Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi review: Tulsi Virani, nostalgia and nothing more

India Today

2 days ago

You know when you open an old photo album, and the scent of plastic sleeves and faded memories hits you so hard it's almost cinematic? That's what watching the first episode of 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' feels like. From the moment Tulsi, aka SmritiIrani, waters the sacred tulsi plant and recites the Gayatri Mantra, the pilot episode makes one thing absolutely clear: this is a love letter to the past, not a leap into new narrative territory. The iconic title track plays again, Tulsi opens the gate of Shanti Niketan, familiar faces step into the Virani home, and the memories flood back instantly.advertisementThe reboot or season two, whatever you call it, doesn't begin with nostalgia - it bathes and marinates in it, and serves it with a side of slow-mo zoom-ins and recycled storyline, emotions, and background scores. There are even ample visuals from the first season to further tug the heartstrings of its original fans. The writers seem to be the last hire as the plot is not plotting as of now. It's like the showrunners simply wanted the audience to say, 'Hey, we've watched this,' and keep saying it for the next 28 minutes straight.Yes, it's heartwarming to see Smriti Irani as Tulsi again, and yes, there's something deeply comforting about the 'Kyunki' title track kicking in. But let's be honest, how long can nostalgia hold up if it isn't backed by substance? Right now, everything seems to be borrowed from the past. The characters haven't grown, the dynamics haven't evolved, and the dialogues seem outdated. As if no one told the Viranis that the world has moved on from landlines and the perfect happy 'joint family' facade.
The episode seems to kick off from where it ended back in time. Tulsi and Mihir Virani (Amar Upadhyay) are celebrating their 38th anniversary (like, even how!), and the entire family comes together to celebrate it. Tulsi still overworks, cooks despite having staff, worries about finances, and is even expected to hand towels to grown sons (Karan: Hiten Tejwani) in the bath, proof that the characters and the show were subjected to some on-trend anti-aging potion.Gayatri (Kamalika Guha Thakurta) is back with vamp-like expressions over loud background scores that make you chuckle instantly. The family hails Tulsi as the epitome of mothership. In a rather poignant yet amusing moment, Tulsi's mother-in-law, Savita (Apara Mehta), makes a spiritual appearance, talking about how they have redefined the saas-bahu relationship.The makers do make efforts to try to connect to the new generation with references to pop culture terms. From Daksha (Ketki Dave) ditching film magazines to consuming news via social media, more specifically, pap page Viral Bhayani, to youngsters breaking into homes after midnight, you know who the makers are trying to target now. There is also a Hum Saath-Saath Hain moment with Gayatri manipulating her son about being the Lakshman to Mihir's Ram and letting go of the business. Through her, the new vamp in town, we also get a gist of the plot of the new season: how blood is thicker than water, and a certain upbringing doesn't change the person's core.advertisementPerformance-wise, there's nothing to judge as the actors seem to be performing on muscle memory. Smriti Irani gets into the Tulsi mode with so much ease as if it were an extension of her personality. Amar Upadhyay as Mihir looks just as he did in 2000. For a second, I thought the TV had glitched and started playing an old Star Plus rerun. And honestly? That's the whole episode.Just like that photo album with crinkled pages, 'Kyunki 2' makes you smile through glossed eyes, remember the good old days, but eventually, you realise life has moved on. You close it and find yourself scrolling through Instagram instead.- EndsThe review is based on the first episode. Must Watch