Whether a character genuinely grew old and died (like the patriarch of the family played by Sudhir Dalvi leaving behind a 150-year-old Ba) or had to be eased out because it didn't work or faced Kapoor's axe (like Ketaki Dave aka the ara ra ra Daksha chachi) or better still underwent multiple replacements (at last count, the character of Mihir Virani has been played by at least three actors, if you discount the actor who apparently couldn't survive more than a day), Kyunki… has had some interesting characters. Besides, it was also one of the first shows, which had the lead protagonist, Mihir Virani (played by Amarr Upadhayay then) die in a dramatic turn of events and then revived equally dramatically on public demand. Also later when Amarr refused to 'age' during the first generation jump, he was promptly replaced by Ronit Roy.
Aman Verma's was another famous temporary presence, which could have been extended had the 'dead' Mihir not resurfaced at Smriti 'Tulsi' Iraani's second shaadi just before the 'maang bharo' moment. But while Tulsi's second marriage was nipped in the bud, men in the show have repeatedly philandered into various romantic liaisons outside the holy precincts of Shantiniketan, right from the Mi hir's affair with the obsessive doctor Mandira to the KaranTanya track and now Sahil's straying act with Trisha.
Of course there were also the vamps, who took centrestage in the serial with Jaya 'Payal' Bhattacharya who was rejected by Mihir for Tulsi. Her 'vamp' quotient later diluted when the other woman in Tulsi's life, Mandira came on the scene.
If on one hand popular characters on the show have been retained (even by replacing them at times), others have been conveniently ignored to eventual audience and producer ennui. The prominent casualties in this category were Tulsi's cousin sister played by Narayani Shastri and Mihir's cousin brother enacted by Shakti Anand (who we suspect didn't want to be sidelined and put grey in his hair), his wife played by Prachi Shah who carried on playing mom to grown up kids but gave up after a point; Hussain, who played another cousin till the first gen-jump took place and last but not least, Indu Virani (Karishma Tanaa), Baa's bubbly teenage confidant. While Anand, Hussain and Tanna have moved on to greener pastures on rival channels, Shilpa 'Kkusum' Saklani was imported from Sony to play Ganga, the Virani's third generation high-profile bahu.
Talking of the third generation, Akashh Deep Saigal aka the illegitimate, spoilt brat Ansh Virani-Gujral happens to be one of the prominent casualties. However the actor is soon going to be resuscitated in the fourth generation as Eklavya Virani, the righteous son of Damini and Gautam Virani.
So as the six-year long soap adds another generation to its family tree, while some of its stars 'reluctantly' continue into their characters with another shade of grey, keep your fingers crossed about who falls next off the Virani apple cart, due to the most prominent jump-induced grouse of their onscreen ages going beyond their off screen age.
FIVE GUEST APPEARANCES Jeetendra Anuradha Patel Chetan Hansraj Sudha Chandran Makarand Deshpande KYUNKI'S TOP 10 STAR EXITS… DINESH THAKUR (Govardhan Virani, 2000) The eldest Virani patriarch Dadaji registered perhaps the quickest exit for a Virani family character after just a few weeks post the serial's launch in 2000.
KETAKI DAVE (Daksha Virani, 2000-) The popular Junagadh bahu, with the famous Aa ra ra ra rant was an audience favourite alright, but she fell out with Ekta and was then unceremoniously shown the door. AMARR UPADHAYAY (Mihir Virani, 20002002) He came, he courted a fan base unthinkable for a character on satellite TV and then he died. Fan demand saw the revival of his track pronto, but he eventually excused himself prior to the saga's first generation leap for a film career that never took off AMAN VERMA (Anupam Kapadia, 2002-) His burst of fame on the serial came in the days when he courted Tulsi after Mihir's death. However, once Mihir resurfaced, his track got sidelined in spite of marrying Tulsi's cousin sister, as his Machiavellian sister Mandira started hogging the family limelight NARAYANI SHASHTRI (Kesar Anupam Kapadia, 2003-04) Played Tulsi's cousin sister who then had to get mar ried to Anupam.
MANDIRA BEDI (Dr. Mandira 'Mona' Kapadia) Hers has been an on-off presence in the serial 2002 onwards. Though Bedi's track was revived post her popu larity as a cricket commentator on TV, she eventually parted ways when her grey character started turning black and she had to play mom to actors her age SHAKTI ANAND (Hemant Virani) As Mihir's brother his was another enduring track on telly, which however ended untimely when the actor refused to age beyond his age following the serial's second generation jump in… KARISHMA TANNA (Indu Virani) Baa's bubbly teenage confidant in the days when Tulsi was preoccupied with her own demons, left Kyunki… for greener pastures a la lead roles in serials like Paalkhi on ZeeTV AKASHH DEEP SAIGAL (Ansh Virani-Gujral, 2005-06) The er rant son was bumped of f by mom Tulsi early this year, doing a Mother India on TV, while prote cting her bahu from his torturous clutches.
APARA MEHTA (Savita Mansukh Virani, 20002006) The end of Savita Virani's track was alleged to be at the behest of bahu Smriti.
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