After SRK And Big B’s Heartfelt Tributes For Nana Patekar, Tanushree Dutta's Reaction Stirs Controversy
As Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan pay heartfelt tributes to Nana Patekar following his demise, Tanushree Dutta defends her controversial “evil dead” remark.
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The Hindi film industry is mourning the loss of veteran actor Nana Patekar, who passed away on October 8 at the age of 75 due to a cardiac arrest in Goa. While glowing tributes have poured in from icons like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, remembering Nana Patekar for his brilliant artistry and social work, another reaction has sparked significant controversy. Actress Tanushree Dutta has doubled down on her initial "evil dead" remark regarding Nana Patekar's passing, defending her stance amid the industry-wide mourning.
ALSO READ | Nana Patekar Dies At 75: Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh And Others Mourn Veteran Actor’s Demise
The outpouring of grief from Bollywood heavyweights has painted a picture of a revered artist and mentor. Shah Rukh Khan, who shared screen space with Nana Patekar in the 1992 film ‘Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman’, penned a deeply personal and emotional note on Instagram. Remembering Nana Patekar's blunt yet affectionately honest nature, SRK recalled an early interaction: “When I first met him, out of awe and awkwardness I fiddled with my hair. He slapped my hand away and said 'hero ki tarah Baal mat bana...tu actor hai'!”
When I first met him, out of awe and awkwardness I fiddled with my hair. He slapped my hand away and said 'hero ki tarah Baal mat bana...tu actor hai'! He didn't flatter you. He didn't tell you what you wanted to hear. He told you what you needed to hear. That was Nana. Straightforward. Rough, honest and had the most beautiful smile. He always had a strange way of showing affection. He would shout at you first, and then somewhere between the third or fourth insult, you realised you were being hugged. He loved me and I loved him back. He was a mentor, a teacher, a critic and a friend who beat me and everyone else around him in carrom game after game and relished his victories. Nana your intensity, laughter , madness and love will always stay with us. I just wish we had time to have more conversations, another argument, another cup of tea and a game of carrom. You have left a void not only in the world of cinema but in the hearts of all Indians and the world. All I can say is, I will miss you dearly and carry your words in my heart till the end of time....'hero banne ke chakar mein actor mat khona' May your soul rest in peace Nana and Allah bless you. The Heavens will be blessed to have you... a masterful actor and an unbeatable carrom champion. Love you and miss you dearly!! Too soon my Hero Actor! RIP.
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) October 8, 2026
Shah Rukh further described Nana Patekar as "straightforward, rough, honest and had the most beautiful smile," remembering him as a "mentor, a teacher, a critic and a friend who beat me and everyone else around him in carrom game after game." He expressed a profound sense of loss, noting that Nana Patekar left a void "not only in the world of cinema but in the hearts of all Indians," ending his tribute with Nana Patekar's own advice: "'hero banne ke chakar mein actor mat khona'."
ALSO READ | From ‘Parinda’ To ‘Natsamrat’: Remembering Nana Patekar Through 15 Unforgettable Performances
Similarly, megastar Amitabh Bachchan paused the shoot of his popular game show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 16’ to pay a heartfelt tribute to his ‘Kohram’ co-star. In a special video, Big B lauded Nana Patekar as an "adwitiya kalakar" and praised his outspokenness and simplicity. "His outspokenness, his simplicity, and his courage to speak the truth and call a spade a spade are some of the qualities that set him apart from others," Amitabh Bachchan noted. He also highlighted Nana Patekar's significant philanthropic efforts, specifically recalling when Nana Patekar donated his ‘KBC’ prize money to drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra, stating, "He connected with the farmers of the Maharashtra villages suffering due to inadequate rainfall and personally helped them."
T 5880 - स्तब्ध ! हर दूरे दिन उनका और हमारा संपर्क मेसेज द्वारा रहता था । आज उनका मेसेज नहीं आया ! 😢 https://t.co/8BIgN7EE64
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) October 8, 2026
However, amidst these reverent memories, Tanushree Dutta's comments have drawn sharp focus. Tanushree Dutta, who spearheaded the #MeToo movement in India and had accused Nana Patekar of se**al harassment during the 2008 shoot of ‘Horn Ok Pleassss’ (allegations he denied and which were later closed by a Mumbai court due to lack of evidence), initially referred to him as "evil dead" in a video released on a workday in Lucknow.
Facing criticism for the timing and tone of her words, Tanushree Dutta has since defended her position. Speaking to IANS, she elaborated on the trauma she endured, stating, "Mere liye toh evil dead hi hai. Main jis cheez se guzri hoon pichle paanch saal se MeToo ke baad, itna pareshaan hui hoon. Aap mere perspective se dekhe joh victim raha hai, mujhpar kitna pressure daala gaya mere case ko vapas lene ke liye."
Tanushree Dutta detailed the alleged intimidation tactics she faced when she refused to withdraw her case, claiming, "Gaadi ke brakes kate gaye, accident hua mera. Food poisoning hua. Main jis cheez se guzri hoon na, mere liye toh evil dead hi hai."
Urging people to see the situation from her point of view, she added, "Mere paksh se koi dekhe. Joh guzra nahi hai, usko lagega yeh kaise baatein. Sabki paristhiti alag hoti hai. Apne perspective se maine bola hai. Jinka anubhav accha hai, voh nahi samjhenge."
While Tanushree Dutta had previously mentioned to Mid-Day that she doesn't hold grudges and that "perhaps his time had come," her firm stance on her "evil dead" comment continues to create a stark contrast to the industry's widespread tributes.
