‘Kaanta Laga Is Hers Forever’: Directors Radhika Rao & Vinay Sapru Pay Tribute to Shefali Jariwala, Rule Out Sequel

The actor and dancer, who rose to fame in the early 2000s, passed away on June 27 following a cardiac arrest, at the age of 42.

In a heartfelt tribute, directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, the creators of the iconic 2002 remix music video that catapulted Shefali to stardom, have announced they will "never make" a sequel to Kaanta Laga — retiring the track as a mark of respect.

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“You always said you wanted to be the one and only 'Kaanta Laga' girl. So we never made a sequel — and we never will. We're retiring 'Kaanta Laga' forever. It was always yours. It will always be yours... Shefali... RIP,” the directors shared in an emotional Instagram post on Thursday.

They also shared a photo from their first photoshoot with Shefali, remembering the moment that began a journey none of them could have predicted.

A Serendipitous Discovery
Recounting how they discovered Shefali, Vinay Sapru told news agency;

“Radhika and I were driving down Linking Road in Bandra and spotted this young girl hugging her mother while crossing on a scooter. Radhika instantly felt there was something special about her. We stopped, spoke to her, and invited her to our office. That’s how the journey began.”

Shefali was rushed to Bellevue Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai on the night of June 27 by her husband, actor Parag Tyagi, after she reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest. She was declared dead on arrival. Following the incident, her body was sent for a post-mortem. Mumbai Police later stated that the cause of death had been “reserved” pending further investigation.

Her last rites were held on Saturday, attended by several film and television personalities.

After the immense popularity of Kaanta Laga, Shefali appeared in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) alongside Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar. However, she turned down several film offers while privately battling epilepsy, choosing instead to appear in selected television projects.

She found renewed popularity through reality television, including Bigg Boss 13 and Nach Baliye (Seasons 5 and 7), where she performed with husband Parag Tyagi.

Shefali Jariwala’s legacy, particularly as the face of a generation-defining music video, will live on. As her directors poignantly put it — “Kaanta Laga was always yours. It will always be yours.”