'Sacrifice for a cause': Tanushree Dutta opens up on turning down film offers

Actress Tanushree Dutta, who gained prominenceduring the #MeToo movement five years ago, has consistently been vocal about her experiences with sexual harassment in the film industry. In a recent interview with News18, Dutta disclosed an intriguing development. She said she was approached for a project by an individual who had been accused of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement. The accused's apparent motive was to rehabilitate his public image by associating himself professionally with Dutta.

However, Dutta declined the offer, citing her unwillingness to set a problematic precedent. She reflected on the personal cost of her advocacy, saying, "What's needed is for every single actor willing to make a little sacrifice for a cause."

Potential implication of the #MeToo movement

She then shared a specific instance from December 2018 when a major producer offered her a role in a film. Despite the producer's significant standing in the industry, Dutta turned down the opportunity because the director attached to the project had been implicated in #MeToo allegations. She acknowledged the professional repercussions of her decision, highlighting, "Who's losing in this bargain? Me. I haven't done film work in a long, long time."

This was not an isolated incident. In the previous year, Dutta received another offer from a Kolkata-based director. She again declined, suspecting that the director's intention was to use her involvement to cleanse his reputation following accusations of sexual misconduct.

Elaborating on this latter situation, Dutta explained, "Why did he come to me? He thought that MeToo ko kaafi time ho gaya hai (enough time has passed since MeToo) and that if he casts me in his film, it will give the impression that I'm siding with him. He wanted to change his image through me..." She emphasised the potential implications of accepting such an offer. "If I did that film, it would look like the leader of MeToo is now supporting an accused."

Dutta’s accusation during #MeToo movement

For context, Dutta's role in India's #MeToo movement began when she accused actor Nana Patekar of sexual harassment during the filming of Horn Ok Pleasein 2008. At the time, her allegations were met with significant backlash and scepticism within the Indian film industry, while Patekar denied any wrongdoing. The incident had severe repercussions on Dutta's career.