25 Outrageous and Cheap Publicity Stunts That Shook Bollywood

In the glitzy yet cutthroat world of Bollywood, visibility often trumps talent. While some actors choose awards and accolades, others choose controversy. Publicity stunts—especially the cheap, cringe, and outrageous ones—have become an underground marketing manual for struggling stars, fading careers, and over-hyped films.

Here's a wild ride through the top 25 cheap publicity stunts that turned Bollywood into a full-blown soap opera. Buckle up, because these moments are spicy, shameless, and strangely satisfying.

1. Poonam Pandey’s World Cup Strip Promise

She promised to strip naked if India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup. India won, she didn’t deliver—at least not entirely. But her fame skyrocketed overnight. Photoshoots followed. So did a film career nobody asked for.

2. Rakhi Sawant’s Alleged “Forced Kiss” by Mika Singh

In 2006, Rakhi filed a case after singer Mika kissed her at a party. Media exploded. Years later, whispers in the industry suggested the whole thing may have been staged for publicity. Neither denied it outright.

3. Veena Malik’s Nude FHM Cover with “ISI” Tattoo

A Pakistani actress posing nude with an “ISI” tattoo? That’s not just a scandal, it's geopolitical gossip. Veena milked the media storm, denied the shoot was real, and threatened lawsuits. Classic.

4. Kamaal R. Khan (KRK)’s Film Fights & Twitter Wars

KRK’s film Deshdrohi may be unwatchable, but his outrageous tweets, bottle-throwing stunts, and self-declared reviews made him a tabloid magnet. Cheap? Yes. Effective? Sadly, also yes.

5. Mallika Sherawat Kisses a Snake for Hisss

To promote her film where she played a naagin (snake woman), Mallika kissed a live python and called it “spiritual bonding.” The only thing slithering after was the film’s box office collection—straight down.

6. Rakhi Sawant’s Many Marriages (Real and Imagined)

First she had a televised swayamvar. Then she claimed to marry an NRI. Later she said he left her. Then she “married” another man secretly. Rakhi has had more dramatic weddings than Ekta Kapoor’s serials.

7. Aditya Narayan’s Indigo Airport Rant

“Tere baap ko bula…” That was singer Aditya Narayan’s infamous line during an airport meltdown. He was fined, criticized, and—coincidentally—his new music videos released shortly after.

8. Payal Rohatgi’s Political Commentary

From fitness influencer to sudden political commentator, Payal began posting controversial, conspiracy-laced videos that kept her trending. Whether she believed in it or not? That’s anyone’s guess.

9. Sherlyn Chopra’s “First Indian Playboy Girl” Announcement

When Sherlyn declared she’d posed for Playboy, the Indian internet lost it. She milked the announcement for months before the photos appeared. The coverage outweighed the career impact.

10. Ajay Devgn vs Karan Johar Box Office Fight

Right before Shivaay and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil clashed in 2016, Ajay accused Karan Johar of paying critics. Leaked calls. Angry tweets. Dirty war or planned buzz? No one knows. But people talked.

11. KRK Slaps Self, Claims Attack

KRK once claimed he was slapped at a premiere—but later CCTV footage showed otherwise. The only thing bruised was logic.

12. Ameesha Patel’s Airport “Forgetfulness”

She “forgot” to pay her hotel bill. Then claimed harassment. Every media house ran it. Her film was releasing in two weeks. Coincidence?

13. Rimi Sen’s “Fake Silence” in Bigg Boss

Rimi spent the entire season looking bored and barely speaking. Turns out, it was a strategy—she later admitted she was paid extra to behave that way and stir curiosity.

14. Mallika Sherawat’s “My Kiss Changed India” Claim

During a Cannes interview, Mallika said she brought revolution to Indian cinema with her bold scenes. The audacity was the actual headline.

15. Koena Mitra’s Botched Surgery & Media Tour

She publicly admitted her nose job went wrong—then appeared on every channel talking about it. Brave? Yes. But also oddly timed with a comeback attempt.

16. Pooja Misra’s “Bigg Boss Breakdown”

“Spare me!” became a national meme after her Bigg Boss stint. Her overly dramatic meltdowns were later called out as possibly staged.

17. Tanishaa Mukerji-Armaan Kohli Romance Drama

The two created a fake-love-real-fight storyline in Bigg Boss. It fizzled out post-show, but media milked it dry.

18. Rakhi vs Deepak Kalal’s Fake Wedding

Yes, Rakhi again. She announced a wedding with cringe YouTuber Deepak Kalal. It was painfully fake—and painful to watch. Thank heavens it never happened.

19. Kangana Ranaut’s Explosive Statements

Kangana is a one-woman PR machine. Whether it's calling industry people “movie mafia” or comparing herself to Rani Laxmi Bai, her mic drops are always timely and controversial.

20. Uorfi Javed’s DIY Fashion Chaos

Uorfi turns heads with bizarre outfits—from cell phones to razors to wires. Some call it fashion. Others call it madness. Either way, she trends.

21. Meera Chopra’s “I’m Not Related to Priyanka” Feud

She went public saying she received hate for not being acknowledged by cousin Priyanka Chopra. It sparked a family feud that suspiciously aligned with her film promotions.

22. Neil Nitin Mukesh’s “No Kissing Rule” (Then Kisses)

Neil made a bold “no kissing” statement—then kissed on screen weeks later. Either plans changed, or he forgot. The drama was juicier than the movie.

23. Sunny Leone’s “Interview Drama” with Bhupendra Chaubey

She stayed classy while the anchor got creepy. The “victimhood” angle gained her huge sympathy and headlines—right when her movie was set to launch.

24. Celina Jaitly’s Sudden Baby Reveal

After disappearing for years, she dropped news of twins, exotic photoshoots, and sudden interviews. Comeback? Not really. PR attempt? Absolutely.

25. Kangana Ranaut’s Twitter Ban & Return

Banned for inflammatory tweets, she returned like a phoenix—with more spice. Her ban became a bigger story than some movies.

Conclusion

In Bollywood, *bad PR is still PR*. Whether it’s a kiss, a slap, a tattoo, or a tweet—publicity stunts, however cheap, still grab eyeballs. Love them or hate them, these attention-seekers knew how to play the game. And as long as the cameras are rolling, the stunts will keep coming.