Bollywood’s Deafening Silence on Tanushree Dutta’s Harassment Allegations: Only Somy Ali Speaks Out.

 

On July 22, 2025, Tanushree Dutta posted a distressing video alleging ongoing harassment since her #MeToo allegations in 2018. This video has been met with a significant silence from Bollywood, with only Somy Ali, a former actress and activist now based in the US, publicly expressing her support. Tanushree, who ignited India’s #MeToo movement by accusing Nana Patekar of sexual harassment on the set of Horn Ok Pleassss (2008), tearfully described in her Instagram video a campaign of intimidation. She mentioned "planted maids" who stole from her and poisoned her, constant loud noises disrupting her peace, and chronic fatigue syndrome caused by prolonged stress. She asserted that the harassment, linked to Patekar and his associates in the industry, has continued since 2018 and even compared her struggles to those of the late Sushant Singh Rajput.

Somy Ali, who runs the US-based NGO No More Tears to support victims of abuse, has been the only person from the industry to back Tanushree. In a statement to IANS on July 25, 2025, Somy condemned Bollywood’s “toxic immunity culture,” where powerful men are protected while survivors are often dismissed as unstable or gaslit. She emphasized the industry’s pattern of engaging in character assassination and damage control, questioning, “What if Tanushree’s story isn’t an outlier but a rule?” Her support is informed by her own experiences in Bollywood and her commitment to advocating for survivors, adding credibility to her call for accountability.

The silence from Bollywood’s A-listers, who previously rallied behind Tanushree in 2018 — including Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, and Kangana Ranaut — is striking. This reluctance may stem from fears of backlash, industry politics, or doubts about Tanushree’s claims, which some dismiss as overly dramatic. Meanwhile, the commercial success of *Saiyaara*, starring industry kid Ahaan Panday, highlights Bollywood’s preference for financial achievements over confronting systemic issues like harassment. This muted industry response risks perpetuating a culture that silences survivors, leaving Tanushree’s desperate plea for help largely unanswered, except for the support she has received from Somy Ali.