‘Why Associate Death With Sainthood?’: Singer Sona Mohapatra Backs Tanushree Dutta Over ‘Evil Dead’ Remark On Nana Patekar - VIDEO

Singer Sona Mohapatra has come out in support of actress Tanushree Dutta amid the backlash she has faced for referring to late actor Nana Patekar as "evil dead". Calling out those trolling Tanushree for expressing her views, Sona questioned, "What do you expect from her?" The singer said she understood that people were mourning Nana's death but questioned why Tanushree was being blamed for speaking about her #MeToo experience.

Sona began her video by saying, "Practically, I am PHd in being the most unpopular person in a room. Not because I enjoy it, nobody does, because I have never mastered the art of keeping quiet when something is deeply wrong." She went on to acknowledge that people were grieving Nana's death but questioned why Tanushree was being attacked for sharing her perspective.

Questioning the backlash against Tanushree, Sona said, "This woman (Tanushree) spoke up about her sexual harassment on sets with this gentleman, fought an exhausting battle, faced a public humiliation and professional consequences and now she is expected to forget her experience and perform what for you? Grief? That will comfort you?"

Sona also criticised women influencers and content creators who had reportedly targeted Tanushree over her remarks. Although she did not name anyone, her comments came amid criticism of Tanushree's statement by several people on social media, including Rakhi Sawant. Calling out those joining the backlash, Sona said, "Loudest voices attacking her...women influencers, content creators, chasing their little moment in their sunshine." She questioned whether "humiliating another woman" was their idea of engagement.

Recalling her own experience as a working woman during India's #MeToo movement, Sona said she was removed from a show after shooting nearly 19 episodes because she spoke up in support of the movement. She argued that #MeToo emerged because "power, fear and retaliation made speaking up so difficult." She also questioned the tendency to associate age with virtue and death with sainthood, asking, "Why do we associate old age with virtue and death with Sainthood?"

Sona further emphasised that growing old does not make a person infallible and that death should not erase uncomfortable chapters from someone's life. She said people could offer condolences for Nana's passing without expecting Tanushree to "re-write her own history".

Taking a dig at the way male celebrities are celebrated for their outspoken personalities, Sona remarked, "Please put up your reels of all great, muhfat stuff he has said because only men are celebrated for being downright rude not women." She maintained that Tanushree was entitled to share her account of what she experienced and called out the hypocrisy of humiliating her for doing so. "Death deserves the dignity, so does the living," Sona said.

Towards the end of the video, Sona cited singer-composer Anu Malik as an example of someone who returned to the entertainment industry despite facing allegations during the #MeToo movement. She used the example to question the differing standards applied to men and women in the industry and reiterated her support for Tanushree amid the ongoing backlash.