Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta, who sparked the #MeToo movement in India's film industry in 2018, has addressed the emotional breakdown video that went viral this week, revealing years of alleged harassment and threats to her safety.
In the distressing video shared on social media Tuesday, the former Miss India Universe winner could be seen sobbing as she described being "harassed in my own house." The clip showed her explaining that she had contacted police and was planning to file a formal complaint.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Dutta clarified that the video was not a publicity stunt but rather an authentic "emotional response after enduring repeated traumatic events" since making her MeToo allegations in 2018.
"First of all, I want to say that it was my emotional response," Dutta explained. "A lot of strange things have happened to me in the last five years. After MeToo, serious and dangerous things started happening around me. It took me time to understand that all of this was actually happening to me."
The actress detailed several disturbing incidents, including a car accident where her brakes allegedly failed and attempts to contaminate her food. "I was in an accident; my brakes failed. There were also attempts to mix something in my food to make me sick. Strange things started happening outside my house too," she revealed.
Dutta, who gained fame with the 2005 film "Aashiq Banaya Aapne," has been living what she describes as a "slow, low-key sadhana lifestyle" in recent years. She expressed feeling overwhelmed by media attention following her latest claims, stating she's been "swamped with interviews" while dealing with health issues.
The actress has drawn parallels between her situation and that of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, claiming there's an attempt on her life similar to what happened to Rajput, who died in 2020. "The Bollywood mafia gang is huge, and like Sushant, my life is also in danger," she told News18.
When asked about support from the film industry, Dutta painted a bleak picture of isolation. "I don't have any friends. And when all of this started happening to me, the few contacts I had also disappeared," she said.
Addressing criticism that her video was staged for attention, Dutta firmly rejected the accusations. "People always say such things. They said I was acting in 2008, they said the same in 2018. And who are these people anyway?" She added, "There are many ways to go viral. I don't need to do all this. I am Tanushree Dutta. Miss India Universe."
Dutta's original MeToo allegations centered on veteran actor Nana Patekar, whom she accused of sexual harassment during the 2008 film "Horn Ok Please." While Patekar denied the charges, Mumbai police cleared him in 2019, calling Dutta's complaint potentially "malicious."
The actress, who has largely stayed away from films since 2013's "SuperCops Vs Super Villains," continues to speak out despite facing ongoing challenges and health issues related to what she describes as years of systematic harassment.
