AICWA slams Tanushree Dutta over evil dead remark
AICWA has condemned Tanushree Dutta's 'evil dead' video after Nana Patekar's death, calling the remark insensitive and shameful; the old #MeToo history resurfaces.
Nana Patekar’s death is being mourned across Bollywood, but one social media video has turned the conversation from tribute to rebuke. Tanushree Dutta is facing sharp criticism from the All Indian Cine Workers Association after she appeared to use the phrase “evil dead” while reacting to the veteran actor’s passing.
Patekar died in the early hours of Thursday after a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. Doctors tried to revive him for about 45 minutes before he was declared dead at approximately 5:10 am. Goa Police have registered an Unnatural Death case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and a medico-legal case has also been filed.
AICWA’s sharp response
The film workers’ body, led by founder and president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, says Dutta’s choice of words was out of line. In a statement, AICWA said it “strongly condemns” the “Evil Dead” remark and accused her of using the moment for cheap publicity.
The association’s objection goes beyond the phrase itself. It highlighted Patekar’s Padma Shri, his work with the Naam Foundation, which supports families of distressed farmers, and his service during the Kargil War as part of the legacy being honoured this week.
AICWA called the remark “deeply objectionable, insensitive and shameful,” and told Dutta directly: “You should have kept a check on your tongue.” It also argued that speaking about her own Lucknow event while the industry was mourning reflected “a very small mindset.”
What Tanushree Dutta said
Dutta’s Instagram video set off the row. She said she had heard the news about Nana but was focusing on an event in Lucknow and wanted to keep her day planned. She added, “I will give my reaction once I figure out what kind of reaction I should have. So, definitely condolences to the family but…” before the clip cut off mid-sentence.
Viewers immediately questioned both her wording and her timing. AICWA’s statement added industry weight to the criticism, saying no one in the film industry had ever made such a statement after a colleague’s passing and that Dutta was “the first, and we pray you will be the last.”
The backstory: 2008 to #MeToo to now
This is not an isolated clash. Dutta and Patekar share a public history that became part of India’s #MeToo movement.
- 2008: Dutta has said she filed a complaint with the Cine & TV Artists Association after an incident during the making of Horn Ok Pleassss, and that no action was taken.
- 2018: She publicly accused Patekar of sexual harassment. An FIR was filed; Patekar denied the allegations.
- 2019: The case was closed for lack of sufficient evidence.
- 2025: The Mumbai Andheri Magistrate Court dismissed the criminal proceedings, ruling the complaint was filed beyond the legal limitation period.
Why the backlash has landed this hard
The death of a celebrated actor usually compresses public conversation into grief and gratitude. Dutta’s video disrupted that pattern, and AICWA made the debate about timing, tone and respect. The association’s statement framed its objection as a defence of basic humanity, not a verdict on the old case.
For readers of Bollywood Society, this is a live example of how public figures are judged in the first hours after a death — and how entrenched celebrity disputes can resurface when the news cycle is already emotional. The clip is still circulating, and the conversation has quickly moved from what was said to what should have been said.
Source: Hindustan Times
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