Hope Tanushree Dutta-Nana Patekar row is not a start of #MeToo movement in India: Parineeti Chopra
Actress Parineeti Chopra has hoped that Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekar controversy in not a start of #MeToo movement in India.
Parineeti Chopra was interacting with media at ‘Proper Patola’ song launch from ‘Namaste England’ along with her co-actor Arjun Kapoor and director Vipul Amrutlal Shah on Wednesday in Mumbai.
Actress Tanushree Dutta has alleged that actor Nana Patekar misbehaved with her while they were shooting a film song in 2008.
Several bollywood celebrities like Kangana Ranaut, Farhan Akthar, Hansal Mehta, Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan and Sonam Kapoor has supported Tanushree to speaking her mind and it has sort of created #MeToo movement in bollywood.
When asked Parineeti whether she feels that it’s a start of #MeToo movement in India, she said, “Honestly, I really hope that it’s not a start of #MeToo movement because it will mean that there are lot more stories like this and I really hope this is first and last story if it is true. I really hope this is not the start having said that, if there are any victims especially women in the industry then I want every woman to come out in the open and speak because if they don’t speak now, they will forever be suppressed.”
Citing her own example, Parineeti said, “Personally, I have never gone through such an experience but god forbid if it would have happened with me, then I would have never kept quiet about it so, which is why I don’t think being quite is the solution ever. This is something serious that has happened to somebody and it’s the worst thing that can happen to a woman. If we can’t feel protected in our industry and in our country then how can I do anything? So, I hope this is all untrue and I hope this has not happened but if it has then, we will all support her. I really hope this is not a start of #MeToo movement because it will be terrible if there are more story existing in the film industry.”
Reacting on Tanishree Dutta and Nana Patekar controversy, Arjun said, “I have two sisters who work in the industry so as a human being who has sisters so, I would want any women should feel safe. It happens everywhere and it’s a reality and now a woman has come forward to speak the truth and if she is speaking the truth then definitely she will win.”
Arjun added that people firstly need to listen to a person if he or she is making a valid point, he said, “We have to understand that we need to listen first. The problem is in our country is that we start heated debates after a revelation and because of that people fear about speaking the truth. She has revealed something that is so dreading so, she deserves to be heard before being judgmental, taking sides and pointing fingers at each others. It’s a question that has been raised on everybody and it happens in all parts of our country so, as a human being we have to introspect. As men, we have to give equality to women and we have to allow safer working environment to women.”
Arjun also said that it’s a time where film industry need to retrospect, he said, “I think as an industry we have to introspect and we have to stop making noise about the wrong reasons and we must make noise for right reasons. We need to make sure that we will don’t allow this happen to anybody otherwise, we will be failing on a daily basis.”
Meanwhile, Nana Patekar has broken his silence on the issue only after days and rubbished the allegations that were levied on him. He even threatened to sue Tanushree Dutta. His lawyer soon claimed that they have sent a legal notice to her demanding an apology for her ‘false claims’ but Tanushree has denied receiving any legal notice from Nana Patekar.
