Shefali Jariwala, the actress and model who became a household name with the iconic "Kaanta Laga" music video, passed away on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the age of 42. While the exact cause of death is still under investigation, initial reports suggest a cardiac arrest. Her sudden demise has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and left her fans in deep mourning.
Many remember Shefali for her appearance in the 2002 hit music video "Kaanta Laga". The song's catchy tune and Shefali's energetic dance moves made her an overnight sensation, earning her the moniker "Kaanta Laga girl". However, her career extended beyond that one song.
In 2004, Shefali made her Bollywood debut with a brief role in the film "Mujhse Shaadi Karogi". The movie, directed by David Dhawan, starred Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Priyanka Chopra. Shefali's appearance in the film, though small, connected her to Bollywood's biggest stars and one of the biggest entertainers. She played the character named Bijli in the movie.
Venturing beyond Bollywood, Shefali also appeared in the South Indian film industry. In 2011, she starred in the Kannada film "Hudugaru," directed by K. Madesh. The film featured Puneeth Rajkumar, Srinagar Kitty, Yogesh, and Radhika Pandit in leading roles. She appeared as a dancer in the song "Pankaja". The song was sung by Mamatha Sharma, V. Harikrishna and Naveen Madhav, with lyrics by Yogaraj Bhat. The film revolves around three close friends with different aspirations and the unexpected turn their lives take when they help a friend elope.
Apart from her film appearances, Shefali participated in several reality shows. She appeared in "Nach Baliye" with her husband, Parag Tyagi, and was also a contestant on "Bigg Boss 13". Most recently, Shefali was seen in "Shaitani Rasmein," a romantic horror fantasy series that premiered on Star Bharat in January 2024.
In a 2020 interview, Shefali revealed that she had been diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 15. She believed that the condition had affected her career choices after the success of "Kaanta Laga," as she was unsure when she might experience another seizure. She had been married to musician Harmeet Singh of Meet Bros, but they divorced in 2009. She later married actor Parag Tyagi in 2015.
The news of Shefali Jariwala's death has been met with shock and grief from fans and colleagues alike. Mumbai Police have begun an investigation into her death, and her body has been sent for postmortem. The security guard at her residence stated that she was taken to the hospital around 10:30 PM on the night of her passing. Her last Instagram post, just three days before her death, showed her in a bold photoshoot, looking "young and fit as ever".
