01 September,2026 12:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mouni Roy (Pics via Instagram and X)
Mouni Roy recently revisited the beginning of her acting journey and revealed that her television debut in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi happened in a rather unexpected manner. The actor shared the story during a conversation with filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan on her YouTube vlog.
Before becoming one of television's most recognisable faces with shows such as Naagin, Mouni made her acting debut in 2006 with Ektaa Kapoor's iconic family drama. She played Krishna Tulsi, the granddaughter of Smriti Irani's Tulsi Virani. However, unlike the usual stories of actors being discovered at auditions or through industry connections, Mouni's entry into showbiz happened by chance.
Talking about how she landed her first role, Mouni recalled that she was a college student in Delhi when someone from Ektaa Kapoor's team noticed her while she was walking outside her university. "I was walking outside the university. Somebody from Ekta Ma'am's team saw me walking on the road, and tapped me on the shoulder and saidâ¦" Mouni recalled.
Farah was visibly surprised by the revelation and pointed out how such stories are often associated with the film and television industry. Reacting to Mouni's account, she said, "That really happened? Kya baat kar rahi hai? We only hear these stories that someone was sitting in a cafe and was spotted by someone!"
Mouni laughed and insisted that her story was exactly as she had narrated it. "But it really happened. That's exactly how it came to be. It was Kyunki, where I played Smriti (Irani) di's grand-grand daughter," she said.
Interestingly, Mouni had not initially planned to settle in Mumbai or pursue a full-time acting career. The actor, who had studied English Honours at Delhi's Miranda House before pursuing a master's degree in mass communication at Jamia Millia Islamia, explained that she had originally come to Mumbai with a different plan. "When I came to Bombay, we were doing Indian street theatre, so I thought I would come for a summer job. I would work for three or four months and then go back to Delhi," she said.
However, Mumbai eventually won her over, changing the course of her life and career. From her early television appearances to becoming a popular face through Naagin and later making her mark in films and web series, Mouni's career took a very different turn from what she had initially imagined.
Her candid revelation left Farah Khan surprised and also offered a glimpse into the unusual circumstances that can sometimes lead to an actor's big break.
