Television czarina Ektaa Kapoor has bid an emotional farewell to Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2, as the much-loved daily soap aired its final episode on Tuesday, October 20. Sharing a nostalgic video montage on social media, the producer reflected on a show that far exceeded its original plan — and on what it meant to her personally and professionally.
"Last ep of Kyuki today! Some goodbyes are hard, but there is love in my heart for Kyuki forever. It's made me who I am," Kapoor wrote alongside the video, which featured memorable moments from the show's run. "It's time to say bye to the show that we were to do for 167 eps but ended up doing for 450 eps. Love always for my Kyuki. Until we meet again."
The numbers tell their own story. The sequel was initially planned for a modest 167 episodes. Instead, it ran for 450 episodes, premiering on July 29, 2025, on StarPlus and streaming on JioHotstar, and concluding on Dussehra — October 20, 2026 — at 10:30 pm. The extended run is a testament to the audience's enduring affection for the Virani family saga.
The show marked the much-anticipated return of Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay as Tulsi and Mihir Virani, the iconic couple at the heart of the franchise. Reacting to Kapoor's post, Irani wrote, "An emotion, a journey of 26 years … till we meet again #grateful for the love." The actor also shared a video capturing behind-the-scenes moments with her fellow co-stars, describing the experience as a "roller coaster of emotions."
"It was nothing short of a roller coaster of emotions. Memories made, stories revisited, and new chapters woven into a journey that explored both familiar and uncharted flavours of life. The heart never tired, the mind kept pace, and the soul stirred with every twist and turn," Irani penned in her heartfelt post.
"And somewhere in that beautiful churn of emotions, nostalgia and new beginnings, we created little pieces of history that will be cherished long after the curtains fall. Until our stories find each other again."
The final episode itself was designed as a fitting send-off. The Virani family came together to defeat two of their enemies, Mandira and Tripti, reprised by actors Achint Kaur and Suvarna Jha. In the climactic sequence, Tulsi and Mihir exposed Mandira's web of lies and her plan to inherit Shantiniketan, the family home.
The dramatic showdown ended in Ravan Dahan — a symbolic touch, given that the finale aired on Dussehra — representing Mandira's downfall. In the closing scene, the whole Virani family was seen celebrating Diwali, with the song "Mere Ghar Ram Aaye Hai" playing in the background.
Actor Sumeet Sachdev, known for his role as Gautam "Gomzy" Virani, also shared his sentiments on the final day of shoot. In a video message to fans, he thanked the audience for their unwavering support. "We are shooting the final scene, our final scene of Kyunki Saas. So it's a wrap-up day, we are getting a little emotional. It's been a long journey, it's been lovely and all of you have been with us on this journey. So a big shout-out to all of you. Thank you so much for all the love for our show and for my character. So from Gomzy, this is goodbye and until we meet again, cheers," Sachdev said.
The sequel was a revival of one of Indian television's most consequential shows. The original Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which aired from 2000 to 2008, redefined the Hindi daily soap and made household names of its cast. Its return, more than a decade and a half later, was a gamble — banking on nostalgia in a television landscape transformed by streaming, shorter attention spans, and changing viewing habits.
That the revival lasted 450 episodes suggests the gamble paid off. The show's ability to hold an audience for over a year in the current environment — when daily soaps routinely face abrupt endings — speaks to the peculiar staying power of the Virani universe. For a generation of viewers, Tulsi Virani remains one of television's defining characters, and Smriti Irani's return to the role carried an emotional weight that few comebacks could match.
Irani's own journey added another layer to the farewell. Having transitioned from television stardom to a prominent career in politics, her return to acting was itself a headline. Her description of the experience as a 26-year journey acknowledged the full arc — from the original show's debut to the sequel's finale.
For Ektaa Kapoor, the farewell was deeply personal. The producer, who has shaped Indian television for over two decades with a string of landmark shows, singled out Kyunki as the project that "made me who I am." The original series established her as television's most powerful creative force; the sequel's success reaffirmed that the connection with audiences had survived the years.
The show's ending also marks a moment of transition for StarPlus and the broader Hindi general entertainment space. Long-running daily soaps have been the backbone of the genre, but the economics of television are shifting. A 450-episode run in 2025–26 is, by contemporary standards, a genuine achievement.
What comes next is an open question. Both Kapoor and Irani ended their messages with variations of "until we meet again" — a phrase that has not gone unnoticed by fans, who are already speculating about a possible third chapter or a reunion special. Neither has announced anything concrete, but the door has been deliberately left ajar.
For now, though, the Virani family's story has reached its pause. The finale's closing image — the family together, celebrating Diwali, with a song about homecoming playing — was a deliberate full circle. After 450 episodes of betrayals, revelations and reconciliations, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 ended the way it lived: with family at the centre, and an audience that had stayed with it to the very end.
(Reporting based on The Print and the Free Press Journal.)