Last year, Tanushree Dutta triggered the #MeToo movement in Bollywood when she accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment on the sets of Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss. Post this, a number of women opened up and shared their stories too. This included writer-producer Vinta Nanda, who accused Alok Nath of rape and sexual harassment two decades ago. A number of celebrities from the industry came out in support of these women. But last month, the De De Pyaar De trailer was out which introduced us to the cast of the film. Besides Ajay Devgn and Rakul Preet Singh, the film also stars Alok Nath. Soon, the internet slammed Ajay for casting Alok Nath in the film after the sexual harassment allegations. And now, Tanushree has also slammed Ajay for the same.
“Tinsel town is full of liars, show-offs and spineless hypocrites. And it seems by a large public consensus that the signpost is pointing currently at Ajay Devgn. During the #MeToo movement in India, the actor had tweeted and sworn never to work with those accused and now in a surprising and convenient turn of events is working with rape and harassment accused Alok Nath and supporting him to make a comeback to Bollywood,” Tanushree said in a statement.
She shared that nobody knew about Alok Nath being a part of the film until the trailer and posters were out. She said, “If Ajay and the makers wanted they could have just quietly replaced him and re-shot his portions (which is barely 10-15 days for character actors in Bollywood), and given Vinta Nanda the respect she deserves as well as several other women who were troubled by this guy. But no, they had to keep the alleged rapist in their film and rub it on not only Vinta’s but on all our faces as a show of solidarity with all rapists, molesters and harassers of Bollywood. And it is an even greater show of arrogance and defiance against all things morally and conscientiously right.”
She also asked everyone to stop worshipping the ‘morally bankrupt’ actors, director and producers. “It’s time India wakes up and stops worshipping these morally bankrupt actors, directors, producers and others who clearly put on a facade of being family men just to promote their careers, that they build on the tears of women like Vinta and others whom they silence using their muscle power,” she said.
She further added, “If you dig deep, you will find skeletons in their closets so horrendous that it will totally make sense why they would stand supporting the accused rapists, harassers and abusers and why their conscience doesn’t prick them while doing so and why they give evasive answers when questioned. Birds of a feather always flock together and that’s why perhaps it doesn’t bother some of these people to work with a guy who has been accused by several women of horrendous behaviour and that’s why there’s always an excuse.”
Vinta also shared that she didn’t expect anything from Ajay. In an interaction with Mid-Day, she said, “I don’t expect anything from Ajay Devgn. I don’t think he is in any position to take a stand. The money riding on the project is the only dharma for them.”
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