Popular model sparks backlash for faking her death to bring awareness to cervical cancer
A preferred Indian mannequin and actress has sparked a web-based backlash after revealing this weekend she had faked her demise in an Instagram publish as a part of a cervical most cancers consciousness marketing campaign.
Poonam Pandey “bravely fought the illness” and died, in keeping with an announcement revealed on her social media Friday, however the pretend announcement was quickly met with on-line criticism that included accusations it was a “misleading stunt.”
A flurry of obituaries from media shops adopted the unique announcement and her Wikipedia web page was additionally up to date to mirror her obvious demise, whereas Bollywood stars posted mournful tributes.
Abhijit Bhatlekar/Mint by way of Getty Pictures
However others had expressed skepticism after noticing that footage of Pandey aboard a ship in Goa, apparently in good well being, had been posted to her account 4 days earlier than the announcement.
“I hope this isn’t a publicity stunt disguised as creating consciousness for cervical most cancers, which might be unethical and irresponsible, particularly when coping with delicate points like well being consciousness,” one commenter wrote on Friday.
The 32-year-old later conceded to her 1.3 million followers in one other video posted on Instagram that her demise had been a hoax.
“Sure, I faked my demise, excessive I do know. However out of the blue all of us are speaking about cervical most cancers, aren’t we?” Pandey mentioned. “I’m pleased with what my demise information has been capable of obtain.”
Nonetheless, many lambasted Pandey for what one commenter described as her “attention-seeking habits.”
One other wrote: “Participating in a misleading stunt, like faking one’s demise, below the guise of ‘elevating consciousness’… will not be solely unethical but additionally manipulative.
“Truthfully disgrace on you for this stunt. Subsequent time nobody will take your actual demise critically!” they mentioned.
Pandey appeared unfazed by the criticism, and in a subsequent Instagram publish, she thanked the advert agency Schbang for working along with her.
“We imagine on this trigger and stand by this marketing campaign that we began engaged on 4 months in the past with the appropriate intentions,” she wrote.
Pandey started her modelling profession in 2010 and has garnered a popularity for outlandish stunts and risque habits.
She pledged to strip for the India cricket crew in the event that they gained the 2011 Cricket World Cup at house, later posting a video on-line of her shedding her garments at Wankhede Stadium the place the event’s closing was held.
Pandey parleyed her fame into a number of appearing credit in Bollywood together with the 2013 erotic thriller Nasha, through which she performed a instructor who begins a sexual relationship with two highschool college students.
Mahesh Kumar A / AP
India accounts for almost one-quarter of the world’s cervical most cancers circumstances, in keeping with the World Well being Group, with greater than 200 girls shedding their lives every single day to the illness.
Well being campaigners have urged the federal government to roll out a nationwide HPV vaccination marketing campaign for younger ladies, which in different nations has drastically reduce the incidence of cervical most cancers.
January was Cervical Most cancers Consciousness Month to lift consciousness in regards to the fourth most typical most cancers in girls.
Adults youthful than 50 are being more and more recognized with breast, colon and cervical most cancers, in keeping with a latest report from the American Most cancers Society.
