Poonam Pandey's fake death to raise awareness about cervical cancer has caused controversy, leading the All Indian Cine Workers Association to demand legal action against her. Schbang, the agency behind the campaign, has apologized on social media in response to the criticism.
Schbang's apology and explanation
The official handle of Schbang shared the apology post, stating, “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.”
Further, the agency added, “Our actions were driven by a singular mission - to elevate awareness about Cervical Cancer. In 2022, India registered 123,907 Cervical Cancer cases and 77,348 deaths. After Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer is the second-most frequent malignancy affecting middle-aged women in India.”
The company also disclosed that Poonam Pandey's mother had battled cancer, so she understands the impact of the disease. “There was no change in people’s curiosity regarding Cervical Cancer when our Honourable Finance Minister mentioned it no less than a few days ago during the Union Budget,” the post read further.
“Nevertheless we are deeply apologetic to those who may have been hurt due to this initiative. We understand that our methods may have sparked debate about the approach. We hope that the start of this conversation serves as a catalyst for raising life-saving awareness about not only Cervical Cancer but all preventable diseases,” concluded the apology statement.
Actress Poonam Pandey faces backlash
For those unaware, Poonam Pandey's team announced on Friday (February 2) through Instagram that she had succumbed to cervical cancer in her hometown. The Friday post on her Instagram page conveyed, 'Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer. Every living being that ever crossed paths with her experienced pure love and kindness.'
However, Poonam took to her Instagram handle the next day, revealing that she was alive. Furthermore, Poonam Pandey has come under severe criticism from fellow celebrities after she admitted that her recent social media post about her death due to cervical cancer was a shocking publicity stunt aimed at raising awareness about the disease.
