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“That’s why I’ve been talking against Nana Patekar and Rakhi Sawant long after she took over the item song from me with him. I feel upset and frightened. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were put on the job to harass me after I dared to take on Nana (Nana Patekar) for his behaviour.”

Tanushree also agrees to the other argument of keeping quiet against a senior Bollywood artiste. “Maybe I should’ve stopped talking about it. But I did so only out of fear. I’m a girl from Bihar. I’m seen as an outsider in Mumbai, and I was reminded about it by a very senior member of the film industry recently. When I told him I felt threatened he turned around to ask, ‘who do you think you are, Amitabh Bachchan?’ But this is not about being big or small. It’s about my basic right to work with dignity in the industry. Why are people from within the industry trying to rob me of that right? When I recent attended a CINTA meeting, I felt they were talking Greek.”

It is then that Tanushree decided to get herself 24-hour protection. “It’s sad that I feel the need to be guarded against my own colleagues in the film industry. But I no longer feel safe here even within the studio. I had done item songs before. But never had I been treated the way I was during the one for Horn OK Please.”

Tanushree admits she made those uncharitable comments about Rakhi Sawant being signed on because the producers wanted to have a bit of ‘fun’. “I’ve been upset and I must’ve said it. They wanted Rakhi for the item song in the first place. They brought me in because they wanted to make it different. They should’ve gone ahead with her,” says Tanushree who plays a super-heroine in Ramaa-The Saviour with wrestler Khalli.

“I’ve a very Lara Croft kind of role. I’ve done all my stunts myself. And then in direct contrast I’ve Saas Bahu & Sensex where I’m a timid daughter-in-law. Kirron Kher plays my mom-in-law. So I’d rather focus on the good than the unsavoury.”

Next Tanushree goes into the shooting of Run Bhola Run where she’s paired with Govinda for the first time. “I’ve met him. I worked with him in Bhagam Bhag. He’s a thorough gentleman,” she adds.

Actress Tanushree Dutta has filed a case of harassment along with the Cine and Television Artistes Association against those who troubled her outside the Filmistan studio last week.She had alleged the media person for harassing her for a simple reason and damaging her car and reputation outside the Filmistan studio. Tanushree had a big tussle with the media person when she had quit the item number claiming that Nana Patekar had indecently touched her. She had also accused the cast and the crew for irritating her.Tanushree asked compensation for her damaged car and for degrading her reputation. She had alleged Nana for misbehaving with her while Nana declared her allegation totally baseless. The cast and the crew were against Tanushree and so they have now replaced her with Rakhi Sawant. Director, Rakesh Sarang said “We made a mistake by signing Tanushree for the film”. Tanushree herself is unsure about her statement and changing her verdict according to her convenience. Initially, she burst against the junior artists then Ganesh Acahrya’s assistants and finally indicted senior actor Nana Patekar.

Tanushree Dutta who has been in the news for her ugly spat with director Shona Urvashi during the shooting of Saas Bahu Sensex in Pune, is in no mood to forgive…or forget. “I’ve taken enough rubbish from them, all because of my producers Warner Brothers are really cool. But Shona Urvashi has been a nightmare. I wouldn’t even want to go there again. But she has been calling up the media telling them I’m on drugs and that I’m another Parveen Babi….Another Parveen? Me on drugs? This is my 13th film. Please check with my other directors-producers if I’ve ever been erratic in my behaviour. I think these people need to check their own mental balance.Getting even more candid Tanushree goes back to the beginning of her stint in Pune. “I signed on this film without knowing what I was in for. At first things seemed okay. Shona was the producer, her sister Masume is also in the cast (though it’s another matter that there seems to be some kind of a stress between the sisters). I’ve the main role. Their mother is the producer and father looks after production. So it was all a family affair. I was the outsider. I kept my distance. Maybe they didn’t like the fact that I didn’t party with them after work. But if I’ve an early morning shoot I’d rather sleep and be fresh.” Whatever the reason for their rancour, all hell broke loose on 14 February. “Shona decided to harass me pointedly and continuously on that day. She’d pick on me for no reason. At first I laughed it off, thinking they were making a bakra out of me. But then I realized they were serious. I was made to say the same line for hours on-end. I wasn’t allowed to go back to my van between shots. For fifteen hours non-stop they made me shoot, taunting jeering and openly harassing me. The lights and a.c were switched off in my van. It was like a nightmare. And at the end of it there was promise of more. They couldn’t wait to have me back on the sets the next morning for a dose of the same treatment.” Tabushree left Pune and refused to go back until the producers accompanied her. “I reluctantly went back and shot on 19th and 20th. But it was bad. The producers saw how bad it was and blasted the team, wondering how an actress was supposed to work under such stressful circumstances. Then Shona insisted she needed me for 10-12 days. The producers decided 4 days was enough.I went on the sets at the given time tried to do my work and left.” Now there’re just four days of work left, and Tanushree wonders how she’d be able to go through it. “It’s a fantastic script. But the worst experience of my career. Now I wonder if they were doing all this just for publicity. Shona Urvashi has directed one film before.Maybe she needed to get noticed. But is this the way to go about it?”

Tanushree Dutta had no choice but to slap a man who tried to act fresh with her at an event in Bangalore recently.”And the reason I didn’t speak about it is because so much has been written about my best friend Koena and me and our experience in Mumbai on New Year’s eve.

But what happened to me in Bangalore on New Years day takes the cake. I wouldn’t wish even my worst enemy to start a new year in this manner.”

It all started when Tanushree was invited to perform at the Garuda Mall in Bangalore for an event sponsored by Arvind Mills and Lee.

“I knew the organizers. So I gave up the chance to be with my parents, who’ve recently moved from my home-town Jamshedpur to Mumbai to be with me, and flew to Banglore on New Years. Little did I know what horror awaited me there. The security at the mall was practically nil. And there were thousands of people there. I was petrified because I was unaccompanied by anyone. On being assured that I’d be safe I began to move to the stage.

But on the way some guy broke the cordon and held my hand. I responded instinctively and slapped him hard.”

Tanushree doesn’t regret turning violent. “A girl whether in the industry or out of it, has to protect herself. In our film industry I’ve realized actresses are not respected at all.

On top of that I’ve this hot and sexy image. But hello? I was wearing jeans and a top on New Years day. I was covered from head to toe. I was still attacked.

I hate it when the moralists argue that some women LOOK FOR IT by dressing provocatively. That’s another reason I kept quiet about the incident.”

A third reason for Tanushree’s silence? “Those organizers of the Bangalore event haven’t paid me yet. I thought they eventually would. But it seems they have no intention of doing so. I now got to know that the same people have also been less than fair with Bipasha Basu and other actresses.

At least these other actresses didn’t have to spend their New Year Day in an alien city all alone stranded at the airport.”

That’s what happened to Tanushree that evening. “After the fiasco at the event I refused to go on stage again when the organizers asked me to. Come on, just because I’m an entertainer it doesn’t mean I don’t have any dignity!

I insisted they take me straight to the airport. They dumped there and left. There I was all alone. And my flight which was to leave at 11 pm got delayed by two hours. So I finally reacged home at 4 am in the morning.”

Tanushree’s trauma raises the whole question of actresses and their safety at these live events organized.

“The security at these events needs to be beefed up drastically. Not that I ever feel secure in public. No matter where I go I always feel unwanted eyes following me. It’s a dirty world out ther,” Tanushree can barely contain her disgust.

Bollywood starlets Tanushree Dutta and Koena Mitra were amidst those that performed at Seduction 2008 at Sahara Star hotel, Vile Parle, Mumbai to usher in the new year. The bash had the dubious distinction of being the most expensive New Year’s Eve extravaganza.Couples paid Rs 20K and singles Rs 11.5K to gorge on sumptuous food and inebriate themselves silly with unlimited liquor while ogling at the Bollywood item girls lip-synching and cavorting to lusty Bollywood numbers. Tanushree told TOI why she chose to perform at Sahara Star over other invitations: “Because of the theme, the décor and, more importantly, the ability to showcase our talent at a venue that is nothing short of beyond imagination.”Koena claimed that “There is no hotel in the whole of Asia that offers this kind of ambiance, and we are sure that everyone present there will be treated to a unique experience.”Vivek Kumar, CEO Sahara Star, said, “Our attempt is to outdo the best and outclass the most sophisticated in the world and set new benchmarks in an unique fusion of entertainment and hospitality.”