Internet users and several celebrities called model-actress Poonam Pandey’s reappearance on social media “ridiculous”, “disgraceful” and “a new low” after her team claimed that she had died from cervical cancer.
Her team on Feb 2 dropped the bombshell news of her death from the disease, but it was a hoax, a stunt pulled off by the actress, reported PTI.
The following day, the 32-year-old conceded to her 1.3 million followers in another Instagram video: “Yes, I faked my demise, extreme I know. But suddenly we all are talking about cervical cancer, aren’t we? I am proud of what my death news has been able to achieve.”
However, the stunt didn’t land well with several people, including celebrities Pooja Bhatt, Sara Ali Khan, Aly Goni and Rahul Vaidya, who furiously slammed Pandey for faking her death and demeaning an important cause, reported Al-Jazeera.
Bhatt, who had offered condolences on Pandey’s “death”, said on X: “I never delete tweets but did so in this case where I expressed my shock at the news of Poonam Pandey’s demise. Turns out the news was engineered by a digital/PR team. Absolute disgrace & disservice to those battling the same – her included.”
TV actor Goni wrote: “Cheap publicity stunt; it was nothing else... u guys think it’s funny? U and ur PR team should be boycotted... shame on u all.”
The hashtag “PoonamPandey” attracted more than 60,000 posts on X with the majority being critical of the actress.
“Worst publicity stunt ever,” said one user. “This was the most ridiculous way to promote something,” posted another.
One person called Pandey “the biggest fraud”.
The All Indian Cine Workers Association demanded police action against Pandey.
“Strict action against them is necessary so that such types of fake news will not be circulated by anyone,” it said.
The association also commented that using cervical cancer for self-promotion is unacceptable, while adding that no one in the film industry stoops this low for publicity.
Maharashtra legislator Satyajeet Tambe also demanded that Mumbai police take action against Pandey for putting out fake news.
Digital agency Schbang later admitted to orchestrating the “fake death” and apologised for its actions.
“Our actions were driven by a singular mission – to elevate awareness about Cervical Cancer. In 2022, India registered 123,907 cervical cancer cases and 77,348 deaths, it said.
“After breast cancer, cervical cancer is the second-most frequent malignancy affecting middle-aged women in India.”
Pandey began her modelling career in 2010 and garnered a reputation for outlandish stunts and her risque behaviour.
She pledged to strip for the Indian cricket team if they won the 2011 cricket World Cup at home, later posting a video online of her shedding her clothes at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai where the tournament’s final was held.
Born in Uttar Pradesh, Pandey has acted in a handful of Bollywood films, including the 2013 erotic thriller Nasha, in which she played a teacher who has a sexual relationship with two high school students.
Indo-Asian News Service
