What price, haste?

In an age where news races faster than verification, the recent swirl of false reports about Dharmendra's “death” stands as a sobering reminder of why editorial restraint is not merely advisable, it is essential. The episode, which saw unverified claims snowball across social media and even seep into mainstream channels, exposed a troubling vacuum where speed repeatedly outran accuracy. The actor had merely been hospitalised and was, according to his family, “stable and recovering”, yet misinformation spread with the confidence of confirmed fact.

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The fallout was immediate and deeply distressing. Dharmendra's daughter Esha Deol and wife Hema Malini were forced to publicly deny the rumours and chastise the media for its recklessness. Their statements were not just clarifications; they were indictments, an emotional plea for basic respect, privacy, and humanity. Sunny Deol's team too had to intervene, reiterating that the veteran star was responding to treatment, a message that should have been carried with diligence from the outset rather than as damage control.