Smriti Irani reveals why she backed out of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi sequel last minute: 'There was a phone call from PM's office'

Smriti Irani

One of Indian television's most iconic soaps, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, will be getting a reboot. What is even more exciting is that the series reboot will see the original cast back in action, including Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay, who played Tulsi and Mihir respectively. Smriti Irani recently revealed that the sequel to the show was planned a decade ago but could not materialise because of her political career.

Smriti Irani on original plans for Kyunki... sequel

On Barkha Dutt's show We The Women, Irani said, "If you look at the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi journey in totality, the most well-kept secret about it was that I had a contract to do it again in 2014, and I walked away from it because I had to serve in the Indian Parliament as a cabinet minister."

"The set was ready, but there was a phone call from the Prime Minister's office that you have to take an oath," she added.

Not just that, Irani also turned down a film opposite Rishi Kapoor during the same time to follow her political calling. "I remember Rishi Kapoor telling me to leave now because to serve your country is a greater service than just doing a movie or doing television," she shared.

Delay in Kyunki....sequel

Now, a decade later, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is all set to make a comeback. It was scheduled to premiere on July 3 but has reportedly faced a delay. According to reports, showrunner Ektaa Kapoor wanted some changes in the sets, leading to the postponement.

As reported in Hindustan Times, Amar Upadhyay confirmed this development. "Yes, it's true. The set had to be reworked. Apparently, the colour combination on screen wasn't translating the way it should. Ektaa knows exactly what she wants - she's a perfectionist. And this is Kyunki… it's not just another show. It's a legacy, and she wants to do everything that's best for the show."

The two co-stars, who built successful careers after the TV show, met at Kapoor's birthday party earlier this month. Upadhyay says, "Smriti and I have been in touch over the years. The day after the party, we had a narration where Ektaa narrated the entire story. Before she came in, Kamalika [Guha Thakurta], Shakti Anand, Smriti, and I were talking and laughing; we picked up where we had all left so many years ago."