Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Akashdeep Saigal’s return to Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 definitely stirred things up online, though not for the reasons the makers probably hoped. When Ektaa Kapoor brought back Tulsi and Mihir with Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay, a lot of people got nostalgic. But now, the buzz is all about Akashdeep’s casting as Riyansh and fans really aren’t buying it.
Akashdeep Saigal steps in as Riyansh, also called Rio. This week’s episodes show Tulsi confronting Karan (that’s Hiten Tejwani) about cheating on her with Nandini (played by Gauri Pradhan). Tulsi actually slaps Karan, which, honestly, is a lot even for Indian TV. That’s when Rio walks in, upset that Tulsi hit his dad. At first, people watching figured Rio must be Karan’s son. Makes sense, right? But then the promo dropped a curveball: Karan tells Tulsi that Rio’s actually the son of Ansh Gujral. That news leaves Tulsi totally floored, and social media kind of lost it too.
Except, most people aren’t talking about the plot twist, they’re talking about how old Rio looks compared to his supposed dad. Comment sections are full of jokes like, “Karan’s son looks older than Karan,” and “Isn’t he supposed to be the son? Looks more like his dad’s older brother.” It’s not just a couple of viewers; it’s the overall vibe. People just can’t see Saigal as Karan’s heck, even as Ansh’s son because he seems older than Hiten on screen.
Akashdeep doesn’t seem bothered by the debate. This isn’t his first rodeo with the Kyunki franchise; back in the OG series, he played Ansh Gujral. In a recent chat with Zoom, he admitted he’d been hoping for Season 2, and said he always knew he wouldn’t come back as Ansh because, well, that character’s long gone. He figured he’d end up as Eklavya, but instead he landed the role of Riyansh, who’s supposed to be Ansh’s son.
There’s more drama coming, though. That same promo that revealed Rio’s true parentage also teased that Eklavya Gujral could appear, shaking up the Virani family all over again. Looks like the show wants to dig up some old secrets between Tulsi and Ansh, and Riyansh is just the tip of the iceberg.
Ektaa Kapoor’s Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 airs every night at 10:30 on Star Plus, and you can stream it on JioHotstar. It’s the big comeback after 25 years, with familiar faces and a new mess of family drama. Akashdeep Saigal’s comeback might’ve been meant as a nostalgic treat, but right now everyone’s obsessed with the age gap. Will the storyline win them over? Guess that’s up to what the writers do next. Either way, it’s safe to say, people are watching.
