Assistant director on Horn 'Ok' Pleassss corroborates Tanushree Dutta's version of events

While Nana Patekar refuses to accept any allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by actress Tanushree Dutta, another woman present on the sets of Horn 'Ok' Pleassss (2009) spoke up in support of her. Shyni Shetty, who worked as an assistant director to Rakesh Sarang in 2008, agreed with journalist Janice Sequiera's outlining of the events, suggesting things did happen the way it has been described. 

Dutta had alleged that Patekar tried to force in intimate dance moves in a solo dance number, and when she refused, he called in members of a political party who damaged her vehicle and threatened her. The actress also accused director Sarang, producer Sami Siddiqui and choreographer Ganesh Acharya of abetting the harassment. 

Journalist Janice Sequiera, who was then a 'cub reporter', took to Twitter to provide a first-hand account of the events, and Dutta's explanation of it to her later. Sequiera outlined the entire event in a long Twitter thread that has caught the attention of the social media.

Shetty, who was on set tweeted back saying Sequeira's outlining of events was accurate. "Everything in this thread happened exactly the way it's written. It was my first film as an AD," Shetty wrote.

Dutta revealed that she had filed an FIR immediately after the incident, but found that Patekar had already registered a case against her. The actress had also filed a complaint with the Cine and Television Artists' Association (CINTAA). 

Despite Patekar warning of legal action yesterday (27 September), a few key members from the Hindi film industry, like Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra, Swara Bhasker and Richa Chadha, have stepped out in support of Dutta. 

It remains to be seen if the industry or CINTAA will act on these allegations now.