Actress Fakes Death From Cancer: Poonam Pandey Controversy Explained

Poonam Pandey was mourned after her tragic death due to cancer grabbed headlines after being announced via a statement on her Instagram a few months back. “This morning is a tough one for us. Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer,” the original post read.

According to The Daily Beast, however, Pandey was never dead and the obituary was apart of a stunt. A noble stunt, but still a stunt in the end. “I feel compelled to share something significant with you all – I am here, alive. Cervical Cancer didn’t claim me, but tragically, it has claimed the lives of thousands of women who stemmed from a lack of knowledge on how to tackle this disease,” she wrote in the caption of a video message to fans after the backlash.

While it seems like it could be a force for good and it is raising awareness for a serious condition, the execution raised a lot of ire from onlookers. “WORST PUBLICITY STUNT EVER!” one commenter wrote under the follow-up video. “This has literally been turned into a joke for the actual cancer survivors. Distasteful,” another added. “Nobody is saying spreading awareness of Cervical Cancer was wrong Poonam. But the way you and your team went about it cannot be justified,” another added in a lengthy comment.

In response, Pandey stood by her message alongside the group Hauterrfly, an Indian site aimed at “millennial women.” She didn’t apologize for the stunt, but tried to clear up the controversy and explain the why behind it all.

“While I do understand how you would have perceived this in bad taste, I also implore you to consider the greater cause. Before passing judgement on the act, I urge you to recognize the alarming concern burdening women worldwide,” Pandey wrote. She had also tried to post several items and graphics adding to the awareness for cervical cancer, though it seems to have been a step too far for most.

Many fans are unfollowing and The Daily Beast points to an earlier claim by Pandey that she’s not against stirring controversy to advance her career. Pandey and her husband, Sam Bombay, are reportedly facing a fierce fight over a defamation lawsuit connected to the death hoax. The couple are accused of making light of the serious issue and trying to sell a “false death plan.” Pandey is also under fire by the All Indian Cine Workers Association or AICWA, who is calling for legal action to be taken against the model and erotic actress.

The actress can laugh at her controversy a bit, though. During a livestream chess match between Pandey and Yashraj Mukhate, comedian Samay Raina forced the actress to laugh by explaining a chess move referencing the controversy. “You’re a pro at coming back to life, right?” the comedian said.