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Ishitta Arun Defends Smiling at Piyush Pandey’s Funeral

Her Instagram posts say laughter reflected Piyush Pandey’s spirit.

Overview

  • A brief video from the ceremony showing her smiling drew online criticism and accusations of inappropriate behavior.
  • Posting on Instagram Stories on Oct 26–27, she wrote that grief "isn't a single script" and said the moment captured relatives laughing at a line only he could deliver.
  • She urged commenters to know the context before judging and added, "We don't stage grief" or mute memories to make strangers comfortable.
  • In a subsequent interview, she criticized social pressure to perform sorrow and recalled the family singing Mile Sur Mera Tumhara to honor him.
  • Piyush Pandey, 70, a pioneering adman credited with Fevicol, Cadbury and Asian Paints campaigns, died in the ICU from pneumonia complications, according to his sister Ila Arun.