Poonam Pandey’s mom, Vidya Pandey, has finally broken her silence about her daughter’s infamous fake death stunt. In a recent chat, she revealed that she was actually the only one who knew about the plan from the start. But instead of being relieved, she was terrified.Speaking to Instant Bollywood, she said, “Reporters were everywhere in our village. People were talking — some in support, others not so much. I was scared someone might actually hurt her. I sat quietly all day, wondering if this lie could cost her life.”To rewind a bit — in February 2024, everyone was shocked when Poonam’s social media suddenly announced she had passed away from cervical cancer. The post said, “This morning is a tough one for us. We’ve lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer… please give us privacy while we grieve.”The internet was stunned. But just a day later, the twist came — Poonam reappeared on video, completely fine. She explained that it was a campaign to raise awareness about cervical cancer.While the intention might have been to shine a light on an important health issue, the move totally backfired. Celebs like Kangana Ranaut and Karan Kundrra called her out publicly. Even the All Indian Cine Workers Association slammed her actions as unethical and insensitive. The association said in a statement, “Faking your death for PR? That’s beyond wrong. Using cervical cancer as a tool for attention is disgusting. It makes people question real death announcements now. There should be an FIR against Poonam and her manager for spreading false news. The entire country paid tribute to her — only to find out it was all fake.”Looks like this publicity stunt did more harm than good — not just for Poonam’s image, but for the trust people place in real news.
