Veteran actor Raza Murad has lodged a police complaint after a false social media post claimed that he had passed away, sparking panic and distress among his family, friends, and fans.

The fabricated post, which even included his date of birth and a fake “date of death,” left the actor deeply shaken and forced him to issue repeated clarifications.

Taking the matter into his own hands, the 73-year-old actor filed the official complaint at Mumbai's Amboli Police Station on Friday.

Speaking to the media, he expressed distress over the misinformation and clarified that he is very much alive.

Murad said, "There are some people who, for reasons I don't understand, seem bothered by my existence. They posted about my death and even offered condolences. They wrote that I had worked for many years, but now no one is there to remember me. They even mentioned my birthday and a fake date of death in that post. This is a very serious matter."

The Ram Teri Ganga Maili actor further added, "My throat, tongue, and lips have dried up from telling people that I am alive. This false news has spread everywhere. I am getting calls and messages from across the world. People are even sending me copies of the post."

Calling the hoax both “hurtful” and “shameful,” Murad condemned the mindset of the person behind it.

He slammed the mischief, saying, “Whoever has done this must have a very bad mentality. He appears to be a very small person, someone who has never accomplished anything significant in his life. That is why he enjoys doing such cheap things.”

The Mohra actor confirmed that the police have taken his complaint seriously and assured him of strict action. 

He urged authorities to set an example so such malicious rumours don’t continue to plague public figures.