EKTAA: IF I CAN CHANGE EVEN ONE MINDSET, SO THAT A FATHER DOESN’T SHOOT HIS DAUGHTER, I WOULD BE PROUD

Ektaa R Kapoor says Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot will see Tulsi talking about important issues
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 19, 2025)

The nostalgia of the early days of Indian TV is coming back as producer Ektaa R Kapoor is rebooting Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT) with the same leads — actors Smriti Irani as Tulsi Virani and Amar Upadhyay as Mihir Virani. For her, it was the right time to bring the show back, as this year marks its 25th anniversary.

“We wanted to do a short bout of episodes so that we can bring back the memories and most importantly to give back to television — a medium that gave us so much,” says Ektaa.

Ask if bringing KSBKBT back on Indian television is an attempt to reinvent the medium, and Ektaa says: “For me, reinventing TV, creating noise and high TRPs are all secondary. What’s primary is making the medium relevant in a way that people discuss what happened in a show on a dining table. If I can do that, where I can change even one mindset, where a father can be proud of his daughter’s achievements and doesn’t shoot her because of that, I’d feel extremely proud,” Ektaa asserts.

The upcoming show will see Tulsi shed light on topics that need to be talked about. Ektaa shares: “We wanted to use this powerful character, which penetrated through large parts of India, to help the country see her in an updated and newer version, talking about important issues. We are using storytelling to do what we want to do, which is create impact, awareness and change mindsets.”

The producer cites an example of the impact the protagonist of the show had: “Recently, a young man came to me and said: ‘My father used to hate you’. When I asked him why, he said, ‘Aapki wajah se meri mummy ne pehli baar unko jawaab diya, joh unhein lagta hai jawab diya par mujhe lagta hai she put her point of view across for the first time. She felt if Tulsi could do it, why can’t I?’”

While the show, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT), enjoyed a historic initial run, Ektaa R Kapoor is clear-eyed about the pressure that comes with its legacy, but she’s undeterred. “No one wants to step down from the nostalgia they created and put themselves to the test again,” she admits

“But Smriti (Irani) and the channel said, ‘Let’s create an impact property. Let’s build a strong story instead of chasing only ratings. Let’s entertain without being preachy.’ That’s the power we’re looking forward to exercising with this story. We’re not here to compete, we want to coexist,” she says.

At a time when much of the TV audience has shifted to OTT, Ektaa’s return to the small screen raises eyebrows. Ask her about it, and she’s quick to respond: “Television will always be my first love. It has deeper penetration than the internet. Online, there’s a lot of noise, but it’s scattered. TV has the power to bring families, and mindsets, together.”

Critics often label Indian television content as regressive, with shows like KSBKBT cited as examples. Ektaa pushes back: “Telling a woke story to a woke audience is no big deal. The enlightened are already enlightened. The real impact comes from reaching the masses, being relatable, talking about their issues and then pushing the envelope. We’ve addressed themes like domestic violence, marital rape, euthanasia, and age shaming. Families discussed those issues together. That’s what we hope to do again, entertain, unite, and make people think.”