In an era where reboots and reruns are striking a chord with audiences, reviving a beloved show or film is both a risk and an opportunity. Whether it's Bade Ache Lagte Hain returning with new seasons or The Great Indian Kapil Show streaming again with fan-favourite faces, nostalgia has become a powerful currency in entertainment.
Bollywood, too, is cashing in—with iconic films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, and Laila Majnu getting re-premieres in theatres, drawing audiences who crave the comfort and familiarity of older narratives.
Ekta Kapoor, joint managing director and creative force behind Balaji Telefilms, has announced the return of her era-defining soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. But it isn't about nostalgia.
As the show marks its 25th anniversary in 2025, Kapoor initially resisted the idea of a reboot. “My first reaction was a firm no,” she shared in a candid Instagram post dated July 10. She didn’t want to tamper with the legacy—or the strong nostalgia—that the Smriti Irani-led serial still holds. But something continued to nag her: the show’s ending, she admitted, felt “abrupt” and “unfinished”.
Originally airing between 2000 and 2008, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi ran for over 1,800 episodes on Star Plus and became a cultural phenomenon. Alongside Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, the show reshaped Indian prime-time television, influencing conversations in households across the country. Kapoor recalls how these serials made space for women in family discussions and brought serious topics like domestic and marital rape, ageism, and euthanasia into everyday conversations—decades before they became mainstream talking points.
Ultimately, it was this impact—not the nostalgia—that pushed her to say yes. Kapoor shared that the reboot will focus on telling important stories in a concise format. “We wanted to create something that provokes thought, raises questions, and makes an impact,” she wrote, adding that the revival won’t be an open-ended soap but a limited-episode series meant to inspire, not just entertain.
The new Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is set to premiere on Star Plus at 10.30 pm on weekdays starting July 29.
This revival comes at a time when Kapoor’s production house, Balaji Telefilms, is expanding its reach beyond TV. Earlier this year, Kapoor announced a multi-project collaboration with Netflix, continuing her push into premium digital content. With one foot firmly in the OTT space and the other in traditional Indian TV, Kapoor continues to reshape the entertainment landscape—25 years after she first did it.
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