Jun 30, 2025 11:26 AM IST
Vinay Sapru said that Shefali Jariwala recently told him that ‘the first 20 years were great, now let’s plan the next 20’.
Vinay Sapru, who directed the hit song Kaanta Laga starring Shefali Jariwala, has spoken about how their meeting was a chanced one. Speaking with India Today, Vinay recalled that he was driving with his wife Radhika when Shefali rode past them on a scooter along with her mother following which they called her for audition. Vinay also revealed that Shefali wasn’t disappointed about “not getting more work”.
Kaanta Laga director on how he met Shefali Jariwala
Recalling the time when he met Shefali for the first time, Vinay said it was in Mumbai. “Radhika and I were driving on Linking Road, Bandra, in Mumbai, and parallel to us came a scooter. The mother was riding it, and the young girl was hugging her from behind. They just drove past us. Radhika and I looked at each other and said, ‘What a pretty girl.’ We stopped them, gave her a visiting card, and invited her to audition. It felt like it was meant to be,” he said.
Shefali was planning for ‘next 20 years’
He said that Shefali remained grounded, adding that she “never expressed disappointment about not getting more work”. Vinay added, “She was in our office just 20 days ago. She brought cookies from her favourite Japanese bakery for the whole team. She told me, ‘The first 20 years were great, now let’s plan the next 20.’ She had so much energy and so many ideas. She was ready to take on the world.”
About Shefali’s death
Shefali died on Friday night. Her husband-actor Parag Tyagi rushed her to Bellevue Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai. However, doctors declared her dead. Early reports suggested a cardiac arrest, but the exact cause of death is still not confirmed.
More about Shefali’s career
Shefali became famous after starring in the music video of Kaanta Laga in 2002. She also featured in the 2004 film Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, alongside Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar. Additionally, she gained recognition on television with appearances in popular reality shows, including Bigg Boss 13 (2019) and Nach Baliye (seasons 5 and 7), where she participated alongside Parag.
