‘Kaanta Laga’ Star Shefali Jariwala Passes Away At 42: Why Cardiac Arrest Is No Longer An “Old Age” Risk

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In our 40s, many of us are finally hitting our stride-careers stabilise, confidence deepens, and a certain ease with life begins to take root. It's also the decade where we start to believe that whatever's ahead, we can handle it. But just beneath that rhythm, our health might be telling a different story.

This week, the sudden passing of actor and pop icon Shefali Jariwala at 42 has brought that quiet vulnerability into sharp focus. Known and loved as the unforgettable face of Kaanta Laga, Shefali reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest at her Mumbai home. Her husband, actor Parag Tyagi, rushed her to the hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival.

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/shefalijariwala/

As tributes pour in and fans revisit her most iconic moments, her death also opens up an urgent conversation about why cardiac arrests are affecting people in their 40s-and what we can do to prevent them.

Not Just An "Older Person's Problem"

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is often misunderstood. Unlike a heart attack caused by blocked arteries, SCA is an electrical malfunction that stops the heart from beating. There's no blood flow, no pulse-just an abrupt collapse. Without immediate CPR or a defibrillator, it's fatal within minutes.

And it's not rare anymore in people under 50.

What Makes Your 40s Riskier?

Your 40s can be the tipping point where accumulated lifestyle choices meet genetic vulnerability. The risk of SCA rises due to:

• Coronary artery disease (even without symptoms)
• Undiagnosed arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)
• Diabetes and high blood pressure
• Obesity or abdominal fat
• High-stress levels and poor sleep
• Use of stimulants, including some fitness or energy supplements

For many, these risks go unnoticed until it's too late-especially among people who "look healthy."

South Asians: A High-Risk Group

Cardiac arrest tends to affect South Asians at a younger age, often in their 30s and 40s. Factors like high triglycerides, insulin resistance, and belly fat-despite a normal BMI-can go undetected without regular health screenings.

What Are The Warning Signs?

SCA can be silent-but sometimes, the body gives clues:

• Shortness of breath
• Sudden, unexplained fatigue
• Light-headedness or fainting
• Irregular or racing heartbeat
• Chest discomfort, especially during or after exertion

If you've felt "off" lately but pushed through, this might be your signal to pause and get checked.

How To Lower Your Risk Starting Now

1. Make Your Daily Habits Heart-Smart

Eat consciously: More fibre, whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats. Less sugar, salt, and saturated fat.

Move your body: At least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week.

Quit smoking completely

Limit alcohol and energy drinks

2. Sleep, Stress And Screens

Get 6-9 hours of good sleep

Treat snoring or sleep apnea

Reduce stress with yoga, breathwork, or time away from screens

3. Don't Skip Your Screenings

Annual checks for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar

If you have a family history, ask about ECGs, stress tests, or coronary calcium scans

Consider genetic screening if there's a family history of sudden death or arrhythmias

4. Be Prepared For Emergencies

Learn CPR

Know where AEDs (defibrillators) are in your gym, office, or community

Never ignore fainting spells or chest symptoms, no matter your age

Shefali's Echoing Words

Following Shefali's passing, a moment from her appearance on Paras Chhabra's podcast has resurfaced. When asked if she ever tired of being called the Kaanta Laga girl, she smiled and said: "No chance. I would want to be known like that by my song even when I die."

It was a declaration of pride, of identity, and now of how memory holds onto joy.

Shefali's last post on X was another emotional thread: a tribute to Sidharth Shukla, her former Bigg Boss co-contestant and friend, who also died of cardiac arrest at 40. Her message? "Thinking of you today mere dost." Those words now echo back.

The Beat Goes On But Are You Listening?

Shefali Jariwala's sudden passing is more than a headline. It's a wake-up call especially for those of us in our 30s and 40s that just because we feel healthy doesn't mean we're not at risk. Behind the nostalgia, the music, the fame, she was a woman in her early 40s vibrant, active, and gone too soon.

Her story reminds us that the heart is not just a symbol. It's an organ that needs care, awareness, and attention. And maybe the most significant thing we can do for it, is take a long, honest look at our own heartbeat and what we're doing to protect it.