Tanushree Dutta: I am appalled by Sajid Khan’s inclusion in Bigg Boss – Exclusive – Times of India

Tanushree Dutta’s revelations were one of the reasons why the #MeToo movement kick-started in India back in 2018. She was considered one of the crucial figures to have influenced the mass movement, which allowed many victims to share their stories and bring some sort of closure and justice. But for Tanushree, the task of telling the truth and attaining justice seemed to have continued in the following years. Speaking to ETimes, she reveals her shock at MeToo accused, Sajid Khan’s participation in the latest season of Bigg Boss. Tanushree also reveals that certain powers in Bollywood have tried to sabotage her comeback, but she’s keeping her chin up and hopes alive. Read on…

Sajid Khan’s participation in this year’s Bigg Boss has apalled a lot of #MeToo victims.

I am appalled too. I am speechless at the sheer irresponsibility of this action and the impact it would have on the public. I don’t watch Bigg Boss and I think I ever will after this.

As a harassment survivor what do you feel about the way the #MeToo movement has transpired in Bollywood?
The #MeToo movement was an iconic phenomenon in India, given the culture of silence and secrecy in India about sexual harassment. Being a modern, Indian American girl, I always found it hard to understand why this kind of silence is encouraged at the cost of a rotting eco-system. I mean, if people get punished for bad behaviour, only then will the communities remain safe. It’s just logic. And why so much hush and stigma around calling out predators? You go complain to police if someone robs your house, right? Then why not complain if someone hurts your honour or tries to trouble you for their devious pleasures. People think I’m just too American, but I’m just upholding my honour as an Indian woman.

Instead of finding support from the industry, you were subjected to defamation cases being filed against you.

There were defamation cases filed against me in 2018 by a few people I called out. But this year started on a great note and the courts decided to dismiss all those cases without a trial. I never had to step foot inside a courtroom. That is the power of truth! Truth always wins. I consider this a victory, given that they tried their best to trouble me but the law was on my side.

Do you find it difficult to find work in Bollywood because the big guns have ganged up against you?

There was a production house backed by a big business conglomerate that offered me 15 crores and 15% profit share to sell them the rights to my life story so it could be made into a two-part web series. It would cover my childhood years, growing up, modelling, beauty pageant career, movies, #MeToo etc. Then they would also explore in flashback the lost 10 years (2008- 2018) and my journey into spirituality. Much of that it still shrouded in mystery and the web series wanted to tap into that to see what all I experienced, including the supernatural and esoteric stuff that made me the person I became. Where did all that power and fearlessness come from to do what I did. It was an ambitious project and if it went through they were planning on approaching a top Bollywood actress or someone from theater to portray me. They also considered getting me on screen partly on every episode to narrate my feelings through my journey.

So what happened to this project?

I almost agreed to this biopic, but I had 3 conditions. One, legal indemnity from any claims arising out of the project. Two, creative control and overview. Three, since I’m still very young and will do so much more going forward, I wanted to time bound it to 7 years and not a lifetime exclusivity. And I wanted to keep the book rights and biography rights to myself. They weren’t agreeing to the three conditions and kept offering me higher and higher amounts up to 25 crores and percentage profit upto 50% for full life rights. I had no option but to refuse. I didn’t want to rush into something I’d regret later. I had similar offers coming to me since 2018. All this has happened. I did not speak about it. There was no point if my core conditions were not met and I’m would not go ahead with it.

You have spoken of being threatened and there being a risk to your life. How urgent is this danger?

I started connecting with some big banners and big production houses. They seemed very interested to work with me as the solo lead in women centric projects. But there are a few people within the film industry who are trying to avenge and help the #MeToo accused. So these are the people who try to spoil things for me. Whatever is meant to be will be. My job is to just put my best foot forward.

What are you looking forward to in the near future?

2020 was a watershed year for me. In 2018 and 2019, I was confused if I even wanted to return to Bollywood. In 2020 I was struggling to convince the big banners to work with me. In 2021, I confirmed three independent movies each with a high 7- figure paycheck, same as what I commanded way back when Aashiq Banaya Apne and my other movies were the talk of town. That shows that the film industry is more than willing to work with me. There were quite a few movie projects in Hindi and Telugu that I’ve myself turned down. Reasons vary from not liking the script too much, unknown banners, to not wanting to align with certain people. When you are making a comeback there’s so much that happens in the background before the breakthrough that talking about it doesn’t make sense. But my silence has been misconstrued as inactivity. Also, too much has happened so I prefer to just chill out and move forward with a clarity.

How did the traumatic experiences change you as a person?

It’s just that now I’m older, wiser and more aligned with the artist within. I have understood how positioning and branding works in entertainment and media. I will not have to start from scratch that’s obvious, but I wish to grow. All I have to do is make smart choices within the available options. Thus I don’t wish to take up projects just to look busy. I’ve had to let go of a lot of what was offered to me just so I can avoid being a part of something that doesn’t build me up from where I left off. All of this for me is an indication of Bollywood and South Industries’ willingness to work with me. But since that one perfect Bollywood film has not manifested yet to my liking, I’m now showing a little more interest in exploring the South Industries and speaking to some people in the US, too. I’m very enterprising and I keep building and networking in my free time. Anything or anyone that I feel may waste my time and energy and not get me where I want to be, I just cut out at the start. My life is not a sob story as many have assumed it to be. Although, I’m quite emotional as a person and cry easily. I always recognise my blessings despite the free and abundant display of emotions.