Singer Chinmayi Sripaada has come out in support of Tanushree Dutta after the actress faced backlash for calling Nana Patekar “evil” following his death on October 8. Dutta was criticised by some social media users for her remarks, but Chinmayi argued that a person's death does not erase past allegations or make them beyond criticism.
Chinmayi, known for the song Zehnaseeb, shared her views on X, questioning why Dutta was expected to remain polite about someone she had accused of harassment. Singers Sona Mohapatra and actor Sandhya Mridul have also backed Dutta amid the criticism.
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“Tanushree Dutta spoke up in 2018 (Raya Sarkar did before her in 2017 whom nobody listened to). Tanushree had an event to attend and was not looking forward to being asked about her harasser's death,” Chinmayi wrote.
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Sripaada further added, “A journalist and an assistant director who were present on the 2008 film set publicly corroborated parts of her story regarding the hostile environment and the subsequent attack on her car after she walked out of the shoot. Yet - she is supposed to be polite while the country sings paeans in praise of her harasser.”
“If you were moved by Nana Patekar's work – your feeling is valid and so is the fact that she was harassed. Demise doesn't make one an angel. Whether it is Birju Maharaj or Nana Patekar,” her post concluded.
Tanushree Dutta spoke up in 2018 (Raya Sarkar did before her in 2017 whom nobody listened to) Tanushree had an event to attend and the was not looking forward to being asked about her harasser's death. A journalist and an assistant director who were present on the 2008 film set publicly corroborated parts of her story regarding the hostile environment and the subsequent attack on her car after she walked out of the shoot. Yet - she is supposed to be polite while the country sings paeans in praise of her harasser. If you were moved by Nana Patekar's work - your feeling is valid and so is the fact that she was harassed. Demise doesn't make one an angel. Whether it is Birju Maharaj or Nana Patekar.
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) October 9, 2026
Sona Mohapatra Also Backs Tanushree Dutta
Singer Sona Mohapatra also stepped in to defend Tanushree. Posting a video message, Sona slammed trolls and questioned why society associates death with sainthood.
“Nana Patekar passed away yesterday. A celebrated actor, people are mourning him, and understandably so, and I have no issues with that. But what's disturbing me is the way people are attacking Tanushree Dutta. Seriously, what do you expect from her? This woman spoke up about her sexual harassment on sets with this gentleman, fought an exhausting battle, faced public humiliation and professional consequences, and now she is expected to perform grief for you?” she said in a video statement.
Death deserves dignity. So do the living. Mourning an actor is 1 thing.Demanding that a woman who spoke up about her trauma just shut up is another #India . Since when did death erase uncomfortable truths? Old age a virtue? Death = Sainthood ? #TanushreeDutta #MeToo #NanaPatekar https://t.co/Jt1edrUqMS
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) October 9, 2026
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Tanushree Dutta And Nana's #MeToo History
Tanushree Dutta was at the centre of India's #MeToo movement in 2018 after accusing Nana Patekar of alleged inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment during the filming of a song for the 2008 film Horn Ok Pleassss at Mumbai's Filmistan Studios. Her allegations brought renewed attention to workplace harassment in the film industry. However, Patekar denied the allegations.
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