Tanushree Dutta has stood by her controversial “evil dead” remark following the death of veteran actor Nana Patekar, revisiting the sexual harassment allegations she made against him during India’s #MeToo movement. The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has condemned her comments as insensitive and shameful.
According to Hindustan Times, Dutta posted fresh messages on Instagram Stories after attending an event in Lucknow on Thursday, 8 October. She said her social media timeline had seen a surge in engagement since news of Patekar’s death broke, adding that she hoped her life would now move towards better things.
“This is insane! My story timeline has exploded today. Evil is dead and my life is hopefully on track for better things!” she wrote, without naming Patekar.
In another post, Dutta reshared a message from a content creator questioning whether a person’s death erases alleged abuse or its consequences for survivors. “Does a person stop being an abuser when they die? Does the harm they caused disappear too? For survivors, it doesn’t,” the post read.
Dutta also reshared a video recounting her account of an incident on a film set. She has alleged that Patekar sexually harassed her during the filming of Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss. She previously said she refused to perform an unscripted intimate step with him and faced hostility as a result. Dutta has said she filed complaints with the police and an artists’ association but received no action.
Patekar denied the allegations. Police registered a case after Dutta made her complaint public in 2018, during the #MeToo movement. Authorities closed the investigation in 2019, citing insufficient evidence. In March 2025, a magistrate court in Andheri, Mumbai, declined to take cognisance of the complaint because it had been filed beyond the legal limitation period. The court did not rule on the merits of the allegations.
Patekar died at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa in the early hours of Thursday.
Dutta had first addressed the news in a video posted while preparing to travel to Lucknow for an event. She said she wanted to focus on her professional commitments but worried that the media would concentrate on the “evil dead” remark later in the day.
“I will give my reaction once I figure out what kind of reaction I should have. So, definitely condolences to the family but…” she said before the video cut off.
AICWA founder and president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta issued a strongly worded statement criticising her choice of words.
“At such a time, Tanushree Dutta’s statement on social media, in which she used the words ‘Evil Dead’, is deeply objectionable, insensitive and shameful. AICWA strongly condemns it,” Gupta said in the statement.
The association’s criticism has added to the controversy surrounding Dutta’s reaction, bringing renewed attention to the allegations she made against Patekar and the legal proceedings that followed.
