At the NDTV Yuva Conclave, Union Minister and actor Smriti Irani reflected on the unexpected success of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2.0, which has made a strong comeback in the digital era.
Speaking about the show's rising popularity, Smriti Irani said, "When we began 25 years ago, there was no digital medium of communication or creative thought that came under the guise of a saas-bahu show. I was most intrigued to see if it would perform on OTT. I am grateful for the compliments for its television performance. We have a monthly viewership of nearly 5 crore, a daily viewership of about 1.5 crore, and a weekly viewership of around 2 to 2.5 crore."
Smriti Irani pointed out that the time audiences spend on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2.0 far surpasses that of other digital daily soaps. "On OTT, the average time spent on similar shows is around 20 to 28 minutes individually, while on our show the time spent is 104 minutes a week. The fact that a concept steeped in old-school drama has found resonance on a platform mostly associated with youth is quite intriguing," she said.
The minister also highlighted how the new version of the iconic show has been adapted to reflect contemporary concerns. "We have included progressive concepts in this drama in 2025. We have fictionalised today's issues, like body shaming, ageing, and more, within the narrative. That makes it relatable for modern audiences," Smriti Irani noted.
Background
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was a hugely popular Indian Hindi television soap opera that originally aired from 2000 to 2008 on StarPlus.
The reboot, titled Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2.0, premiered on July 29, 2025, on StarPlus and is also available on JioHotstar.
This new version is both a sequel and reboot, bringing back original stars Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay as Tulsi and Mihir Virani, alongside new generation characters played by Shagun Sharma, Rohit Suchanti, and Aman Gandhi.
