Who Was Poonam Pandey, The Controversial Adult Film Actress Who Died Due To Cervical Cancer?

UPDATE: Poonam Pandey, a popular model and actress, breathed her last at 32. The actress was reportedly suffering from cervical cancer and died on Thursday night. The news of her untimely death was confirmed in an Instagram post shared on her official handle. She made her Bollywood debut in 2013 in the feature film Nasha and often drew attention for her controversial statements.  She went on to do movies like The Journey Of Karma (2018), Malini & Co (2015), Uvaa (2015), Aa Gaya Hero (2017) and others.

When Poonam's promise to 'strip' if India wins World Cup went viral

Poonam Pandey's controversial comments during the 2011 Cricket World Cup Final went viral. She promised to strip if India clinched the trophy. However, the BCCI prohibited her from doing so. A life shrouded in controversy followed. Poonam featured in adult films throughout her career and acquired a fan following of her her. Separately, she kept posting raunchy images on her social media handle that helped her acquire a following of over 1 million on Instagram.

The actress made her Bollywood debut with the 2013 film Nasha. Following this, her notable films include The Journey Of Karma (2018), Malini & Co (2015), Uvaa (2015), Aa Gaya Hero (2017) and others. The actress also appeared in the first season of Lock Upp. Kangana Ranaut hosted the show which also featured Munawar Faruqui, Karan Singh Grover, Saisha Shinde, Anjali Arora and Nisha Rawal among others. Even though Poonam Pandey did not win the show, her popularity skyrocketed after it. Most recently she was seen in the web series Honeymoon Suite 911. The series premiered on ALT Balaji in December 2023. Poonam was an established name in the adult film industry. 

Poonam's rocky personal life

Poonam was briefly married to producer and musician Sam Bombay. While they got married in a private ceremony in 2020 their separation was public. Days after tying the knot, she accused her husband of domestic abuse, following which he was arrested. 

During her participation in Lock Upp, Poonam Pandey opened up about how her husband Sam Bombay tortured her. Speaking to her co-contestant on the show and actor Karanvir Bohra, she said, “Nobody wants something like this to happen to them. Who likes to get beaten up….If I am in one room, I am not allowed to be in that room, he would ask me why are you in that room. He would force me to be with him in the room he wanted. When I used to tell him that I wanted some time with myself and fresh air and wanted to go on the terrace, I wasn’t allowed. I was not allowed to take my phone anywhere, and was not allowed to touch my phone in my own house.” in the same conversation, she recalled suffering a brain injury after her husband hit her. Talking about going through abuse, she said, “I’ve been trying for long, this has been happening for good four years. He didn’t just beat once, my brain injury (she points on the left side of her head) did not heal because he kept beating me on the same spot again and again. I would apply makeup, gloss and laugh in front of everyone, to hide it. I would act very cool in front of everyone.”