New Delhi – Indian model Poonam Pandey sparked confusion and debate this weekend with a dramatic stunt announcing her demise. On Friday, a statement on Pandey’s Instagram page declared that the 32-year-old had lost her life to cervical cancer.
The news was confirmed by her management and eulogized by colleagues online. But skeptics soon realized Pandey had posted videos from a beach vacation just days ago, seeming alive and well.
By Saturday,
The model clarified that her ‘death’ was fabricated to raise cervical cancer awareness. Pandey shot into the limelight in 2011 by promising to strip if India won the Cricket World Cup. She later acted in films and reality shows.
Defending her awareness tactic, Pandey stated it successfully garnered publicity, which she calls necessary for highlighting women’s health issues often brushed aside in India.
However, many critics argue the stunt was insensitive and disrespectful to families who have lost loved ones to cancer. Some have accused Pandey of exploiting tragedy for publicity.
As debate rages over the ethics of her methods, Pandey maintains that unconventional approaches are needed to shake social taboos around women’s bodies and illnesses.
The model is no stranger to controversy throughout her career. But her latest move has sparked more complex conversations around mortality, celebrity, and social change.
