‘Kaanta Laga’ girl Shefali Jariwala has a very unique style. From fitness to relationships, she thinks very seriously about every issue and imbibes it in her life.
Shefali Jariwala, who rose to fame overnight with the remake of the song “Kaanta Laga”, has had a personal life full of challenges. From body image to epilepsy, her battle has been extremely complex. She became a household name with the Kaanta Laga music video in 2002. So much so that she once called herself “India’s original thong girl”!
The actress, who has appeared in shows like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Nach Baliye and Bigg Boss, is now seen in the TV show Shaitaani Rituals. Not many know that behind all this glamour is a girl who has struggled with epilepsy for years, struggled with the culture of objectifying women and yet kept herself away from body image issues. After more than two decades in showbiz, she has made her television debut in the fiction space.
In this Health Shots interview, Shefali Jariwala talks about her career, mental health, fitness, relationships and more.
A lot of actors and actresses get typecast, into a certain image. Has stereotyping hurt your career?
As far as being stereotyped is concerned, I have never worried about it. I am in a very comfortable position in my career. I have done a lot of different things. I have been glamorous and will always be. I just want to be known as a good artist, performer and entertainer. I want to be known as someone who makes an impact on people and sets some kind of benchmark. It puts pressure on me, but it helps me perform better and do better every day. I am doing things on my own. I like doing work where I am happy or creatively satisfied.
Women are often objectified on screen. How do you deal with objectification in your field?
Women in general are objectified a lot. There are two things that can be done about this. Firstly, if someone does this in front of you, you can respond to them. This is not a joke and it is not okay to talk like this.’ It is important to tell the other person that you are not affected by such comments. Another place where women can be objectified is on digital platforms.
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There is nothing you can do about it. Just ignore it. People will always judge you or talk about you. You can’t bother yourself with it. I don’t care about these things. My confidence is very high. My self-esteem is not low, but yes, no one can dare to do that in front of me because they know I won’t let them spoil my peace.
I really don’t care what people say or think about me. You can’t let it affect you otherwise it can ruin your mental health.
Have you ever had body image issues?
I’ve never had body image issues. I’m a healthy woman. You gain weight, you lose weight. You’re taller, you’re shorter, sometimes your waist isn’t what you ideally want. Sometimes clothes fit you better and sometimes they don’t. You just have to work around it. I don’t stress about any of that.
I am a woman and hence, my hormones fluctuate. But women have to be happy with how they look and feel. I understand that other women may have body image issues. You just have to be confident in your skin and feel good regardless of your size and shape.
What do you do to stay fit?
Fitness is very important to me. When I talk about fitness, it is not just about physical health but also about mental fitness. I sleep well, eat healthy, go to the gym every four or five days a week.
Even though I can’t go to the gym, I always stay active. I do what makes me happy. Dance has been a big part of my fitness journey. I also drink a lot of water and don’t stress about things in life that are out of my control. There are good times and bad times, but you have to stay positive.
There is a lot of positivity in my life. I am surrounded by a lot of positive people who support me and love me. People who constantly encourage me.
You used to have epileptic seizures in your teens, how did you deal with this problem?
I had my first epileptic attack when I was 15 years old. I had many seizures after that for 10 to 15 years. Meditation helped me. Good doctors, support from my family, healthy lifestyle and yoga also helped a lot.
You and your husband Parag Tyagi have been giving couple goals since your marriage in 2015. Give some tips for a healthy and long-lasting relationship.
It’s about taking each day as it is and being the person you are comfortable with. I’m not just talking about your husband or boyfriend. Even relationships with your friends and family. You have to take each day as it is. We all have good days and bad days.
The person should be supportive, available for conversation and a good listener. It is important to respect the other person’s feelings and also respect your own feelings. If you are not happy with something, you must talk about it.
You should enjoy the little things in life. You also need to have some things in common. Do things together, keep the relationship fresh and compliment each other. This is very important. As time passes, you stop complimenting each other on small things like ‘I like your earrings or I like your clothes or your new hair cut’. Just pay attention to what your partner says. Pay attention to the little things and you can go a long way in a relationship.
Also read- Kavita Krishnamurthy: I did not let cold and sinus problems become a hindrance in singing