I believe Tanushree Dutta: Freida Pinto says in a powerful post as she asks India to speak up

Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto has extended support to actor and former Miss India Tanushree Dutta. In a new post on Instagram, Freida wrote in bold letters that she believes Tanushree’s account that she was sexually harassed by actor Nana Patekar on the sets of a film in 2008.

Freida also took the example of Dr Christine Blasey Ford, a professor of psychology in America who has accused US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were in high school, to say that she believes the survivors of sexual harassment. She said that while she doesn’t know Tanushree personally or was there at time of the incident, she knows what ‘truth, abuse and hurt’ sounds like.

Freida called Tanushree’s bravery monumental and important and also reminded her critics that her story doesn’t have an expiration date. Here is her full post:

Today, I interrupt my feed for a bit from all the fashion week poses to stand by what I truly Believe. I Believe Tanushree Dutta!

I don’t need to know her personally, neither have been present on that horrendous day she got bullied, abused both sexually and psychologically, intimidated and shut down inorder to corroborate her story. However, I do know what Truth, Hurt and Abuse sounds like. The same way millions of people in the world know that Dr. Christine Blasey- Ford is NOT a Liar or an attention seeking, tantrum throwing overgrown child.

I add my voice to the other voices coming out in support of Tanushree’s bravery because God knows this is not going to be easy for you, Tanushree. But what you have done is monumental and important and it has to shake the very core of a nation and an ideology that for too long has gotten away with heinous crimes against women and where the ugliness of misogyny has dominated the rights and suppressed any voice that has dared to speak up.

Also, even if someone speaks up ( and in Tanushree’s case- speaks up AGAIN) 10 years later, it doesn’t dilute or nullify a factual, verified, double verified truth. Her story is not a carton of milk that expires after a few days, ready to be discarded. So trolls : please do what you do best but it is not going to change the Truth.

India - Stand Up, Speak Up. Don’t look to just your superstars to speak up. Be your own role models and follow the voice of your conscience. Follow the truth and stand by a woman’s right to be her own wind keeper. You may just end up setting an example for many others who probably need your grit and courage to speak up.

I SUPPORT TANUSHREE DUTTA.

Tanushree, in a recent interview, spoke again about how Nana Patekar sexual harassed her on the sets of her 2008 film, Horn Ok Please, an accusation she has also made right after the incident. Her allegations found a stronger voice 10 years later with the #MeToo and Times Up movements gaining momentum.

Nana has denied her allegations and his lawyer has said that they have sent a legal notice to Tanushree for making false accusations against him. Tanushree says she hasn’t received the notice yet.

Several Bollywood stars like Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ayushmann Khurrana have come out in her support. Meanwhile, Nana is currently shooting for Housefull 4 with Farah Khan in Jaisalmer.

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