From Big B to Katrina: Celebs who fell prey to death hoaxes

The pervasive nature of the internet and social media, while offering numerous benefits, has also unfortunately led to the distressing phenomenon of celebrity death hoaxes. Several prominent Bollywood personalities have, over the years, become victims of these false and often insensitive rumors, causing unnecessary anxiety among their fans and families. These incidents highlight the rapid spread of misinformation in the digital age and the challenges faced by public figures in dispelling such baseless claims. Here's a look at some Bollywood celebrities who have had to confront these unsettling death hoaxes.

The iconic "Shahenshah" of Bollywood has unfortunately been the subject of multiple false death rumors that have circulated online, often causing widespread concern among his massive fan base. One such post included the watermark of a renowned news channel that stated the actors' death. The post soon went viral on social media. It was however later clarified that the news was fake and not released by the news channel. There has been widespread circulation of such hoaxes on social media platforms suggesting the actor’s death. However, at multiple occasions, the actor himself and his close family members cleared the air around the rumors assuring everyone of his well-being.

Ajay Devgn has also been subject to online hoaxes that are circulating at a rapid pace. In the past, there was once such widely circulated death hoax that specifically claimed that Ajay Devgn had passed away in a helicopter crash near Mahabaleshwar. This rumor, which gained significant traction on social media and even prompted some media outlets to report prematurely, caused considerable concern among his fans and the film industry. However, these reports were quickly debunked by Ajay Devgn himself and his team, who clarified that he was safe and unharmed.

This highly respected and veteran actor, known for his powerful performances and intellectual depth, has also been a subject of disturbing death hoaxes that have caused considerable concern within the film fraternity and among his admirers. False news of his passing has circulated on social media, prompting clarifications from his family members and close associates to dispel these untrue reports. The news of him being hospitalized surfaced online after the death of Veteran actor Rajesh Khanna. His son Vivaan Shah however dismissed the rumors through a tweet on X that his father was alright.

Even younger and highly popular stars like Katrina Kaif have unfortunately been targeted by false death rumors that have surfaced on social media platforms. Katrina Kaif was recently the centre of multiple fake news circulating on social media that reported the actress to be dead. Despite these reports being quickly identified as hoaxes, they still caused distress among her fanbase. The family members of the actress later disregarded the claims of this fake news and stated that the actor was well and fine.