Poonam Pandey spotted for the first time since faking her death, internet jokes ‘arre dekho ye zinda hain’

Poonam Pandey recently faked her own death in an attempt to raise awareness towards cervical cancer. She was spotted in Mumbai on Thursday.

Poonam Pandey was spotted by the Mumbai paparazzi for the first time since she faked her own death. Videos shared on social media by paparazzi account show her in salwar kameez, carrying an arti thaali in her hands, as if coming to meet the paparazzi after a mandir visit.

Poonam Pandey is getting trolled once again for her fake death stunt.

Poonam didn't say much but smiled and posed for the paparazzi as they called out her name. People on social media were not kind in their comments. Someone called her ‘Undertaker ki behen.’ “Deadman walking ki jagah Deadwomen walking,” wrote one. Other shared the same line from hit movie Welcome, “Arre dekho ye zinda hain (look she is alive)!”

What was the stunt?

Earlier this month, news of Pandey's "death" from the disease dominated the headlines and led to intense debate on social media. It later turned out that the news was fake and was a stunt pulled off by the actor and her team to spread "critical awareness" about cervical cancer.

In a video, posted on her official Instagram page, Pandey on February 3 said, "I feel compelled to share something significant with you all "I am here, alive."

"Cervical cancer didn't claim me, but tragically, it has claimed the lives of thousands of women who stemmed from a lack of knowledge on how to tackle this disease," the 32-year-old added.

"Unlike some other cancers, cervical cancer is entirely preventable. The key lies in the HPV vaccine and early detection tests. We have the means to ensure no one loses their life to this disease.

"Let's empower one another with critical awareness and ensure every woman is informed about the steps to take. Together, let's strive to put an end to the devastating impact of the disease and bring #DeathToCervicalCancer," she wrote.

Agency apologises

Schbang, the media company that was involved in the ake death stunt, has extended an apology after its campaign to raise awareness around cervical cancer backfired.

In a statement shared on Instagram, the Mumbai-based company owned up to being part of the hoax, which drew severe criticism on social media from celebs and users alike. They tendered an apology to people affected by cancer but also claimed that their campaign has yielded great result in spreading awareness about the disease.

"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," Schbang said.