Shefali Jariwala Fought Epilepsy Since The Age Of 15: ‘Couldn’t Take Up Much Work After Kaanta Laga’

In light of Shefali Jariwala’s sudden demise, a past interview has resurfaced in which the ‘Kaanta Laga’ star bravely spoke about battling epilepsy since the age of 15.

Shefali Jariwala was fighting epilepsy and depression since 15.

Source : Instagram/@shefalijariwala

New Delhi: The sudden death of actress and model Shefali Jariwala at the age of 42 has sent shockwaves through the entertainment world. While fans continue to mourn the ‘Kaanta Laga’ sensation, an old interview of hers has now gone viral, one in which she openly shared her health battles and the real reason behind her time away from the limelight.

Known for her breakout appearance in the early 2000s hit song ‘Kaanta Laga’, Shefali quickly became a household name and even went on to become a reality TV star. But away from the glam and glitter, she was silently fighting a personal war. In a past interview with ETimes, Shefali had revealed that she was diagnosed with epilepsy as a teenager, a condition that impacted not just her personal life but also her professional life.

“I had an epilepsy seizure at the age of 15. I remember at that time I was under tremendous pressure to do well in my studies. Stress and anxiety can lead to seizures. It’s interrelated, you could get a seizure due to depression and vice versa," she recalled.

She shared that the condition affected her self-esteem. “I have got seizures in classrooms, backstage, while on roads, and somewhere that lowered my self-esteem," she revealed.

Shefali Jariwala Talks About Career Impact Due to Epilepsy 

Though she rose to fame almost overnight with her bold screen presence in the early 2000s, Shefali’s condition quietly dictated her pace of work. “After I did Kaanta Laga, people asked me why I didn’t do more work. I can now say that it was because of the epilepsy seizures that I couldn’t take up much work. I didn’t know when I would get my next seizure… this went on for 15 years,” she admitted.

In the same conversation, Shefali said she had been seizure-free for nearly a decade. “I am proud of myself because I managed my depression, panic attacks and anxiety naturally and with the help of a strong support system,” she said.

Shefali Jariwala’s Sudden Death

Shefali Jariwala reportedly suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at her residence in Mumbai on Friday night. Her husband, actor Parag Tyagi, immediately took her to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead. Police officials and a forensic team later arrived at their Andheri residence, and a post-mortem examination is currently being conducted to determine the actual cause of death.