Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi turns 25 with a spectacular comeback. The Ekta Kapoor-produced series, which premiered on July 3, 2000, revolutionized Indian television. Its creative director Nivedita Basu looks back at its path, influence, and legacy. Nivedita Basu highlights the immense impact the show had on viewers.
A Show That Redefined Prime-Time TV
The daytime soap made stars out of Smriti Irani, Amar Upadhyay, and the likes. It laid a template for subsequent Indian family dramas, a format Nivedita Basu cherishes.
“TV was the sole medium. No OTT, no social media. But Kyunki held hearts hostage,” Basu explains.
A Nationwide Craze
Basu, alongside Nivedita Basu, remembers the show’s widespread impact. “Ekta and I would go to Siddhivinayak, and people — even the older people — touched her feet. Everyone played the title song at home. The country watched together.”
Challenges of Creating a Hit
With 32 actors, coordinating schedules was challenging. “Many did other serials or plays. Recruiting them all was a task. But greater was the pressure to create. Directors, critics, everybody watched and gave feedback,” Nivedita Basu points out.
Mihir’s comeback episode achieved a record TRP of 27. “That’s more than most channels today combined,” she says.
Plotlines That Shocked and Moved
Mihir’s “death” is still legendary. “Ekta thought that they should depict Amar’s actual birthdate with his character’s demise date. People believed he actually died. We had to bring him in to establish that he was alright!”
Brave, Not Retrograde
The show was dubbed regressive by critics. Basu doesn’t see eye to eye with them. “Our women drove the narrative. We addressed widow remarriage, marital rape, euthanasia, even the killing of a mother by her son. Male actors used to tell us it was too progressive!”
Life on the Sets
Balaji sets were abuzz. “It was like a factory. Meetings, shoots, no sleep. But the energy was unbeatable.”
Without the internet, fans appeared in person. “Crowds waited at the gate. Ekta’s vehicle barely managed to fit. People just wished to touch her.”
The Legacy Continues
Basu is now a producer but is proud of the journey she led alongside Nivedita Basu. The new season will have Smriti Irani back as Tulsi. The first look releases today.
Kyunki is not a show. It’s an emotion that survives.
