Indian actor Poonam Pandey is under fire for a controversial publicity stunt where she falsely announced her own death on Instagram to raise awareness for cervical cancer.
The announcement posted two days ago, claimed that Pandey had succumbed to cervical cancer, triggering an outpouring of condolences from fans and followers.
Social Media Stunt on Cervical Cancer
However, Pandey resurfaced a day later in a video, revealing the hoax and emphasizing her intention to bring attention to cervical cancer prevention.
In the video, she stated, “I didn’t 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.”
The move sparked intense criticism from followers who deemed it an inappropriate and insensitive approach to addressing a serious health issue. Comments on her Instagram posts expressed disapproval, with some labeling it the “worst PR stunt” and a “worst awareness stunt.”
In response to the backlash, Pandey defended her actions, explaining that the stunt was part of a campaign initiated four months ago with the Indian marketing agency Schbang.
She urged followers to look beyond the method and consider the larger cause, asserting that the intervention was necessary to generate widespread attention for cervical cancer.
Pandey’s campaign received further criticism for its alleged insensitivity, with some followers pointing out that her mother had suffered from throat cancer.
Despite the backlash, Pandey reiterated her commitment to promoting preventable cancer while acknowledging the severity of the disease.
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Under Fire for Orchestrating Own Death
Schbang, the marketing agency involved in the campaign, issued a statement apologizing to those who found the stunt triggering.
The agency defended its actions, emphasizing its mission to elevate awareness about cervical cancer, which is the second-most frequent malignancy affecting middle-aged women in India.
In the statement, Schbang acknowledged the controversy surrounding the campaign but highlighted its success in making “Cervical Cancer” and related terms the most searched topics on Google.
The agency claimed that Pandey’s actions resulted in unprecedented media coverage, with the term “Cervical Cancer” appearing in over 1000 headlines for the first time in the country’s history.
While the campaign achieved its goal of sparking conversations around cervical cancer, the ethical implications of Pandey’s approach continue to fuel the debate over the appropriateness of using such extreme measures for public awareness campaigns.
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