Bollywood actress Poonam Pandey passed away at the age of 32 after battling cervical cancer. The news of her death was shared on her Instagram page in a post on Friday.
The post read, “This morning is a tough one for us. Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer.”
Her manager, Nikita Sharma, later confirmed her death to NDTV, praising her remarkable spirit during her health struggles.
Pandey began her career as a model and made her film debut in the 2013 movie “Nasha,” an erotic thriller that sparked controversy in India due to its provocative poster featuring the partially undressed actress.
In 2022, Pandey appeared on the first season of the Indian reality show “Lock Upp,” where celebrities compete to escape imprisonment.
Known for her controversial persona, Pandey often faced criticism for her bold expressions of sexuality. She courted controversy in 2011 by promising to strip if India won the Cricket World Cup and later posted a nude photo celebrating her favored team’s victory in 2012. In 2023, Pandey joined OnlyFans.
Pandey once acknowledged deliberately stirring controversies to boost her Bollywood career, saying, “It’s very difficult to get your own identity, especially if you come from nowhere. Hence, to get that identity and recognition, I thought only controversy could help.”
She married actor Sam Bombay in September 2020 but accused him of physical assault just two months later. Despite the arrest, Pandey chose to stay with Bombay, citing the ups and downs of marriage. The couple eventually separated.
Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut expressed sadness over Pandey’s passing on Instagram, while comedian Munawar Faruqui, one of Pandey’s co-stars on Lock Upp, tweeted about her shocking demise, remembering her as a great human being.