Poonam Pandey & the PR mishap cervical cancer could have done without

Poonam Pandey's dead to alive campaign to raise awareness about cervical cancer caused a stir on social media.

First no one could believe she was dead. And now no one can believe she is alive. If Poonam Pandey's insta is to be believed twice, she died on February 1 and resurrected on February 3. The last time this happened, we are still talking about it.

At this point one can't reliably know the status, but one fervently hopes rumours of her death are wildly exaggerated. News of death, especially celeb death, has its own trajectory.

Poonam's departure spread like wildfire, with everyone remembering, as we usually do when anyone dies, sweet, nice things about her. Her friends said but, but, but they never knew she was unwell! From there on the adjectives included brave, courageous and almost martyr.

And if what is now revealed is the real truth, that this was done to spread awareness about cervical cancer, then cervical cancer could have done without this PR mishap. This is a cancer which has always decried its non glam status. It has been trying to tell us through vaccines and medical campaigns how it is a preventable avatar of a usually deadly disease. And now Poonam has done a disservice to this already 'no one talks about me' illness. The fact that she did NOT die of this is going to make us Indians all the more lax.

That's our takeaway from what just happened. That someone who died did not die of it.

While one is happy to know she is alive and well, and further ready to sing 'tum jiyo hazaaron saal, saal mein sin ho pachaas hazaar!' the supposed cause of her death must undergo shamefaced moments of er, I can kill, but, well, guess what, didn't kill anyone this time, tee hee. Oopsie!

Now all eyes are on cervical cancer. Can it? Is it? Will it? Nah.

Once upon a time we remember Poonam Pandey promising to strip if India won the cricket World Cup, and then not stripping. And now here she is getting all our obits, only to back out.

When she actually goes, like all mortals must one day, will we be able to condole?