Poonam Pandey fake death: Company issues apology for actor's gimmick

Poonam Pandey's PR, Schbang has apologised for faking her death as part of a cervical cancer awareness campaign, prompting a controversy on the morality of such strategies

The digital agency behind Poonam Pandey's death trick has put out an expression of apology via social media. The agency–Schbang–admitted to have coordinated the new 'fake death' stunt of the model-turned-reality TV star Poonam Pandey which was ostensibly aimed at spreading awareness about cervical cancer.

The move was criticised for being insensitive to people whose loved ones have died from cancer, and it sparked a debate about the ethics of using such strategies to promote public discussion of the disease.

Poonam Pandey fake death news: An apology note

The company that was behind Poonam Pandey’s fake death stunt has issued an apology, "Yes, we were involved in the initiative for Poonam Pandey to spread awareness about Cervical Cancer in collaboration with Hauterfly. To start off, we would like to extend a heartfelt apology – especially towards those who have been triggered as a result of having faced/having a loved one face the hardships of any kind of Cancer." 

They further added on how Pandey's mother fought cancer. "Many of you may be unaware but Poonam's own mother has bravely battled cancer. Having been through the challenges of battling a disease like this at such personal quarters, she understands the importance of prevention and the criticality of awareness, especially when a vaccine is available."

Schbang acknowledged orchestrating the stunt in which Poonam Pandey faked her death, which resulted in a significant rise in online searches for cervical cancer-related terms. 

They scripted the unprecedented attention the disease got because of the campaign, saying, "This is the first time in the history of this country that the word 'Cervical Cancer' has been on 1000+ Headlines". But as far as search trends, the organisation offered an apology for any distress brought about by the mission.

FIR against Poonam Pandey fake death

Poonam Pandey picked a bizarre approach to increase cervical cancer awareness. On February 2, news stated that the model-actor has passed away because of cervical cancer. In opposition to the previous reports, it has now been unveiled that Poonam is well and healthy.

But, this didn't go down well with the All Indian Cine Workers Association. They have requested that an FIR be filed against Pandey for the way she took advantage of her own demise.

Poonam Pandey's 'death' news was confirmed by her manager. Her team declared the same through an official declaration on Instagram. The statement stated, "This morning is a tough one for us. Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer. Every living form that ever came in contact with her was met with pure love and kindness. In this time of grief, we would request for privacy while we remember her fondly for all that we shared (sic)".

Poonam Pandey was known not just for her work in the media industry but also for her energetic presence via social media.