'Faking death due to cancer is not a joke': Poonam Pandey's insensitive publicity stunt to raise awareness for Cervical Cancer backfires

Internet sensation Poonam Pandey grabbed headlines on Friday after her agency claimed she passed away due to cervical cancer. With her team and PR's claiming that she lost her battle to cervical cancer. Celebrities and netizens paid heartfelt tribute to her considering she is dead.

Kangana Ranaut and Anupam Kher took to their respective X handle to pay their tributes to the actress. However, Poonam's sudden demise had also left the nation confused and many had already argued that it was nothing but a publicity stunt.

Netizens on social media argued on Friday that Poonam didn't "look sick" and that sudden deaths are uncommon for cervical cancer patients.

Poonam Pandey's publicist didn't have details of Poonam Pandey's death, and later released a statement claiming that all of Poonam Pandey's family members were 'missing in action'.

However, a day staging her death on Saturday, Poonam Pandey shared a video of her on her Instagram saying she was alive and she faked her death.

"I am Alive, I faked my death": Actor Poonam Pandey claims it was a promotional activity to raise awareness for cervical cancer

In the video, she said, "I am alive. I did not die because of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about those hundreds and thousands of women who have lost their lives because of cervical cancer. It is not because they couldn't do anything about it but because they had no idea what to do about it. I am here to tell you that, unlike other cancers, cervical cancer is preventable. All you have to do is, you have to get your tests done and you have to get HPV vaccine."

In another post, she wrote, "I am sorry caused this tear and I am sorry to those I have hurt. My intention: to shock everyone into the conversation that we are not talking enough about - cervical cancer."

Talking about Cervical Cancer, Poonam Pandey in her Instagram post said, "It has claimed the lives of thousands of women who stemmed from a lack of knowledge on how to tackle this disease. Unlike some other cancers, Cervical Cancer is entirely preventable. The key lies in the HPV vaccine and early detection tests."

"We have the means to ensure no one loses their life to this disease. Let's empower one another with critical awareness and ensure every woman is informed about the steps to take. Visit the link in the bio to delve deeper into what can be done. Together, let's strive to put an end to the devastating impact of the disease and bring" Poonam Pandey captioned the video.

News of Poonam Pandey's death came a day after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government's plans to focus on vaccination against cervical cancer for girls aged 9 to 14 as part of her interim Budget 2024. The actor then shared another post wherein she apologised to celebs, fans and media for showing concern for believing her fake death news.

Netizens brutally slammed Poonam for faking her death due to cancer.

Shame on you Poonam trends after the actor stages her fake death to raise awareness against cervical cancer.

A user wrote, "Engaging in a deceptive stunt, like faking one's death, under the guise of "raising awareness" for is not only unethical but also manipulative. Such attention-seeking behaviours not only exploit the emotions of fans (if you have) and loved ones but also reflect a callous disregard for the gravity of the issue at hand. It's a shame that someone would exploit a serious health concern for personal gain, undermining the credibility of genuine advocacy efforts. If you were serious about this, your approach towards the awareness should have been direct and transparent..."

Another mentioned, "Worst way to communicate good messages..."

The third user wrote, "What an absolutely shocking and shameful act and use of media! This digital demise was distasteful and has hurt several women ACTUALLY going through the difficult journey of dealing with cervical cancer. 'SHAME ON YOU POONAM PANDEY'"

The fourth one said, "Next time she dies for real, we would still think she's spreading awareness.."

Celebs slam Poonam Pandey for her below-the-belt way of spreading awareness 

The 32-year-old shot to fame during the 2011 Cricket World Cup when she posted a video message saying she would strip if team India won. She did not, but did post a nude photo when her favourite team Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL the next year. Over the years, she has gathered a legion of social media followers with her controversial statements and was often seen in explicit videos.

A look at previous posts of Poonam Pandey

Poonam was active on social media throughout January with posts on the Ram temple, the Lakshadweep-Maldives controversy and her identity as a "Bharat citizen".