​Jackie Chan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan: When movie stars became victims of death hoaxes

Over the years, social media has become a place where multiple false reports can spread like wildfire. Celebrity death hoaxes also get popular as false reports about popular movie stars' deaths also draw the spotlight on such platforms. Many actors have fallen victim to such fabricated stories which often come from unreliable websites or misleading social media posts. Let's take a look at some.

Picture Credit: Facebook

Jackie Chan became the target of a death hoax in November 2025 when false social media posts circulated claiming he had died from complications related to decades-old on-set injuries. These posts were accompanied by AI-generated images of Chan in a hospital bed, which led to misinformation among the fans on social media. 'The Karate Kid' actor and his representatives debunked the rumors, confirming that he is alive, well, and active. This is not the first time he has faced such hoaxes; similar false reports appeared in 2015 and earlier years, and Chan has publicly reassured fans repeatedly.

In June 2012, a blog post claimed that Amitabh Bachchan had died in a car crash on “Route 80 between Morristown and Roswell”. The fictitious article asserted he lost control of a friend’s car, struck a divider, was declared dead on-site by paramedics, and even described the funeral arrangements. Multiple media outlets reported the hoax that the veteran actor was very much alive and active.

Shah Rukh Khan became the victim of a widely publicized death hoax in May 2017, when a European news network El Pais TV falsely reported that he was killed along with seven others in a private jet crash while traveling to Paris. The fake news even reached top Mumbai police officials. SRK's team confirmed he was alive and shooting in Mumbai. Responding with humor, Shah Rukh tweeted a photo captioned "Phew," joking about surviving the week despite the plane crash rumour and a ceiling collapse on his film set.

The legendary South Indian superstar Rajinikanth was once, in 2011, rumored to have passed away. During the shooting of the film 'Rana,' Rajinikanth was hospitalized due to extreme exhaustion and a kidney condition, which required treatment in Chennai and later in Singapore. During this period, false news about his death spread rapidly online. His family and publicist had to issue official statements to clarify that he was alive and resting. Rajinikanth eventually recovered and returned to Tamil Nadu.

Recently, popular actress Kajal Aggarwal became a victim of a death hoax claiming she had died in a road accident. The false report spread quickly on social media, causing alarm among her fans and followers. Kajal promptly took to social media to dismiss the rumors and assure everyone of her safety. On her X account, she wrote, "I've come across some baseless news claiming I was in an accident (and no longer around!) and honestly, it’s quite amusing because it’s absolutely untrue. By the grace of god, I want to assure you all that I am perfectly fine, safe, and doing very well I kindly request you not to believe or circulate such false news. Let’s focus our energies on positivity and truth instead. With love and gratitude, Kajal."

In 2013, a Facebook page falsely announced that she had passed away, providing fabricated details about her life and urging users to express sympathy by liking and commenting on the page. This caused panic and confusion among fans who believed that the actress had died. Katrina Kaif's representatives quickly issued a statement confirming she was alive and well, dismissing the rumors as baseless and false.