Mohit Singh
On the morning of October 14, the search term “Tanushree Dutta news” surged on Google Trends, climbing nearly 300 percent. The reason is a storm that began a week earlier on October 8 when veteran actor Nana Patekar died at 75, and the actress responded with a video that many viewers found shocking. In it, she referred to the news of his death as the “‘Evil Dead’ news.”
Since then, the comment, the backlash, and her refusal to back down have kept her name at the top of trending lists. Here is the complete timeline from the 2008 allegations on a film set to the 2018 MeToo FIR, the closure report, and the latest war of words.
What Did Tanushree Dutta Say? The ‘Evil Dead’ Comment Explained
Hours after Nana Patekar’s death on the morning of October 8, Tanushree Dutta posted a video on her Instagram Stories. She said she had heard the news but was on her way to an event in Lucknow and wanted to focus on that first.
She then added that by evening, the media’s attention would be on this “‘Evil Dead’ news,” and that she would respond only after thinking it through. She also expressed condolences to the actor’s family.
The phrase “Evil Dead” the title of a well-known horror film was read by many as a slur aimed at the late actor. Clips spread within minutes, and the actress began trending across platforms.
Nana Patekar’s Death: What Official Reports Say
Cause of Death and Hospital Details
According to reports, Nana Patekar, 75, died at his home in Dona Paula, Goa, on the morning of October 8. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors performed CPR for roughly 45 minutes but could not revive him. His son, Malhar Patekar, confirmed the news.
The postmortem report listed the cause of death as a heart attack.
Police Procedure in Goa
Goa Police registered a case as part of routine procedure for deaths occurring at home. Officials have not indicated anything suspicious, and the official record attributes the death to cardiac arrest.
The Backlash: ‘Insensitive’ and ‘Deeply Objectionable’
Criticism arrived within hours. Many users called the video’s language insensitive, noting that the family was still grieving. The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) issued a formal statement condemning the remark and describing it as deeply objectionable.
But the actress showed no sign of retreating. In a follow-up video from Lucknow, she said she stood by her words.
2008 to 2018: The Allegations That Started the Feud
To understand why the reaction was so sharp, you need the decade-long history between the two.
The Horn Ok Please Allegation (2008)
In 2008, Tanushree Dutta alleged that she was misbehaved with on set during the shooting of a song for the film Horn Ok Please. The episode made headlines at the time, then faded from public view.
The MeToo Interview and the FIR (2018)
A decade later, she repeated the allegations in a television interview — a moment widely credited with reigniting India’s Bollywood MeToo movement. After her complaint, Mumbai’s Oshiwara police registered an FIR against Nana Patekar and three others.
Denial and Exit from Housefull 4
Patekar denied all the allegations. Around the same time, he stepped away from Housefull 4, the multi-star comedy he had been shooting at the time.
Closure Report and the Court’s 2025 Decision
In 2019, Mumbai police filed a closure report citing a lack of evidence. Tanushree Dutta challenged it through a protest petition. According to reports, in 2025 the court declined to take up the matter on limitation grounds — in simple terms, it was ruled time-barred.
Legally, the dispute had gone quiet. Then October 8 happened.
‘My Life Became Jahannum’: Tanushree Dutta Doubles Down
The October 10 Video
In a video posted on October 10, the actress claimed that after the 2018 MeToo movement, her life turned into “jahannum” hell. She claimed that in 2024 her car’s brakes were tampered with and that some people had stalked her. These claims are hers alone; no independent verification has been reported.
She also alleged that she faced pressure to withdraw her case, and that a bribe was even offered to her.
The Ravan Effigy Remark (October 12)
Another video, posted on October 12, poured fuel on the fire. Referring to Ravan’s effigy, she said that if people objected so strongly to her speaking, they should stop burning Ravan’s effigy on Dussehra too.
She declared she was not afraid to speak the truth and suggested suspicion around the actor’s death — although the postmortem report and all official information so far attribute the death to a heart attack.
Who Is Tanushree Dutta? From Miss India to Bollywood
The Pageant Years
Born on March 19, 1984, in Jamshedpur, Tanushree Dutta won the Femina Miss India Universe title in 2004 and finished in the top 10 at Miss Universe.
Films and Her Bollywood Breakthrough
She made her Bollywood debut with Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005), starring opposite Emraan Hashmi and Sonu Sood. The film’s songs became chartbusters. She went on to appear in Chocolate, Bhagam Bhag, Dhol, Good Boy Bad Boy, Speed, and Apartment.
In 2018, her interview gave the Indian MeToo movement fresh momentum. Now her name is back in the headlines — this time for her own words.
Quick Answers: Tanushree Dutta and the Nana Patekar Controversy
Why is Tanushree Dutta trending?
She is trending for her ‘Evil Dead’ comment, made hours after Nana Patekar’s death on October 8, and for her refusal to apologize despite widespread backlash and condemnation from AICWA.
What was Nana Patekar’s cause of death?
The postmortem report cited a heart attack. He died at his Goa home on October 8; CPR for about 45 minutes could not revive him. His son Malhar Patekar confirmed the death.
What happened to the 2018 MeToo case against Nana Patekar?
An FIR was registered at Oshiwara police station in 2018 after Tanushree Dutta’s allegations. Police filed a closure report in 2019 citing insufficient evidence. Her protest petition challenged the closure, and in 2025 the court declined to entertain the case, citing limitation.
Tanushree Dutta remains firm on her statements, and the controversy keeps her name firmly on the trending list. Whether the conversation now shifts from a single phrase to the bigger questions it touches workplace safety, due process, and how the industry talks about the dead is something only time will tell. This story is developing, and this page will be updated as new details emerge.
