Pahlaj Nihalani Who Had Helped Tanushree Dutta During Nana Incident ,Gives His Take

On March 26, 2007 producer Pahlaj Nihalani  got a  distress call from  actress  Tanushree  Dutta  saying her car was being attacked  by goons.

 Recalls Nihalani, “I  didn’t know what exactly had happened on the set.Tanushee had a problem on the sets  of  the filmHorn OK Please. I was the  president of  the producers’ association and in that capacity, I immediately  helped her to the  best of my abilities. As   far as attacking any  artiste, male or female, is concered I would stand by the wronged party even today. Tanushree was attacked. And  I  was completely with her .”

However  Nihalani is somewhat baffled  by the whole controversy erupting all  over again. “Why is  it being raked  up again at this time? When the incident  happened Tanushree  spoke out against Nana Patekar, and   she did the right thing.Why  is she  speaking about it  now again?”

When I   remind him that it’s a part of  the worldwide MeToo movement  Nihalani  retorts,  “Me Too ? Meaning , just because it is making news  one jumps into it.And she also wants  people  like Mr Bachchan to speak about it.  I think this is wrong. Tanushree had her say  when the incident happened.  Why again?  Where  was  she  for ten years? It is very distressful to see her raking up the incident to be  part  of  a movement to shame men who have offended women.”

Nihalani feels there ought to be a time-frame for such allegations by law. “The  courts  or even the media must highlight an incident of sexual misconduct. But it must be done within a given time frame. You can’t suddenly wake  up ten years later, or 40 years later, as  it happened with Jeetuji(veteran 70-year  actor Jeetendra who was accused on  sexual misconduct that allegedly happened when he was in his  early 20s).This is  unfair.”