A day after her team announced on her official Instagram handle that Poonam Pandey had passed away due to cervical cancer, the actor-model took to social media to reveal that she had “faked her death to spark conversation about cervical cancer.”
On February 2, 2024, a post on Poonam’s official account stated, “This morning is a difficult one for us. We are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer.” Multiple news sources confirmed her death through her manager.
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However, on February 3, 2024, Poonam shared two videos on her Instagram page, expressing regret for causing distress. “I apologize for the panic I caused. My motive? To shock everyone into addressing the conversation we’re neglecting – cervical cancer. Yes, I staged my death. It was extreme, but now we’re all discussing cervical cancer,” she explained.
She has since launched a website, poonampandeyislive.com, to raise awareness about the disease. In another video, she stated, “I did not die from cervical cancer. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for thousands of women who lost their lives due to this disease. They were unaware of what to do about it.”
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The news of Poonam’s supposed demise shocked many on social media, with some questioning its authenticity.
Following her revelation, Poonam faced criticism, with many labeling her actions as a publicity stunt.
Twitter and Instagram are filled with posts and comments slamming Poonam. An X user said, “As expected! All of this was a publicity stunt! All the people who were questioning her were right!” A tweet read, “Poonam Pandey is the biggest fraud, she is alive. This is beyond shameless.”
Celebrities including her friends from the industry are not ready to forgive her for the ‘insensitive’ joke. Responding to news about Poonam’s publicity stunt, Indian content creator Kusha Kapila said, “Here is an agency behind this. Someone actually came up with the idea and also greenlit it I cannot.”