Mumbai: Nana Patekar’s son Malhar Patekar has responded to the controversy that resurfaced after his father’s death on October 8, saying the legal matter around the sexual harassment allegations made by Tanushree Dutta years ago is over and questioning why it is being raised again.
A family responds without naming anyone
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Malhar did not take Tanushree Dutta’s name, but the reference was widely understood. “Without naming anyone, I want to say that the case people are bringing up unnecessarily is already over. Judiciary se clear hua hain, case khatam ho chuka; phir bhi bol rahe,” he said.
He added: “Aise logo ko mein unko kuch nahi boluga; joh sach hai wahi rahega, bhagwan unka bhala kare, this is what I have to say to them.” In English, he was signalling that he would not argue with such people and that what is true will remain.
The legal record is the anchor
Tanushree Dutta had accused Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her during the filming of Horn ’Ok’ Pleassss. In June 2019, Mumbai Police filed a closure report in court, citing insufficient evidence to prosecute the actor or substantiate the allegations. The legal dispute was effectively closed in 2025.
For readers who follow Hindi cinema closely, the distinction matters:
- October 8: Nana Patekar died of a heart attack in Goa at the age of 75.
- June 2019: Mumbai Police filed a closure report citing insufficient evidence.
- 2025: The legal dispute was effectively closed.
A closure report is not the same as an exoneration, but it is a formal conclusion at the police stage because the evidence did not support prosecution. That is the document the family is pointing to now. The timing matters too: this controversy revived not because of a new legal filing but because of statements made after a death, which makes it a dispute about memory and public conduct rather than a live case.
Why the renewed remarks drew attention
After Nana Patekar’s death, Tanushree Dutta questioned why no prayer meeting was held and alleged that the film industry and the media had not been given an opportunity to pay their last respects. She also alleged that he had staged his death to evade legal proceedings and suggested a DNA test could be conducted if he had altered his appearance. These claims remain unsubstantiated by the information available.
She later referred to him as “evil dead” and, in a video defending her remarks, called him “a sadistic, sick psychopath” and his death “nothing short of a miracle”. The remarks drew strong reactions because they came shortly after the news of the actor’s death.
What the family is choosing to do
Malhar’s statement marks a response from Nana’s family to the renewed controversy. He has refrained from commenting on individual allegations and is not seeking a direct exchange. He is pointing to the legal conclusion rather than a new public fight.
Nana Patekar’s last rites were performed with full state honours at his farmhouse in Donje, Pune, after sunset. For an audience that cares about Hindi cinema’s history, the useful discipline is to separate the documented legal record from claims that no source has verified.
Source: The Times of India
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