Interview: Amar Upadhyay Tells NDTV He Knew Mihir Was Dying In Kyunki, But The Hysteria...
Today is the day, Ekta Kapoor's most loved daily soap from 2000, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, returns with its reboot version. What's even better is that one of television's most iconic couples, Tulsi Virani (Smriti Irani) and Mihir Virani (Amar Upadhyay), are reprising their onscreen avatars.
One of the most chaotic phases of the long-running television show was when Mihir's character was killed. It was the outcome of a tragic accident, and it led to a massive twist in the storyline, along with Tulsi's life turning upside down. More importantly, Mihir's affair with Mandira (Mandira Bedi) was also revealed soon after.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Amar Upadhyay reveals if his onscreen death was planned or if he was brought back because of public demand and the huge outcry that was unleashed.
What's Happening
Amar Upadhyay, who played the role of Mihir in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, addresses one of the most talked-about scenes in the show. His death scene had left Balaji Telefilms' email server crashing and phone lines being jammed.
After a point, the production house decided to bring back Mihir's character, to the utmost respite of his dedicated fans.
Amar Upadhyay reveals, "The story was planned. I was told beforehand that I was going to die in the 125th episode, and they killed me in the 127th. It was all planned on paper, but the hysteria was unexpected. He was the hero who was supposed to die; it was a major incident. It was not expected."
He continues, "Logically, any show would just shut down. Very subtly, the scenes were written, we shot them, but the reaction was off the charts. They wrote the scenes, and they shot the scenes. We were just staying honest to the script, but yes, we made it big because Mihir was dying! The crazy love and reaction from fans was, I guess, just a validation of how much love Mihir received throughout."
What Made Mihir And Tulsi An Ideal Couple
In the same conversation, Amar Upadhyay recalled his camaraderie with Smriti Irani, who became a household name as Tulsi Virani. He says even though she is a huge politician, the atmosphere on set this time was as happy as it has always been. He could only see his co-star.
He says, "Tulsi is a very strong personality on television. Today she's a very big politician. She's handled so many ministries. But I never feel she's such a big politician. I always felt that she was my co-star. And when we met on set this time, I think we met as co-stars more than anything else. So it feels the same."
Recalling how they would always be giggling on set even back then, the Kyunki actor says, "We were so comfortable as actors and friends on sets together. We used to laugh a lot while the cameras weren't rolling. You can see some clippings on social media today where we are both seen laughing, but that's happening when we are not shooting any scene. That's the reason why we came across as the believable, perfect couple on screen."
In A Nutshell
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 returns tonight at 10:30 PM on Star Plus. It will be streaming on JioHotstar at all times. Mihir AKA Amar Upadhyay spoke about the frenzy that took place when his onscreen character was killed. Mihir was brought back on the show due to popular demand, and fans were relieved.
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