Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi turns 26: Smriti Irani, OG cast reunite
Synopsis
Twenty-six years after Tulsi Virani first walked into the Virani household, the original cast of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi gathered in Mumbai for an intimate reunion — proof that the show's bonds, on-screen and off, have outlasted nearly three decades of Indian television.
Key Takeaways
The original cast of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reunited on 3 July 2025 to mark the show's 26th anniversary .
The evening was hosted by Gauri Pradhan Tejwani and Hiten Tejwani in Mumbai .
Attendees included Smriti Irani , Ritu Chaudhary , Aparna Mehta , Deva Babbar , Prachi Shah Pandya , and others from the first season.
The show originally aired from 3 July 2000 and ran for approximately 8 years .
A reprise version launched in August 2025 , with Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay returning; Apara Mehta is not part of the new version.
Smriti Irani and the original cast of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi came together on 3 July 2025 to mark the iconic show's 26th anniversary, rekindling memories of one of Indian television's most celebrated family dramas. The intimate reunion, held in Mumbai, was hosted by actress-couple Gauri Pradhan Tejwani and Hiten Tejwani.
Who Was at the Reunion
The gathering brought together a cherished ensemble from the show's first season. Attendees included Smriti Irani, Gauri Pradhan, Hiten Tejwani, Aparna Mehta, Komalika Guha Thakurta, Sumit Sachdev, Ritu Chaudhary, Tasneem Nerurkar, Deva Babbar, Prachi Shah Pandya, and Smriti Singh.
Actress Riva Bubber also joined the celebrations, sharing a then-and-now collage with Gauri Pradhan, captioned simply: 'Then & Now!' — a nod to a friendship spanning more than two decades.
Moments Shared on Social Media
Actress Ritu Chaudhary, who played Shobha Virani in the original run, posted a group photograph from the evening on her social media account. 'WHAT AN EVENING!!! THANKS @gpradhan @hitentejwani for hosting us!! #kyunkisaasbhikabhibahuthi,' she wrote alongside the cheerful picture.
About the Landmark Show
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi first aired on 3 July 2000, chronicling the life of Tulsi Virani and the influential Virani family. The original cast featured Smriti Irani, Amar Upadhyay, Ronit Roy, Sudha Shivpuri, Apara Mehta, Mandira Bedi, Mouni Roy, and several others. The first season ran for approximately 8 years, cementing its status as one of the finest saas-bahu dramas in Indian television history.
The Reprise and What's Different
A reprise version of the show returned to air in August 2025, 25 years after the original premiere. Smriti Irani reprised her iconic role as Tulsi, while Amar Upadhyay returned as Mihir — widely regarded as one of Indian television's most beloved on-screen couples of the 2000s. Notably, actress Apara Mehta, who played Savita Virani — Mihir's mother — in the first season, is not part of the current version.
With the reprise already on air and the original cast still visibly close-knit, the 26th anniversary reunion signals that Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi's emotional hold on its audience — and its cast — shows little sign of fading.
Point of View
But it also underlines a harder commercial truth: the reprise of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is banking heavily on audience memory rather than fresh storytelling. The absence of Apara Mehta — whose Savita Virani was central to the original family dynamic — is a quiet but significant gap. Indian television's nostalgia cycle is accelerating, yet reboots rarely replicate the cultural moment that made the originals matter. Whether the new version can build its own identity, or remain permanently in the shadow of Tulsi and Mihir's 2000s iconography, is the real question the anniversary reunion leaves unanswered.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi first air?
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi first aired on 3 July 2000 and ran for approximately 8 years, becoming one of Indian television's most iconic saas-bahu dramas.
Who attended the 26th anniversary reunion?
The reunion, held on 3 July 2025 in Mumbai, was attended by Smriti Irani, Gauri Pradhan, Hiten Tejwani, Aparna Mehta, Komalika Guha Thakurta, Sumit Sachdev, Ritu Chaudhary, Tasneem Nerurkar, Deva Babbar, Prachi Shah Pandya, and Smriti Singh.
Is Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi back on air?
Yes, a reprise version of the show returned to air in August 2025, with Smriti Irani reprising the role of Tulsi and Amar Upadhyay returning as Mihir. Apara Mehta, who played Savita Virani in the original, is not part of the current version.
Who played Tulsi Virani in the original show?
Smriti Irani played Tulsi Virani in the original series. Her on-screen pairing with Amar Upadhyay as Mihir became one of the most iconic couples in Indian television during the 2000s.
Who hosted the 26th anniversary reunion?
The intimate get-together was hosted by actress Gauri Pradhan Tejwani and actor Hiten Tejwani at a private gathering in Mumbai on 3 July 2025.
