Former Bollywood actor Somy Ali, who is currently based in the US where she runs her NGO No More Tears, had the privilege of sharing the screen with legendary actor Dharmendra, who was recently admitted to a hospital in Mumbai due to his poor health. They worked together in Mafia, and the veteran actor had even offered Somy to do Barsaat alongside his son Bobby Deol. With the false news of Dharmendra’s death doing rounds, Somy is not only disappointed but angry, and that has compelled her to speak out against what she described as “a disgusting act that violates every journalistic ethic.”

In a video that she posted on her Instagram handle, she said, “I wanted to address something very, very important to me that has been extremely disturbing for the past two days for myself and also fans who are my friends of Dharamji. I wanted to directly address this message to the individual who had the audacity to fabricate the fact that Dharamji is no more. I have three degrees in broadcast journalism, and I am appalled that the media would go to such an extent just to get ratings and to be published and to create awareness and get their take on what’s going on with Dharamji’s health out in the open, which is an absolute lie, and it breaks every code of ethics pertaining to journalism in itself.”

“For the past two days, I have cried and been depressed, and my mother and a lot of friends of mine that are Southeast Asian have been upset and crying over the fact that Dharamji is no more because we were made to believe it by the media. Even people in India did not know whether he is here or gone, and I blame the media and that specific individual,” she added.

She called out those who were spreading the false news and said, “You have lied, fabricated, and manufactured the fact that a legendary actor like Dharamji, someone who actually introduced my career in Bollywood, someone I worked with in a movie, and someone I spent tons and tons of hours with outside of filming just chatting and having lunch and talking about life and him giving me advice like his own daughter, for you to fabricate the fact that we have lost him while he’s still in the hospital and healing and in recovery, you should be ashamed of yourself.”

Somy further criticized them and asked if this is what humanity has come down to. She said, “This is why there’s an expression that there are no devils in hell because all the devils are here on earth, and you, my sir or woman or whoever you are, are the devil for fabricating such horrifying news about such a legend and such a wonderful human being like Dharamji.”

She feels such news is devastating, especially for those who do not have access to what’s going on in Mumbai, and they are made to believe something so tragic and false. “I have a huge connection with India and Bombay, and it will remain till my last breath because I spent my early years there, and Dharamji has always been like a father figure to me,” Somy said.