Poonam Pandey

Indian media personality and actress (born 1991)

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Poonam Pandey (born 11 March 1991) is an Indian media personality and actress. She debuted in Hindi cinema with the erotic film Nasha in 2013. She was also a contestant in Khatron Ke Khiladi 4 (2011) and Lock Upp season 1 (2022).

Early life and media spotlight

Pandey was born in a middle class family in Mumbai on 11 March 1991. She began career as a model in 2010. She became one of the top nine contestants of the Gladrags Manhunt and Megamodel Contest and appeared on the cover page of the fashion magazine.

Pandey became popular through her social media accounts, including Twitter, when she started posting her semi-nude photos. Her revealing photos received significant media attention.

Pandey rose to the media's spotlight when she promised to strip for the India national cricket team if it won the 2011 Cricket World Cup. India indeed lifted the World Cup; however, Pandey did not fulfill her promise due to public disapproval, but later claimed she was denied permission by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. However, she did upload a video on her mobile app in which she is seen stripping naked at the Wankhede Stadium at night.

In 2012, she posed nude after Kolkata Knight Riders won the Indian Premier League.

In 2017, Poonam Pandey launched a mobile application named the Pandey App, which featured adult-oriented content. Within an hour of its release, Google removed the app from the Play Store, citing violations of its content policy. The removal of the app led to discussions and debate regarding freedom of expression on digital platforms.

Pandey also uploaded a sex tape to Instagram in which she was with her boyfriend, that she later deleted.

Film career

In 2013, she played the female lead of the film Nasha, playing a teacher who ends up having a sexual relationship with one of her students. While Rediff.com stated that she excelled as a seductress in the role, the Mumbai Mirror said she did "not play seductresses but a proper, responsible drama teacher" and that "Poonam makes an effort but isn't quite there".

The posters for the film, which featured her "clad in nothing, but two placards tactfully placed to cover her body", angered people and a group of protesters tore the posters and set them on fire on 20 July 2013 in Mumbai. The general secretary of Shiv Sena Chitrapat objected to advertisements, saying, "We find the poster highly vulgar and derogatory and won't allow such hoardings."

Personal life

Pandey married her long-term boyfriend Sam Ahmed Bombay on 1 September 2020. The wedding had to be private because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were married at their Mumbai home in the presence of close friends and family.

On 11 September, Pandey filed a complaint against Bombay, claiming he had molested, threatened and assaulted her. Bombay was arrested on Tuesday 23 September in Goa. The incident happened in Canacona village in south Goa where Pandey was shooting for a movie. However, this sparked a controversy as many accused her of scamming and abusing the use of IPC Section 498A. Bombay was later released on bail and Pandey talked things over with him.

On 5 November 2020, Pandey was arrested in North Goa for filming a nude video on government property. The arrest came after the Goa Forward Party filed a complaint and FIR, and stated to the media that Pandey's video was an assault on the women of Goa.

On 18 January 2022, she was given protection from arrest by the Supreme Court of India after being accused of involvement in the major porn-film-racketing scandal, that involved many Bollywood stars. The Bombay High Court had earlier rejected her anticipatory bail plea, prompting Pandey to approach the Supreme Court. Along with actor Sherlyn Chopra, Pandey was named as an accused in an FIR registered by the Mumbai Police's Cyber Cell under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Indecent Representation of Women (Prevention) Act, and the Information Technology Act. The case alleged the creation and distribution of sexually explicit content.

Death stunt

Pandey's manager posted on her official Instagram account through a post that Pandey had died of cervical cancer on 1 February 2024, at the age of 32. The next day it was revealed to be a publicity stunt to raise awareness about the disease, which received widespread criticism.

Pandey publicly apologised after the All Indian Cine Workers Association demanded that the Mumbai Police Commissioner file an FIR against her.