Focus on anti-ageing hype after ‘Kaanta Laga’ girl’s death
Times of India | 1 July 2025
Kolkata: Shefali Jariwala's sudden demise at 42 has raised concerns over the potential dangers of taking anti-ageing medications on an empty stomach, especially during fasting. The incident has also drawn scrutiny to Bengal's film and modelling industry, where demand for age-defying measures is high, with many opting for tablets and injections. While everyone agrees that there is no direct connection between going for anti-ageing treatment with sudden demise, the Jariwala case has served as a wake-up call for individuals seeking to combat aging through clinical treatments without fully understanding the associated risks. Actor Koneenica Banerjee, who had grabbed the eyeballs some moons back with a photoshoot where she had recreated Jariwala's ‘Kaanta Laga' look for TOI, had once tried to reduce weight by taking health supplements. "After a year, I lost no weight. Instead, I was diagnosed with fatty liver. That's when I started reading up and understood that jumping into this bandwagon of reverse ageing can be so detrimental to my health," Banerjee stated. Consultant cosmetic surgeon Manoj Khanna said Kolkata has seen a threefold increase in anti-ageing treatment post Covid. "There are two segments — one from the showbiz who want a quick fix in seven days and the other young ones who don't have the patience to wait. The rest are ready to take it slow and easy," Khanna said. Not just botox and fillers, they also want to go for skin whitening, skin brightening, skin tightening, removal of spot marks and scars, improving the skin tone using high-intensity focused ultrasound machine, thread lifting and exosome treatment.
Glutathione injection for skin whitening is very popular nowadays, said Khanna. "It is an antioxidant and has been found to decrease the pigmentation all over the body and thereby helps skin whitening," Khanna added. Cops found these injections, vitamin C and acidity pills at Jariwala's residence. "Having anti-ageing medications on an empty stomach is not fatal. But she should have followed every instruction given by the doctor. Nowadays, many salons are giving botox, fillers and glutathione. Unless supervised by a qualified doctor, fillers can cause instant blindness and stroke, amongst other reactions. Most taking treatments do not read the prescription in full and end up taking risks. Before any cosmetic surgery, a patient should be off blood thinners, oral contraceptive, vitamin e, multi-vitamins, alcohol and cigarettes for a week," Khanna added. A few months ago, Banerjee met an actor she could not recognise. "I exchanged pleasantries with her but it took me quite a while to figure out who she was. These treatments are often making everyone look the same. The lips are swollen. The dusky skin tones are replaced by pinkish glow. Not all body types are the same and not everyone's body reacts to a treatment in a similar way. All these treatments must be taken under proper doctor supervision. I fear that many may not be following all the instructions," Banerjee added.