Smriti Irani in a still of Kyunki … Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (courtesy smritiiraniofficial)
Strong points
- “I say thank you for the belief Ekta Kapoor,” wrote Smriti Irani
- “20 years in Kyunki … A show that changed my life”, wrote Ekta in an article
- ‘Kyunki …’ was one of Ekta Kapoor’s first successful K soaps
New Delhi:
Actress turned politician Smriti Irani, who headlined the cast of Balaji Telefilms’ iconic TV show Kyunki … Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, shared an emotional note of gratitude on Instagram when the series was 20 years old on July 3. Ms. Irani, who is best known for her brilliant portrayal of Tulsi Virani, began her message by referring to actress Sudha Shivpuri, who was cast as Baa – she died in 2015. Sharing an anecdote on the sets of the About two decades ago, Smriti Irani wrote that she was “nervous” because Balaji Telefilms boss Ekta Kapoor was to supervise the filming: “20 years ago, it may have been one of my first scenes with Sudha Aunty. I ran across my lines, nervous as hell coz Ekta Kapoor was called to the filming room by the director who told him that the project was a hit because the girl threw like Tulsi didn’t have the talent to see it through. “
Smriti Irani also shared the conversation she had with Ekta Kapoor that day, which ultimately changed the fate of the series and made Smriti a household name: “When asked why I was not unleashing my full potential as an actor, I said to him,” Can I play the character as I hear it instead of telling me how to get emotional? I promised him that I would take the help of every possible colleague if I felt that I could not measure myself. EK said “done” and the rest was television history. “
Thanking Ekta Kapoor and creative director Monisha Singh, Smriti Irani added: “Today, two decades later in absentia, I say thank you for the belief Ekta Kapoor, thank you Monisha Singh for having refused to get started then for supporting me all the way. Thanks to Mihir in constant evolution from Amar Upadhyay to Ronit Roy. “Tulsi’s husband Mihir’s role in the show was originally played by Amar Upadhyay, for two years after which he was replaced by Ronit Roy, who played Mihir until the end of the show in 2008.
Smriti Irani also thanked actresses Mandira Bedi and Jaya Bhattacharya for playing iconic antagonists with other actors in the series: “… To Mandira Bedi and Jaya Bhattacharya, who were the best villains on screen and the Absolute lovers off screen. Many more who were part of the trip … I cherish every moment and above all I am grateful to the viewers who kept our passions alive. “
Read Smriti Irani’s post here:
Meanwhile, Ekta Kapoor celebrated Kyunki … Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi with this post: “20 years for Kyunki … A show that changed my life. At the time, he was presented as the “sweet ambassador of India”, because of his popularity and his reach around the world. Thanks to the network for giving us a chance at that time. I remember reading how, when the Gujarat earthquake happened, people turned off their TVs and watched Kyunki …. There was no more humiliating moment for me. “
Kyunki … Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi remains one of the oldest television shows. Kyunki … Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was one of Ekta Kapoor’s first successful K-soaps, which also included shows like Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Kkusum and Kutumb among others.
