Thursday, March 26, 2026
News

"We don't stage grief...": Ishitta Arun fires back at backlash for smiling at uncle Piyush Pandey's funeral

SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend    Print this Page   COMMENT

Mumbai (Maharashtra) | October 27, 2025 10:47:53 AM IST
Actor and content creator Ishitta Arun found herself at the centre of a social media storm after a video from her uncle, veteran adman Piyush Pandey's funeral, went viral.

The clip, which showed Ishitta smiling and talking to others during the ceremony, led many online users to slam her for being "insensitive" at a solemn event.

Now, Ishitta herself has responded to the backlash. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the actor hit back at the trolls, saying that grief cannot be "scripted" or performed for others' comfort. In her note, she explained that her emotions came from a place of love and memory, not disrespect.

Her post read, "Grief isn't a single script. And when you're saying goodbye to a man who laughed louder than anyone else -remembering him through laughter isn't disrespect. It's continuity. It's muscle memory. It's knowing who he really was."

"We don't stage grief. We don't mute memory to make strangers comfortable. We remembered him honestly -as laughter, courage, and life itself. Next time - know the story before you comment on the moment," read another Story.

Pandey, 70, began his career in advertising in 1982 with Ogilvy & Mather India (now Ogilvy India), starting as a trainee account executive before moving to the creative side. Over the years, he transformed Indian advertising, creating iconic campaigns such as Asian Paints' "Har khushi mein rang laaye", Cadbury's "Kuch Khaas Hai", and the legendary Fevicol "Egg" film.

In 2004, Pandey became the first Asian to serve as jury president at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. His contributions were further recognised with the CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the Padma Shri, making him the first figure from Indian advertising to receive the national honour. (ANI)

 
  LATEST COMMENTS (0)
POST YOUR COMMENT
Comments Not Available
 
POST YOUR COMMENT
 
 
TRENDING TOPICS
 
 
CITY NEWS
MORE CITIES
 
 
 
MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
'Dhurandhar 2' a reflection of 'New Indi...
'Circulated with ulterior motives': 'Dhu...
Kiran Rao, Guneet Monga and others refle...
Woman accused of shooting at Rihanna's h...
Vivek Agnihotri, Bhushan Kumar join hand...
Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra's 'Toaster...
More...
 
INDIA WORLD ASIA
Moradabad Municipal Corporation deploys ...
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta participates in Kan...
'Planned, systemic attack; initiated by ...
'People with BJP, except Bangladeshi inf...
Devotees in large numbers throng temples...
'No local indigenous Indian will vote fo...
More...    
 
 Top Stories
Parvesh Verma takes dig at Kejriwal... 
SC refuses to interfere with Delhi ... 
Fertiliser production to dip 10-15%... 
MP: CM Yadav offers prayers at Anga... 
Political repression, disappearance... 
"Hear only praises of the film": Aa... 
Israel media claims Iran Naval comm... 
IISc Partners with CADFEM and Synop...