In a heartbreaking turn of events, actress and former Bigg Boss 13 contestant Shefali Jariwala passed away at the age of 42. Best remembered for her iconic appearance in the early 2000s hit music video Kaanta Laga, Shefali reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest at her Mumbai residence on Friday night. She was rushed to the hospital by her husband, actor Parag Tyagi, but was declared dead upon arrival. A postmortem is currently underway to determine the exact cause of death.
The sudden demise of Shefali has left fans and the entertainment industry in shock. Among those mourning her loss is Punjabi singer-actor Himanshi Khurana, who shared a close bond with Shefali during their time together on Bigg Boss 13. Taking to Instagram Stories on Saturday morning, Himanshi shared a throwback selfie with Shefali, expressing her grief with a heartfelt message:“Bigg Boss, that place is cursed I think 💔”
The throwback image shows the two women smiling warmly, reflecting their friendship and the camaraderie they shared on the controversial reality show.
Adding to the emotional weight of her passing is the fact that Shefali’s last post on X (formerly Twitter) was a tribute to her friend and former boyfriend, Bigg Boss 13 winner Sidharth Shukla, who also died suddenly in his early 40s due to cardiac arrest. On September 2, 2024 — Sidharth's death anniversary — Shefali shared a touching picture of the two hugging inside the Bigg Boss house with the caption:
Thinking of you today mere dost @sidharth_shukla ❤️”
Shefali and Sidharth had dated briefly over 15 years ago but remained on cordial terms. In an earlier interview with BollywoodLife, Shefali reflected on their bond, saying,
“Initially we bonded, and then we had a bad fight. After he came back from the secret room, our equation got better. Both of us are very logical people. Also, we have similar interests. We would talk about travel, space, bullet trains and what not. Even after we stopped dating, we were always cordial whenever we bumped into each other.”
Shefali later married television actor Parag Tyagi, and the couple had been together for over a decade.
As tributes continue to pour in from fans and colleagues, Shefali Jariwala’s untimely death is being remembered as yet another tragic loss for the Bigg Boss family.