” Nana declared. Just as Akshay said yesterday that he would not work with proven offenders and those who have been subjugated to harassment should be heard and given the justice they deserve.
