Mahesh Manjrekar says Nana Patekar suffered for no reason because of Tanushree Dutta row, says people on set told him nothing had happened | Bollywood

Actor and filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar recently remembered his late friend and actor Nana Patekar. The filmmaker expressed regret over not being able to meet Nana one last time before his death on October 8. He also revisited the Tanushree Dutta controversy involving the late actor, claiming that it was brought back into the spotlight without any reason.

Mahesh Manjrekar opened up on Nana Patekar's death.'The controversy was highlighted for no reason'Speaking to News18 Marathi, Mahesh said he was familiar with everyone who was present on the sets of the film Horn Ok Pleassss and knew what had transpired during the shoot. He claimed that the controversy was unnecessarily highlighted. He said, "Some people are like that. Even if everyone supports them and one person doesn't, they will not like it. It is okay. But then they bring up an old matter. I know what happened that day. Everyone on the set was known to me, and I also know who was present there. It was highlighted for no reason."

Mahesh further claimed that he had spoken to people who were present on the sets and that they had told him nothing had happened. He expressed sadness over the impact the controversy had on Nana. He said, "Everyone I knew on the sets had told me that nothing had happened. Nothing at all had happened. Nana suffered a lot for no reason. One should ignore such things. But because of social media, everybody has their own opinion, and there is no cure for this."

In 2018, Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour on the sets of the 2008 film Horn Ok Pleassss. She alleged that the actor touched her inappropriately while shooting a song sequence in March 2008. She further claimed that her car was attacked by a mob when she tried to leave the shooting location.

The allegations resurfaced in September 2018, when Tanushree spoke about the incident in an interview, helping trigger India's #MeToo movement in the entertainment industry. In October 2018, she filed an FIR against Nana, Ganesh, Rakesh and Samee. Nana consistently denied the allegations.In June 2019, Mumbai Police filed a B-summary closure report, citing insufficient evidence to support Tanushree's allegations.

After Nana's death, Tanushree again spoke about the controversy and shared videos on social media, bringing the allegations back into public discussion.

Veteran actor Nana Patekar died on October 8, 2026, at the age of 75. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors attempted to revive him with CPR for around 45 minutes but could not save him. He passed away at a hospital in Goa. His postmortem report later confirmed that he died of a heart attack.

Vibha Maru is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Entertainment, based in Delhi. With a decade of experience across digital and print media, she covers Bollywood, Hollywood and web shows. A self-confessed cinephile who breathes Hindi cinema, Vibha can often be found sacrificing sleep after binge-watching films and web series. Though she holds a Commerce degree, she discovered her true calling in journalism after enrolling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). She began her career covering Delhi's cultural scene, food, nightlife, concerts, and city life at The Times of India, before moving into full-time entertainment journalism with India Today. At India Today, Vibha interviewed some of the biggest names in Bollywood and television while carving a niche for herself through film reviews, opinion pieces, nostalgic features, celebrity interviews, and trend-driven stories. She later brought her storytelling and editorial expertise to The Indian Express, where she continued to deepen her understanding of cinema through long-form entertainment explainers, retrospectives and feature writing. Now, as Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times Entertainment, Vibha continues to chronicle the world of movies and pop culture. Her work spans breaking entertainment news, exclusive interviews, celebrity features, and stories that capture the conversations shaping Indian cinema.Read More