Apara Mehta recalls fans burning her with a cigarette during Kyunki fame: ‘It became very dangerous’
The actress talks about her Kyunki days, and how she was mobbed by fans at an event
For those who remember too well, there was a time when Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi had gone beyond the status of a Hindi serial: People almost believed the characters were real, to the point that there was a nationwide mourning when the central male lead Mihir supposedly died. (Of course, no one quite knew back then, in Hindi serials, no one ever really dies).
Apara Mehta, who played Savita Virani in the daily soap, has now recalled just how intense that fame could be. During one performance in Kolkata, the actor says fans pulled and pushed her, tried to take her diamond ring and even accidentally burned her with a cigarette.
‘People were pulling and pushing me’
Speaking to Hauterrfly, Apara looked back on the overwhelming response she received while performing in a Gujarati play in Kolkata during Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’s peak years.
The actor was performing at Kala Mandir, where the play had five shows — all of which were packed. But the audience reaction when she walked on stage was something she clearly remembers.
“When Kyunki was at its peak, I was performing a Gujarati play in Kolkata. We staged five shows at Kala Mandir, and every seat was packed. The moment I entered, 8,000 dandiyas were thrown into the air. People completely mobbed me.”
The excitement quickly turned into a dangerous crush around the actor.
“They pulled me onto the podium. People were pulling and pushing me from all sides. When I started shaking hands with them, someone tried to pull off my diamond ring and someone even accidentally burned me with a cigarette.”
The situation became increasingly difficult to control as the crowd surged around her. "The whole podium started shaking. People went crazy. It became very dangerous," she recalled, adding that she was asked to step down from the podium, and people formed a circle around her.
A role that changed Apara Mehta’s career
Apara Mehta became a household name after playing Savita Virani, Mihir’s mother and Tulsi’s mother-in-law, in Ektaa Kapoor’s Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Premiering in 2000, the daily soap went on to dominate television for years, turning its lead actors into nationwide stars.
For Apara, the role was career-changing. She has previously described Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi as a life-changing experience, saying she is still recognised by many viewers as Savita Virani and credits the serial with changing the history of Indian television.
The family drama has now returned with a reboot, with Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay reprising their roles. Apara also makes a special appearance in the new season, reuniting with Smriti for what she has described as an emotional scene.
New episodes of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi air every day at 10:30 pm on Star Plus and are also available to stream on JioHotstar.
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