Mumbai: A day after a woman filed a complaint against Ganesh Acharya alleging that he had forced her to watch pornography, actor Tanushree Dutta said Bollywood should boycott the choreographer.
A 33-year-old woman, an assistant choreographer, has written to the National Commission for Women (NCW) alleging that Acharya used to make her watch porn videos whenever she visited his office in suburban Andheri.
She also alleged that Acharya and two women assaulted her during a function of the Indian Film and Television Choreographers Association (IFTCA) held in suburban Andheri Sunday. A complaint has been filed in this regard with Amboli police.
“It’s time Bollywood and the other Indian film industries boycott choreographer Ganesh Acharya completely. Hiding behind the male superstars who work with this despicable man, he has been abusing his power and position to harass, bully and take advantage of vulnerable young newcomers to the industry,” Dutta said in a statement here.
Dutta had alleged that her co-star Nana Patekar harassed and misbehaved with her while shooting for a song for their 2008 film Horn Ok Pleasss, and Acharya, who was the choreographer, introduced new steps which were “intimate”.
Recalling the trauma she faced, Tanushree said even though Acharya was party to all the harassment she faced on the Horn ok Pleasss set, he went on to spoil her name and reputation.
“Nobody had any regard for me and how much I had suffered psychologically and financially because of the turmoil I went though due to these people. I left the industry because I was so scared and hurt over the atrocious treatment meted out to me on Horn ok Pleasss set.
“I had worked very sincerely to get to where I got in life and so went in shock for many years, over the whole episode on that set almost 12 years ago, that led to an attack on my car. They didn’t just break my car, they broke my spirit that day,” Dutta said, in reference to the attack on her car in 2008.
She expressed her displeasure over how “leading men” and “heroes” of Bollywood continued working with Acharya, whose most recent work includes Simmba, Zero, Sanju among others.
“Even after all the information of fraud, non payment of dues, sexual harassment of dancers, bullying and intimidation and even physical abuse of dancers is coming out about Ganesh Acharya in the media, if the actors, directors and producers still work with him, it would mean that they themselves are engaging in such acts also.
“It’s a warning to the film industry to stay the hell away from Ganesh Acharya otherwise your own reputation will be joined to his character. I’m sure many more girls and boys will come out about his misbehaviour and shady business, opening floodgates in the future,” she added.
PTI