Shefali Jariwala Once Gave Competition To Priyanka Chopra, Lara Datta: The Star Who Fought Epilepsy Quietly Behind Her Fame

Shefali Jariwala, who became an overnight star at just 19 with her iconic Kaanta Laga music video, passed away on Friday. She was rushed to Bellevue Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai, but doctors declared her dead on arrival. Though her family hasn’t released a statement yet, reports suggest she might have suffered a cardiac arrest.

She Became a Star Overnight With Kaanta Laga

In the early 2000s, Shefali’s dance in DJ Doll’s Kaanta Laga made her a household name. Everyone thought she was going to be the next big thing in Bollywood. In a 2003 radio poll, she was listed as one of the “breakout stars” alongside Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, and Shahid Kapoor.

She Stayed Away From Bollywood

Despite her fame, Shefali chose to stay away from the film industry. She appeared in only one Bollywood film – Mujhse Shaadi Karogi starring Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan. Apart from that, she participated in dance reality shows like Nach Baliye and Boogie Woogie, where people loved her energy and style.

Years later, Shefali opened up about why she didn’t take up many projects. In a 2020 interview with The Times of India, she shared that she had been battling epilepsy since she was 15. Because of her illness, she couldn’t commit to long shooting schedules.

She said, “I didn’t know when I would get my next seizure… this went on for 15 years.”

Shefali’s Struggles With Epilepsy

Shefali explained that she was under a lot of pressure to do well in her studies when she first got diagnosed. “Stress and anxiety can lead to seizures,” she said. Despite her fame, her illness lowered her confidence.

“I have had seizures in classrooms, backstage, while on roads. It lowered my self-esteem,” she shared.

Shefali married television actor Parag Tyagi 11 years ago after her divorce from musician Harmeet Singh in 2009. She met Parag soon after her divorce, and they tied the knot in 2014. As of now, Parag has not released any official statement about her sudden death.

Also Read: Shefali Jariwala Wanted to Adopt A Girl Child, But Why Was The Process So Difficult?