A Bollywood film actress and model who faked her own death to highlight the dangers of cervical cancer and promote the HPV vaccine is facing charges for her stunt.
A post on Poonam Pandey’s Instagram page on February 2 stated that she died of cervical cancer and her team confirmed the news to the media. According to NDTV India, her manager Nikita Sharma said the star “bravely fought the illness” but “tragically passed away.”
But the next day, Pandey, 32, posted a video of himself saying he was alive and well and that the death announcement was a ploy to raise awareness about the potentially deadly disease. I made it.
The move caused an uproar online, with the overwhelming majority of commentators condemning Pandey’s actions.
Bollywood film actress and model Poonam Pandey on Friday faked her own death through a social media post to raise awareness about the potentially deadly disease and vaccinations for women. (Ashish Vaishnav/SOPA Images/LightRocket, Getty Images)
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“I’m alive. I didn’t die of cervical cancer,” Pandey told her 1.3 million followers as emotional music played in the background.
“Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the hundreds of thousands of women who have lost their lives due to cervical cancer. What I am saying here is that unlike other cancers, cervical cancer It’s preventable. You should get tested and get the HPV vaccine.”
“We can do more than this to ensure that no more lives are lost to this disease,” she added.
She then directed her followers to log on to a specially designed website, www.poonampandeyisalive.com, filled with information about the deadly cancer and the vaccines designed to prevent it. Her website and Instagram posts about her fake death have now been deleted.
Cervical cancer visualized on sagittal MRI is often caused by papillomavirus infection. (CAVALINI JAMES/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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According to the Times of India, Pandey and her husband Sam Bombay are currently being sued by Faizan Ansari for more than $12 million. Ansari is an actor and reality TV star.
The suit alleges that Mr. Pandey and Mr. Bombay orchestrated a “false death conspiracy” and trivialized serious illnesses such as cancer to boost their own profile.
Ansari claims the couple’s actions betrayed the trust of millions of Indians and tarnished the reputation of the Bollywood fraternity.
The lawsuit demands the couple’s arrest and asks them to appear in court on defamation charges.
According to NDTV, Pandey’s initial death post comes after India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans for a cervical cancer vaccination program for girls aged 9 to 14 as part of the 2024 interim budget. It was posted the day after it was announced. Cervical cancer begins in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus in a woman’s reproductive system.
Cervical cancer ranks as the most common cancer among women in India, with approximately 365 million women above the age of 15 at risk of developing cervical cancer. The World Health Organization estimates that India causes 74,000 deaths annually, accounting for almost one-third of all cervical cancer deaths worldwide.
This undated image provided by Merck in October 2018 shows vials and packaging for the Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine. (AP image)
Pandey’s stunt caused an uproar online and was mainly criticized by her followers.
“I’m glad she’s alive, but I want her to be arrested for this drama and publicity stunt,” one follower wrote, adding that the top post from February 3 received about 33,000 likes. !” is attached.
Another commenter said: “It’s absolutely disgraceful to exploit a serious issue like cervical cancer for cheap publicity. Using your platform to spread awareness is… “While admirable, faking one’s own death is an all-time low. Respecting real survivors and victims is more important than seeking attention.” Stunt. #I was disappointed. ”
Pandey posted a second video a day after his posthumous post, acknowledging the shock he was feeling. She said she was sorry for upsetting people, but she didn’t seem to have any regrets.
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“Yes, I faked my death. I know it’s extreme. But all of a sudden we’re talking about cervical cancer, right?” Pandey said. “This is a silently deadly disease that urgently needed to be brought into the spotlight.”
“I am proud of what the news of my death accomplished.”
“Unlike other cancers, cervical cancer is completely preventable,” she says. “The key lies in the HPV vaccine and early detection testing. We have the means to ensure that no one dies from this disease. Make sure they know what steps to take.”
