Shreyas Talpade took to Instagram to issue a long statement of clarification to address the fake posts that are being shared online talking about his death. The actor, who will be seen next in Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency, spoke about the anxiety that the death hoax has generated for his close ones, including his daughter. He had earlier suffered a heart attack last year.
In the statement, Shreyas wrote, “Dear All, I want to assure everyone that I am alive, happy and healthy. I’ve become aware of a viral post claiming my demise. While I understand that humor has its place, when it’s misused, it can cause real harm. What may have started as a joke by someone, is now creating unnecessary worry and playing with the emotions of those who care about me, especially my family.”
He added, “My little daughter, who goes to school every day, is already anxious about my well-being, constantly asking questions and seeking reassurance. This false news only deepens her fears, forcing her to confront more questions from her peers and teachers, stirring up emotions that we’ve been trying to manage as a family. To those pushing this content further, I ask you to pause and consider the impact. Many people have genuinely prayed for my well-being, and it’s disheartening to see humor used in a way that can hurt sentiments, cause distress to my loved ones, and disrupt our lives. When you spread such rumors, it doesn’t just affect the person targeted-it also affects their family, especially young children who might not fully understand the situation but feel the emotional toll nonetheless.”
He addressed his trolls on social media and said, “To the trolls, I have a simple request: please stop. Don’t joke around at the cost of others, and don’t do this to anyone else. I wouldn’t want anything like this to happen to you ever, so please be sensitive. Chasing engagement and likes should never come at the expense of other’s feelings.”
Shreyas plays the role of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Emergency, which is set to be released in theatres on September 6.