A leaked video of late actor Rishi Kapoor fighting for life in his last hours in the ICU has enraged many people including Bollywood celebrities on social media. The management at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, where the veteran actor breathed his last, has issued a statement on Friday saying they would investigate the leak and circulation of videos.
"It has come to our attention that a video of one of our patients is surfacing on digital media platforms. At Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, patient confidentiality and privacy is of utmost importance to us and we strongly condemn such actions. The hospital management is investigating the incident and strict action will be taken against the perpetrators," read the statement issued by the hospital management.
In the video that has been doing the rounds of social media, an ICU staff can be seen sneakily recording as Rishi Kapoor struggles while lying on the hospital bed. After the veteran actor passed away on Thursday morning, numerous videos featuring his mortal remains started doing the rounds on social media.
In one video, the late actor's son Ranbir Kapoor along with priests can be seen offering obeisance to his remains even as he lies in the hospital bed. In another, the body is being taken out on a stretcher and boarded to a van for the crematorium. Many other similar videos have mushroomed.
While a section of the netizens is circulating these videos, many have accused the hospital of irresponsible behavior, saying this amounts to an invasion of privacy. Several netizens have questioned the morality of hospital staff, assuming they shot the videos since there is no question of outsiders amid the lockdown.
Bollywood celebrities call out hospital for staff negligence
Reacting to such a forwarded video clip, several celebrities including Arjun Kapoor, Karan Wahi and Mini Mathur called out the hospital for staff negligence.
Without mentioning the particular leaked video, Arjun Kapoor wrote, "The choice is not to post something is sometimes as important as to be the first to post something. Images have a lot of power lest we forget. Sometimes humanity and empathy must prevail over being first to embrace use of sly voyeuristic material presented to you."
Actor Karan Wahi admitted that he too saw the video and decided to delete it immediately, rather than share it among others as he found it disturbing.
"There's a forward that a ward boy or someone from the hospital has shot of Rishi Kapoor in his hospital just before he passed. I saw it. And think it's a gross violation of his privacy. If you receive it, delete it rather than forward it further. Actors are also human beings. Please do not forward or post them just to be the first one. Have some respect," he said.
Actress-anchor Mini Mathur urged people to "stop the insensitivity" in a tweet that reads, "Just came across a disgusting, completely invasive video of Rishi sir on WhatsApp in hospital actually titled "last video of RK" obviously shot by a hospital staff member. I know humanity is at sea at the moment but can we PLEASE STOP THIS INSENSITIVITY and not be party to this?"
Mini also tagged Mumbai Police to take strict actions against the offender.
"If you see a video like this on any group can you please insist that it's taken down??? Can we stop this vicarious celeb goggling even when they are indisposed and unaware? It should be a legal offence @MumbaiPolice and met with the strictest action," Mini added.
Rishi Kapoor breathed his last at HN Reliance Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday. He was battling cancer since 2018.
