When Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi first aired in 2000, it was nothing short of a cultural moment. People welcomed the Virani family into their homes, and, Tulsi Virani, their self-sacrificing daughter-in-law, became the gold standard of Indian womanhood.
Now, in 2025, as the show returns to our lives with a reboot, little has changed except, perhaps, the world around us.
The reboot opens with a two-minute montage of temples, aartis, and deities before panning to Tulsi (Smriti Irani) praying to the tulsi plant in her garden.
This visual of Hindu religiosity, simultaneously maternal, and nation-affirming, sets the tone for what follows. The show’s vision of womanhood remains untouched by time.
This story was originally published in thequint.com. Read the full story here.
