The world wept yesterday as we bid a final farewell to one of the brightest stars of Bollywood, Sridevi. The news that shocked us all on the morning of 25th February has left a gaping hole in our hearts.
At the same time, the media’s insensitive coverage of the whole incident left many of us questioning how low Indian journalism can stoop and how well they can sensationalise a subject as sombre as death.
Amidst all of this, a screenshot from a video on news channel Tez TV became the target of hate as it claimed that Sridevi’s rebirth has already taken place. The screenshot is that of a video from the news being aired and shows a clip of Sridevi’s dance beside a newly born baby girl.
https://twitter.com/writtenbyDK/status/969068866138755072
The screenshot went viral and many people targeted their angst towards the channel for claiming such things.
1. Journalism is really dead.
Now, an Indian television is reporting about #Sridevi ji's rebirth. They are claiming a rebirth of her. Indian news channels have actually become comedy channels, report anything nonsense and illogical. Better you stay away from that. Rest In Piece, Indian Media! #WorstJournalism
— Rahul Raut (@Rahulrautwrites) February 28, 2018
2. Funky, some called it.
Another #funky side of Indian #Media. #SriDevi #Rebirth 😂😂 #sridevi2.0 pic.twitter.com/RdqA0K6d4l
— Param Gulati😳 (@TheParamGulati) March 1, 2018
3. What is wrong with them, indeed.
What the hell is wrong with this Indian media?? After so much circus on death now they showing #SriDevi rebirth… #MediaKiMaut pic.twitter.com/NpDezkNvd8
— Broken Battle🌐 (@secular_roar) March 1, 2018
However, it turns out that the channel was not claiming any such thing. In fact, it was debunking this viral video by telling the audience NOT to believe the rebirth story if they come across it.
When I first checked this screenshot, It looked funny, But later when I watched the complete Video, Got to know that the news channels had actually exposed one year old viral video which started doing rounds again on Facebook and WhatsApp. pic.twitter.com/rBzZ7n8Yj8
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) February 28, 2018
The person also shared the original video being aired on the channel, which most of us conveniently didn’t bother to see.
Here is the Complete video by the Channel 🙂 pic.twitter.com/GwIc2hnNPi
— Unofficial Sususwamy (@swamv39) February 28, 2018
It turns out, the video of the baby girl is from 2017 and had gone viral then too. When the video resurfaced again in the wake of Sridevi’s demise, the channel was making the viewers wary of it.
So all this hate they got was literally for nothing.