Alia Bhatt Slams “Cheap Publicity” Around Shafali Zariwala’s Death: A Fiery Response to Kartalaga Creators In a rare public outburst, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt has unleashed a scathing critique aimed at Shafali Zariwala’s husband Parag Tyagi and the directors of the music video Kartalaga, Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru. Bhatt accused them of using Shafali’s tragic death as a tool for self-promotion and cheap publicity, calling out what she termed a “blatant PR stunt.” The controversy began shortly after the sudden passing of Shafali Zariwala on June 27th at her residence in Mumbai. Shafali, once the face of the iconic early-2000s remix Kartalaga, was rushed to Bellevue Multispecialty Hospital late that evening. Sadly, doctors pronounced her dead on arrival. Her death sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry, as fans and colleagues mourned the loss of the 40-year-old performer. Alia Bhatt Angry Reaction to Shefali Jariwala hubby Parag Tyagi admit to Hospital for Publicity! But what followed next is what ignited Alia Bhatt’s ire. Soon after Zariwala’s death, her husband Parag Tyagi, along with directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, issued a public statement saying they were officially “retiring” the Kartalaga music video as a tribute to Shafali. Their statement claimed that no one else should ever be allowed to recreate or reinterpret the song again, in order to “preserve Shafali’s legacy” as the one and only “Kartalaga Girl.” To some, the gesture may have appeared heartfelt. But not to Alia Bhatt. The actress took to social media to deliver a blistering response, accusing the trio of hijacking a woman’s death to grab headlines. “Stop using someone’s tragedy to put yourselves in the spotlight,” Alia wrote. “This is not a tribute. This is opportunism masked as sentiment.” In her post, Bhatt called the act tone-deaf and exploitative. “It’s shameful how people who barely contributed anything to the original art are now pretending to be its creators. Let’s be clear—Kartalaga was a remix of legends like R.D. Burman, Lata Mangeshkar, and Majrooh Sultanpuri. None of these legends were credited when the remix came out. And now, the people behind a flashy remix video with suggestive visuals are trying to elevate themselves as gatekeepers of that legacy. It’s laughable.” The video, originally released in the early 2000s, featured a then-19-year-old Shafali Zariwala dancing to a remixed version of “Kanta Laga,” a classic Bollywood song. Though it was widely popular among youth for its bold presentation and modern twist, many critics had also pointed out its lack of originality and the overly sexualized portrayal of a young woman. Alia continued in her post, “Are we really okay with people butchering original music without credit and then turning someone’s death into a fake homage just to stay relevant? This is not about Shafali anymore. It’s about people using her name to elevate their own status in the industry.” Her comments sparked both support and backlash online. While many lauded Alia’s courage to speak against industry hypocrisy, others accused her of being too blunt in her criticism. One particular line in her statement—“RIP and all, but let’s not rewrite history”—drew heat for being seen as insensitive. Unfazed, Alia hit back at the criticism. “So now I’m the one being called insensitive? Really? What’s truly insensitive is erasing the real creators—the music legends—while glorifying a remix video that twisted their work into something vulgar and commercial, without consent or credit.” She added, “No one asked R.D. Burman or Lata ji if their work could be turned into club anthems with flashing lights and belly buttons. Yet somehow the directors and producers of the remix are now positioning themselves as cultural icons. It’s absurd.” Shefali Jariwala – YouTube This isn’t the first time Bollywood has faced scrutiny over how it handles legacies—especially those of women. From remix culture erasing original creators to the performative mourning of female actors, the industry has often been called out for superficiality in moments of genuine tragedy. Alia’s critique also touches on the deeper conversation around intellectual property and moral rights in India. The country still struggles with enforcing rights for original composers and lyricists, while remixes continue to dominate film and pop music charts. In many cases, the original creators receive little to no recognition, and sometimes not even a mention. In contrast to Alia’s uncompromising stance, neither Parag Tyagi nor the Kartalaga directors have issued a public response to her comments as of now. However, sources close to them insist their tribute was sincere and meant to honor Shafali’s contribution to pop culture. Still, for many observers, Alia Bhatt’s message hit a nerve. “She’s not wrong,” tweeted one industry veteran. “We’ve all seen how quickly a tragedy becomes content for clicks. Alia is just saying what most of us are thinking.” As the conversation continues to grow, one thing is clear: Alia Bhatt has once again positioned herself not just as a talented actress, but as a voice willing to challenge the status quo in an industry often reluctant to face uncomfortable truths. In an era where performative grief and viral memorials dominate the digital narrative, Bhatt’s raw honesty stands out. Whether or not her comments spark real change remains to be seen, but they’ve certainly reignited important conversations about respect, legacy, and the canvard into blog
The controversy surrounding Alia Bhatt’s reaction to Shefali Jariwala’s death and her husband Parag Tyagi’s hospitalization has stirred intense debate across Bollywood and social media.
🧨 What Sparked Alia Bhatt’s Outrage?
Alia Bhatt publicly criticized Parag Tyagi and the directors of the Kaanta Laga remix video—Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru—for what she called a “cheap publicity stunt.” After Shefali Jariwala’s sudden death on June 27, 2025, the trio announced they were “retiring” the Kaanta Laga video as a tribute to her legacy. Alia slammed this move, accusing them of exploiting a tragedy for attention and calling it “opportunism masked as sentiment.”
She wrote:
“Stop using someone’s tragedy to put yourselves in the spotlight… This is not a tribute. This is opportunism.”
She also criticized the remix culture for erasing original creators like R.D. Burman, Lata Mangeshkar, and Majrooh Sultanpuri, whose work was reinterpreted without proper credit.
🏥 Parag Tyagi’s Hospitalization & Public Reaction
Parag Tyagi was reportedly admitted to the hospital shortly after Shefali’s death, which some media outlets speculated was part of a PR strategy. This speculation was fueled by visuals of Parag walking his dog the morning after Shefali’s death, which led to accusations of emotional detachment2.
Actor Paras Chhabra, a close friend of Shefali, lashed out at the media for this portrayal:
“Yeh subhe waali news bohot hi bekaar news hai… What else is a person supposed to do? You people spread such pointless news.”
🎭 Industry Reactions & Legacy Debate
Alia’s comments have sparked both support and backlash:
- Some praised her for calling out hypocrisy and remix culture.
- Others felt her tone was too harsh, especially the line: “RIP and all, but let’s not rewrite history.”
Despite the mixed reactions, many industry insiders agreed with her core message—that tragedies should not be used as marketing tools, and original creators deserve recognition.
🔍 Final Thoughts
This incident has reignited important conversations about:
- Remix culture and intellectual property
- Performative grief in the entertainment industry
- Respecting legacies without exploiting them