Shefali Jariwala made news with her short but eventful stint on Bigg Boss 13. The past few days were tough for her as her father-in-law passed away. BollywoodLife caught up with her for a chat. She said, “Parag and I are holding up well. He is waiting for the shoots to resume. He has started exercising more regularly and sleeping on time. He also got a hair cut for the first time in three months.” The couple are also planning to adopt a child.
Talking about adoption, Shefali said, “It is a very brave decision, especially in the culture we belong to. ‘Why don’t you have your own kids? It is reserved for those who cannot have their own.’ Parag and I do not come from that space. Adoption is something I wanted to do as I find the thought very beautiful. I was first introduced to it when I was 10 or 12, at a very impressionable age. I have carried it since then. Parag and I have been wedded for four-five years now and obviously, people are asking us about a baby. It is quite normal.”
She says that it was crucial that Parag Tyagi agreed whole-heartedly to the plan. “He could not understand my emotion for a long time. It is something that has developed in me for years. But for such a big decision, it was crucial that he and I come on the same page. My time in the Bigg Boss 13 house got him thinking about having a family. His folks are very comfortable about it though. I feel my story is nothing short of a fairy-tale. I came from a very simple middle class home. My life took a turn after Kaanta Laga. I feel grateful that I am so comfortable where I am. In my life, I want to give back the love and fortune that has come my way. I want to share my blessings.”
The road to adoption is not an easy one. “There are a lot of laws in place. Authorities check every aspect from the stability of a couple’s marriage to their health. It is also a lot of paper work and counselling. You have to talk to other parents. There are many who might develop cold feet at the end minute. My family is still in the process of being okay. I know they’ll be supportive. This lockdown has hampered the matter. It takes years to complete the formalities. Younger kids get adopted much faster than older ones. I would like to adopt a baby girl. Boys find homes more easily. I feel a daughter’s bond with her parents is something else. I have a beautiful bond with my dad and mum. I want to bring Laxmi home. Any way, boy or girl, the child will find its way to my home and heart,” she says.
Sunny Leone is Shefali Jariwala’s role model. “I really look upto Sunny. She is such a hands-on parent. They are so involved with Nisha despite having biological kids. Adoption is not that bad. It is not a taboo. I feel there are many kids who need loving and caring homes,” she signs off.
