Smriti Irani AKA Tulsi to leave Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi

April 25, 2007

Ekta KapoorKyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’s Baa may be 125 years old, but she’s going nowhere. The younger Baa, however, may be opting out. We are talking about Smriti Iraani aka Tulsi who could be quitting Kyunki… owing to her busy schedule. That’s the strong buzz in the industry. Both Smriti and producer Ekta Kapoor are tight-lipped about this, but the audiences, particularly housewives who have been tracking the serial for over six years now, have opinions to offer.

“It’s the main character and getting a replacement at this stage is detrimental,” says Sulakshana Jha (45), a housewife from Ghatkopar, echoing majority viewers’ sentiment. “Both Smriti and Ekta should bury their differences and continue doing the show. It’s in their interest. This is Ekta’s most popular show. And this serial is responsible for Smriti’s popularity,” says Sulakshana, who’s not missed a single episode of this saas-bahu show, except when there’s been no power in her house!

Another option, as Nishigandha Ghatge (32), a housewife from Malad voices, is to eliminate Tulsi’s character altogether. “It’s better not to get a replacement. Instead they should send Tulsi on a long teerthyatra in the show and elevate other characters. Soon she might be forgotten.”

However, Tulsi being the main protagonist and the most popular character in Kyunki, even after two time leaps, this may not be an easy thing to do.

So, who should replace Smriti if at all? Shefali Shah seems quite a popular choice. “It’s been many years since she has been on TV. Besides in the serial Hasratein at that time she’d played a senior character quite convincingly,” says Meghana Shah (34), a housewife from Borivali. Actress Renuka Shahane too would have been a strong contender had she not made a return to the small screen.

Top film actresses from yesteryears like Sharmila Tagore, Shabana Azmi or Neetu Singh may not be a bad choice, feel some. “It should be an actress who’s never come on TV. There should be some surprise element,” says Minu Patel (27), a housewife from Andheri, who fights with her husband every night these days to watch the show instead of cricket!

Meanwhile, there’s talk that actresses Gautami Gadgil and Padmini Kolhapure have been approached by the production house for the role. Will one of them sign on the dotted line? Or eventually will Smriti continue as Tulsi? Or, as Sujatha Rao (31), a housewife from Chembur, says, “Maybe the serial should continue without the character Tulsi and if it doesn’t work, it should wrap up. It’s been six years anyway.”

POINTS FOR EKTA TO CONSIDER:
a. Get Smriti to continue b. Eliminate Tulsi’s character c. Replace Smriti with Shefali Shah or a top film actress of the past d. Take the serial to a logical conclusion

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