Deadly Lies: Why Death Hoaxes Keep Haunting Celebs
The recent Dharmendra death hoax wasn’t just a mistake — it was a mirror to our digital chaos, where emotion spreads quicker than truth
The fake news of screen legend Dharmendra’s death sent shock waves across the Hindi film industry on the morning of November 11, triggering panic and confusion on an unprecedented scale. Even stars like Jackie Chan and Kajal Aggarwal have been subjects of similar death hoaxes, showing how quickly misinformation can spiral and how deeply it impacts both fans and families.
“Dharamji is gone. This is not a small thing. We will have to re-schedule our film,” said someone very close to the De De Pyaar De 2 team after the shocking “news” spread like wildfire. The ripple effect was immediate.
Director Aditya Dhar postponed the trailer launch of his big Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar, leaving hundreds of fans who had gathered for the event disappointed.
The grand music launch of Tere Ishk Mein at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House, set to feature Dhanush, Kriti Sanon, Aanand L Rai, Bhushan Kumar, and A.R. Rahman, was also called off.
Actor Govinda, a diehard Dharmendra fan, reportedly declared he would go into a prolonged period of mourning. So convincing was the hoax that even Dharmendra’s sons Sunny and Bobby Deol briefly believed it. Bobby was said to have wept inconsolably until Sunny confirmed with the hospital that their father was, in fact, alive and recovering.
As condolences began pouring in from dignitaries and politicians across the country, Hema Malini was both livid and heartbroken. “How can they do this? How can the media be so irresponsible? This is simply outrageous. Please show some respect for our family,” Hema said.
She also questioned how such alarming misinformation spreads unchecked. “Even Wikipedia fell for it. Who are these so-called sources spreading false news? We request you to find some other way of entertaining yourself.” She added: “We are human beings first, celebrities afterwards. Please don’t treat us as just targets for headlines.”
Such hoaxes highlight a darker side of digital virality, In an era obsessed with breaking news, even death becomes content — and the truth arrives fashionably late.
Fake farewells
· Rumours about Kajal Aggarwal’s “tragic accident” went viral on social media, prompting her team to issue a clarification within hours.
· A fake tweet claiming Paresh Rawal had passed away in 2022 led to confusion and condolences online.
· A YouTube channel falsely reported Rajinikanth’s demise in 2020, forcing his publicist to release an official statement debunking the claim.
· Amitabh Bachchan on multiple occasions has been “killed” by fake news several times over the years.
