Mumbai, June 28: Actor and model Shefali Jariwala, popularly known as the ‘Kaanta Laga Girl’, passed away at the age of 42 in Mumbai on Friday. She was reportedly rushed to Bellevue Multispecialty Hospital by her husband, Parag Tyagi, along with three others. Doctors declared her dead upon arrival. The cause of her death is yet to be officially confirmed.
A senior Mumbai police official told ANI, “Her body was discovered at her residence in Andheri. We received the information around 1 am. Her remains have been sent to Cooper Hospital for postmortem. The cause of death is still unknown.”
Shefali rose to fame with her appearance in the early 2000s chartbuster music video “Kaanta Laga”, which earned her immense popularity and the iconic nickname. She later appeared in the Salman Khan-starrer Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and participated in Bigg Boss 13, where her past relationship with fellow contestant Sidharth Shukla had drawn media attention.
Shefali was previously married to Harmeet Singh of Meet Brothers in 2004, before separating in 2009. In 2015, she married television actor Parag Tyagi.
The entertainment industry mourned her untimely demise. Singer Mika Singh posted on X, “Deeply shocked and saddened. Our beloved star and my dearest friend @shefalijariwala has left us. Still can’t believe it. You will always be remembered for your grace, smile, and spirit. Om Shanti.”
Tributes poured in from celebrities including Kamya Panjabi, Aly Goni, and Rajiv Adatia. Actor Divyanka Tripathi said, “It’s unbelievable. We are shocked and sad for the family.”
Tehseen Poonawalla, her fellow Bigg Boss 13 contestant, expressed his sorrow: “Absolutely stunned to hear Shefali is no more. I last met her at a party. Life is so short. She was in #BiggBoss13 with me. Incredible how #SidharthShukla and now she, from my season, are gone. Sending love and strength to her loved ones.”