Tanushree-Nana row: Anushka calls it frightening'; Deepika, Ranveer react on #MeToo
Mumbai/ New Delhi: Anushka Sharma is the latest celebrity from the Hindi film industry to support Tanushree Dutta, saying the details that she has given about her alleged harassment on a movie set are "frightening".
Anushka said Dutta, who has accused Nana Patekar of harassing her during the shooting of a 2008 movie, should be respected for choosing to come out and speak her truth. "Not just as a woman but as an individual, your workplace has to be the safest environment after your home. You shouldn't feel threatened or in danger while performing your duties, whatever profession you might be in.
"It's very frightening to know the details that have come out. For Tanushree Dutta to speak up about this takes a lot of courage to come out there and say these things. But if someone is choosing to come out and speak up, the least you can do is listen to them and be respectful about it," Anushka said at the success press conference of ‘Sui Dhaaga’.
The actor hoped that the incident will encourage more women to come forward and share their experiences.
"It's not as if this does not happen everywhere. It will be nice if an atmosphere is created where women feel safe to come out and speak up," she added.
Her co-star Varun Dhawan said it is not a good sign that it has taken ten years for people to react to the incident. Dutta had first spoken about the incident in 2008, but she did not get any support at that time.
"It happened in 2008 and we are reacting to it in 2018, it's not a good sign... If something like this happens on my film's set, I'll personally make sure to prevent it. You cannot let violence take over. Law and order should take its course and investigate the matter.
"Let's get to the conclusion of the matter, enough talk about it. The law needs to step in. I'll give my opinion, someone else will give theirs, but it's time the law steps in," he said.
Anushka said it was wrong to taint Dutta's image by posting pictures in certain clothes.
"Let's all be collectively responsible for something like this. When something like this happens, it's the environment that is to be blamed, not a particular person. Environment breeds people to do the wrong thing.
"... We should stop questioning 'Why is this happening so late?' That's also not right. If justice hasn't been served, it can happen anytime.”
Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone said Friday that #MeToo movement is about the victory of right over wrong and should not be reduced to men versus women.
When asked about the #MeToo movement in the light of Tanushree Dutta's allegations of harassment against Nana Patekar, Padukone said, "For me, the #MeToo movement is not about gender. It is about the victory of right over wrong."
"Anyone who faces any kind of discrimination or any sort of abuse, I think we as people must support that person. It is not about a woman or a man or about female versus men. Let's not complicate or get confused in that conversation. I think the #MeToo should not be only about gender. It's about right versus wrong," she said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2018 here.
Actor Ranveer Singh, who had accompanied Padukone to the event and shared the dais with her, said he condemns harassment in every form.
"Harassment per se is just wrong. Harassment of anyone, women, men or any person being harassed is wrong, whether it is in the workplace, public place, street or at home. It is wrong. Right now, there is something that has happened. There is all kinds of speculation.
"But if it has happened, then it takes a lot of courage for somebody to come out and speak about it. You know you have been through some very disturbing experience. It takes courage to speak publicly about it. Therefore you must consider what this person is saying... If it has happened, it is absolutely wrong, and I condemn it emphatically," Ranveer said.
Dutta has accused Patekar of misbehaviour on the sets of a 2008 movie. He has denied the allegations and has slapped her with a notice.
