Shefali Jariwala, the actress and model who became a pop culture icon with her breakout appearance in the 2002 hit music video Kaanta Laga, died on Friday, June 27, following a cardiac arrest. She was 42. As the news of her sudden demise sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry, we look at her first marriage and turbulent divorce from Harmeet Singh of the famed music duo Meet Bros. Know all about Shefali Jariwala’s first husband.

Who is Harmeet Singh, Shefali Jariwala’s first husband?

Harmeet Singh is one half of the successful music-producing pair Meet Bros. Born on August 25, 1980, Harmeet, often referred to as ‘Harry’, initially began his career in television with appearances in serials like Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kkusum, and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi before finding fame in music with his brother Manmeet.

The Meet Bros duo became known for composing hit Bollywood numbers and won accolades including the IIFA and Filmfare Awards for Best Music Director for their work in the film Roy. In 2018, they were also honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in the Best Live Performers category. Harmeet is currently married to Sunaina Singh, and the couple share a son.

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Shefali Jariwala and Harmeet Singh marriage

Shefali and Harmeet were married in 2004, but their marriage ended in divorce five years later in 2009. The split was far from amicable. Jariwala filed an FIR against Harmeet at Mumbai’s Oshiwara police station, alleging physical and mental abuse. According to her statements, she also accused him of withdrawing approximately Rs 12 lakh from their joint account without her consent.

Publicly addressing her troubled marriage, Shefali spoke out in 2021 in an interview with Times Now, saying, “It is very important to understand that you are not being appreciated. Not every kind of violence is physical. There is a lot of mental violence that also happens, and you are very unhappy in your life.”

She emphasised the importance of financial independence, adding, “I think one of the reasons why I could make the decision (of divorce) for myself was because I was independent. I was making my own money. The biggest fear in our country is we have is of the society. Divorce is considered to be taboo but the way I have been raised, is to not really care about society but just do what we feel is right. I could take such steps in my life and had strong support.”

Jariwala moved on in life, eventually marrying Parag Tyagi in 2015 and continuing her presence in television and public appearances.