Actress and dancer Shefali Jariwala, who rose to national fame with the early 2000s hit remix Kaanta Laga, passed away in Mumbai at the age of 42 after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. Her unexpected death late Friday evening has left the entertainment world stunned, with tributes pouring in from fans, colleagues, and celebrities mourning the loss of one of India’s early pop culture icons.
Jariwala became a household name virtually overnight when she appeared in the remixed music video of Kaanta Laga, which exploded in popularity and became a defining cultural moment for an entire generation. Her bold look, distinctive dance moves, and confident screen presence made her one of the most recognisable faces of the remix era.
Reflecting on the life-changing moment years later, Shefali shared in a 2020 interview with Rediff that her big break came completely by accident.
“There’s been 17 years since Kaanta Laga and I can’t believe it. It just seems like yesterday. Well, Kaanta Laga happened to me absolutely by chance. I was chilling outside my college, and the directors of the video, Radhika Rao and Vinay Sankar, they spotted me there, and they offered me the song. What I just did for fun, and a little bit of pocket money, it just completely changed my life. They were like fairy godmothers. They came and waved their magic wand and turned this ugly duckling into this beautiful swan. So yeah, it changed my life completely,” she had said.
Shefali, who was pursuing engineering at the time, admitted that she never anticipated a future in showbiz.
“I hadn’t thought in my wildest imaginations and dreams that I would ever be a part of the entertainment industry. I was actually studying to be an engineer then. And nobody from our family actually had anything to do with the entertainment industry for I believe more than seven generations. I come from a very academic family. So yes, I did finish my education, but Kaanta Laga was such a huge hit that there was really no looking back,” she recalled.
In a separate interview with The Times of India, Shefali spoke about the modest beginnings of her stardom, including her signing amount for the now-iconic music video.
“I was in college then and I come from a family of academicians, so my parents told me to focus on my studies. But I wanted to do it because I was getting paid for it. I earned Rs 7,000 from that song, and I wanted to see myself on TV,” she had shared.
She also revealed that her father was initially opposed to the idea of her entering the entertainment industry. “My father was completely against it. So first, I took my mom into confidence and then, we both convinced my father. And that song turned out to be such a hit that it was like a fairytale for me. It changed my life completely.”
Following her debut, Shefali appeared in films such as Mujhse Shaadi Karogi alongside Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, and later made a successful transition to television, featuring in shows like Nach Baliye and Bigg Boss 13, where she was praised for her poise and honesty.
Shefali Jariwala is survived by her husband, actor Parag Tyagi, and her grieving family.