Shefali Jariwala, known as the ‘Kaanta Laga’ girl, passed away recently at 42. Reflecting on their first meeting, her husband Parag Tyagi once recalled, “There was a party. As I entered, she was sitting there. She had worn white shorts. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I had violin, guitar playing in my heart… and my heartbeat was faster,” Tyagi said. “How filmy”, Shefali replied in jest.
He added: “Tabhi mujhe kaanta lag gaya tha (I felt the prick).” “I can never forget that moment. I couldn’t take my eyes off her…I was looking at her…You can say, love at first sight…after that, when I met her…got to know her…I realised she is as beautiful from inside as from the outside…” Tyagi, who used to call her ‘Pari’, told Pinkvilla.
During the same conversation, Shefali had described, “I don’t know when exactly we fell in love. Parag and I met and started hanging out. Aur kab pyaar hogaya, pata hi nahi chala. It has been a wonderful journey. It doesn’t feel like we are married. It is like we are still in the datong phase. I think credit goes to Parag because he keeps things interesting between us all the time.”
Tyagi mentioned that he feels a “bond” with her. “It is not without meaning that a guy from a small town wouldn’t have dreamt of marrying The Shefali Jariwala…who is so beautiful…people talk about dream girl…I could not have dreamt about her…out of the league she is….”.
Taking a cue, let’s understand all about first-sight love stories.
That first look, that flutter in the heart, for many, it feels like magic. But while love at first sight might begin the story, it’s not what sustains it. According to Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist, energy healer and life coach, in real life, especially in the emotional world, love that begins intensely can often lose its footing without the deeper work that comes after.
“Passion may start the fire, but it is daily choices, shared values, and emotional resilience that keep it burning. Chemistry is important-but it must be grounded in compatibility. That spark must be followed by understanding who the other person truly is. Do you share similar values? Do you respond to conflict in compatible ways? Can you feel emotionally safe with this person even when you’re vulnerable? These are the foundations that help love mature from a moment into a meaningful, sustainable relationship,” shared Delnna.
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Here’s what to note (Photo: Freepik)
What most people don’t realise is that love at first sight can sometimes lead us into a trap where we confuse intensity with intimacy.
Real intimacy is not about how fast you connect, but how deeply you grow together. Delnna added that it’s built through trust, transparency, vulnerability, and forgiveness. “It’s built in everyday moments, in shared silences, in mutual respect, and in the courage to show up with all your imperfections,” said Delnna.
And most importantly, people change. Relationships evolve. What sustains a couple isn’t just passion-it’s the ability to adapt, to grow together, and to honour each other’s evolution. It’s a willingness to re-choose each other, again and again, through joy, boredom, and even pain, shared Delnna.
So yes, love at first sight is rare, beautiful, and worth celebrating. But it is never the whole story, contended Delnna.
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“It’s the commitment. The courage. The conscious effort. That is what turns a spark into something eternal,” shared Delnna.
