Tanushree feels frightened

Tanushree Dutta, in the news recently for her pow-wow with Nana Patekar is afraid to admit that she is...afraid! "I'm afraid that I'm afraid," she says with a nervous laugh. "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 MNS workers were put on the job to harass me after I dared to take on Nana for his behaviour."

I tell her it's in bad taste to carry on her tirade against a senior artiste, no matter what the provocation. Tanushree agrees. "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 Rama-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 declares pointedly.