On June 27, Shefali Jariwala—fondly remembered as the iconic ‘Kaanta Laga’ girl and a popular Bigg Boss 13 contestant—passed away, leaving fans and friends in shock. As tributes poured in, a video of her husband, actor Parag Tyagi, walking their pet dog the same day went viral online. Many viewers found the clip deeply insensitive, accusing paparazzi of invading his privacy during an intensely personal moment of grief. Now, Shefali’s close friend and former Bigg Boss housemate Paras Chhabra has come forward to share why Parag stepped out that day, urging people to understand the emotional complexity of the situation.
Speaking to IANS, Paras explained that Parag and Shefali shared an exceptionally close bond with their dog, who had been a constant presence in their lives. “Three members were living together in a house, and one of them is suddenly gone. In such a situation, you should understand Parag’s mental state. He would want to keep him even closer and very close to his heart. There is a sense of fear and longing at the same time,” Paras said. He added that their pet is quite old and suffers from vision issues, which only increases the emotional and physical responsibility on Parag.
Paras also spoke about how pets are sensitive to grief, noting that the dog was clearly affected by Shefali’s death. “The pet also knew that Shefali is no more. He was visibly sad and affected by her passing,” he said.
When Paras arrived at Shefali’s residence to pay his last respects, he confronted the paparazzi about the viral clip of Parag. In a video from that day, an emotional Paras was seen scolding the photographers: “Jo aapne kutto waali jo news banayi hai naa, bohot hi bekaar baat hai yeh. Jo bhi kutte ko leke ghuma rahe hain subhe subhe, kya kare fir woh banda? Bohot hi bekaar news karte ho aap log.”
Paras and Shefali had remained close even after their Bigg Boss stint, and his words reflect both grief and frustration over how moments of personal loss are sometimes turned into spectacle.