Brief
Malhar Patekar says courts cleared his father in Tanushree Dutta case
The actor’s son says the judiciary dismissed the allegations and urges the public to move on.
By Felo News Desk · Published
One week after veteran actor Nana Patekar died, his son Malhar Patekar addressed remarks made by actress Tanushree Dutta about the 2018 sexual‑harassment allegations against his father. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Malhar said the case had already been settled by the courts and should not be revisited.
"Judiciary se clear hua hain, case khatam ho chuka; phir bhi bol rahe," he told the outlet, adding that he would not name anyone and wished "God bless them". He emphasized that the matter was closed and that any further discussion was unnecessary.
The allegations stem from Dutta’s 2018 claim that Patekar had harassed and intimidated her on the set of the 2009 film Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss. The claim is widely regarded as a catalyst for India’s #MeToo movement. An FIR was filed against Patekar in 2018, but the case was closed in 2019 for insufficient evidence, according to the source.
After her father’s death, Dutta posted a video describing how the #MeToo movement had affected her life, saying she faced threats and even an incident in 2024 where someone cut the brakes of her car. She also recalled being 24 at the time of the alleged harassment.
Malhar also spoke about his father’s later years, noting that Nana Patekar reduced his film work to focus on social projects such as building schools in Kashmir and supporting farmers. He said his father chose roles like the silent performance in Khamoshi to showcase his talent without heavy dialogue.
Malhar concluded that the truth would remain as it is and expressed a wish for his father’s peace, while urging the public to respect the court’s decision.
Key facts
- Malhar Patekar said the judiciary cleared his father and the case is over (gulfnews.com)
- The 2018 FIR against Nana Patekar was closed in 2019 for insufficient evidence (gulfnews.com)
- Tanushree Dutta claimed the harassment occurred when she was 24, on the set of the 2009 film Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss (gulfnews.com)
- Malhar described his father’s shift to social work, including school projects in Kashmir and farmer support (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “Nana Patekar's son Malhar breaks silence on Tanushree Dutta's remarks: 'Judiciary cleared him, case over'”
