'RIP and All for the 42-Year-Old Lady': Sona Mohapatra sparks row over Shefali Jariwala's 'Kaanta Laga' legacy

Singer Sona Mohapatra has stirred the pot once again, this time over the cultural ownership of a song that’s become a generational memory. Her comments around the late Shefali Jariwala’s association with Kaanta Laga have triggered a massive online backlash, with fans calling her out for what many are calling an “unnecessarily sharp” response just days after the actress’s passing.

The conversation began when directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, who helmed the iconic remix video back in 2002, paid tribute to Jariwala following her sudden demise. In an emotional note, they mentioned retiring the song Kaanta Laga as a gesture of respect, saying it would always belong to her. What was meant to be a nostalgic farewell didn’t quite sit right with Sona, who took to social media to challenge the very premise of that tribute.

In a pointed Instagram note, Sona called out the idea of “retiring” a track that originally dates back to the 1970s, when it was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and composed by RD Burman with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri for the film Samadhi. According to her, the recent tribute sidestepped the original creators entirely and misrepresented ownership of the piece for the sake of attention in the aftermath of a tragedy.

But while Sona’s musical argument may have had substance, it was the tone of her post that caught the internet’s attention. Referring to Jariwala as the “42-year-old lady” instead of naming her directly didn’t go down well. Her choice of words seemed to come across as curt, especially given the timing. Fans and netizens across Reddit and Instagram lashed out, saying the remarks felt dismissive and poorly timed.

Some comments questioned the basic empathy behind her post. Others accused her of using someone’s passing as a chance to stake a moral high ground. A few users were particularly upset that Sona failed to acknowledge Shefali’s individual legacy as the face that made the remix culturally unforgettable in the early 2000s.

Sona, however, didn’t let the trolling go unanswered. She addressed the criticism head-on, posting a follow-up where she questioned why people were more invested in defending remix culture than preserving musical heritage. She stated that her post was not about the actress personally but about the larger issue of miscrediting original creators and using someone's death for publicity.

The original Kaanta Laga wasn’t a millennial staple until the remix gave it new life. The DJ Doll version, with Jariwala at its center, brought the track roaring back into public consciousness, complete with bold visuals and a catchy beat that made it an instant club favorite. It’s what launched Shefali into overnight fame and made the music video a pop culture landmark.

Rao and Sapru’s tribute aimed to honor that very impact. By announcing they would never revisit Kaanta Laga again in any new form, they framed it as a respectful gesture to the woman who made the track a household memory for a new generation.

But Sona’s point remains focused on what she sees as misplaced credit. In her eyes, calling the remix directors the “makers” of the song undermines the foundational work of the original legends who composed and performed it decades earlier. Her posts raise questions about the ethics of remix culture, nostalgia marketing, and the thin line between tribute and trend.

Still, the conversation online has largely tilted toward criticism. While some agree with her underlying argument, many feel the moment could have been handled with more grace. Timing, tone, and language seem to be the main triggers that turned a music history debate into a social media minefield.

In the end, what began as a tribute to a performer who defined a music video era has now morphed into a full-blown controversy. And with Sona Mohapatra never one to back down from discourse, the debate over who owns Kaanta Laga, emotionally, musically, and culturally, may not be wrapping up anytime soon.