Tanushree Dutta has become torch-bearer of what’s being termed as India’s own MeToo movement. It was the Chocolate actor, who had first renewed her allegations of sexual harassment against Nana Patekar and Vivek Agnihotri that paved the way for others in similar situation to come out and share their old experiences.
Since then, many prominent names in Bollywood have been publicly named and shamed for the alleged sexual misconduct in the past. Some of the notable names outed under India’s own MeToo campaign are actors Alok Nath and Rajat Kapoor, singer Kailash Kher, filmamakers Sajid Khan, Vikas Bahl and Subhash Ghai, comedy collective AIB and author Chetan Bhagat.
The fire of MeToo movement also reached the doorsteps of Indian media industry and the central government. The most prominent name among them was Union Minister MJ Akbar, who is facing a barrage of allegations by journalists who worked under him at The Asian Age and The Telegraph newspapers.
But, the spotlight is back on Tanushree, who recently posted a photo of herself on Instagram announcing that she was preparing to attend Navaratri celebrations. While her photo in a white garara and blue dupatta, Tanushree wrote, “Navratri celebrations near my home day before #happynavratri.”
No sooner had she posted the photo, she began to face incessantly trolled with her haters slamming her to be in celebratory mood despite having alleged sexual harassment. Their comments implied that by speaking about her sexual harassment, she had forfeited the right to live a normal life.
Faced with merciless trolling, Tanushree issued a statement shutting up her trolls. The statement by her said, “For all those people offended with and questioning my recent outing for Navratri event I have some words of common sense to share. Why do you expect me or anyone who has spoken out about injustice to just stay at home and sulk? I’ve never done that and never will. I have been attending events for the last 10 years regularly and looking great and happy is my birthright as a human being. I’m a 21st century girl and I don’t conform to how your primitive mindset would expect me to behave.”
Hope her trolls, who’ve detected a political conspiracy behind her ordeal, learn their lesson and leave her alone.