On 8 September, mischievous elements on the internet decided to kill off the very alive Kajal Aggarwal. The rumour spread like wildfire with her fans mourning the passing of their favourite.
However, it turned out to be a hoax.
Kajal reacts with amusement and exasperation when I connect with her on the morning after the death hoax. “Good morning and thank you, Subhash! While I personally found the baseless news amusing, it was quite sad to see how disturbed my family felt. They kept receiving incessant calls, as did my staff. Birth, death and such life events are deeply serious matters that one should never trivialize or spread falsehoods about. I truly hope we can all be more mindful and focus on truth, kindness, and positivity.”
Veteran actress Raakhee Gulzar, who was also a victim of a death hoax recently, says this menace should be tackled sternly. She scoffs at the celebrity-killing culture in our country. “I think I should be flattered by these rumours. They add to my lifespan. But I am not. This culture of killing off known figures in the entertainment business for fun is ghoulish and foolish. Dear Lataji, our Mata Saraswati who sang so many beautiful songs for me, was hounded by these rumours. Every six months there used to be talk of her being no more, and sometimes responsible members of the film industry would spread these rumours. So I guess I am in august company.”
Hema Malini refuses to see the humour in death hoaxes. “Who gets to benefit from such criminal gossip? Relatives, friends get worried. They start calling. Imagine how awkward it is for them to ask, ‘Are you alive?’ Our nation has a lot of people who have nothing to do. Some months ago, they spread the rumour that Vyjayanthimala is no more. This is in very bad taste.”
Asha Parekh is not willing to take this nuisance lying down. “I’ve been at the receiving end of these rumours. The next time it happens, I will be approaching the cyber-crime cell to find out who wants me dead.”
