After years of presenting pretty, thin, non-ageing women, Indian television is finally beginning to embrace realism, and surprisingly, the shift is happening with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2.
Soap operas have long clung to idealised images of women. Characters barely age, no matter how much time passes in the story. In Anupama, the protagonist is now a grandmother, but other than a few strategically placed white hairs, her appearance remains the same.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 seems determined to break that pattern. Smriti Irani’s return to TV as Tulsi has brought with it not just nostalgia, but a refreshing sense of honesty.
While the show still upholds the age-old trope of the self-sacrificing ideal woman, it does take a step forward by refuting unrealistic beauty standards.
In just the third episode, the show directly tackles how women in households age, addressing the topic with openness and sensitivity. And it lays the foundation for this shift in the second episode.
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Wrinkles, weight gain
The plotline begins with Mihir (Amar Upadhyay) stepping onto a weighing scale and noting his weight at 60 kg, while praising Tulsi for making him a protein shake.
Once he leaves, Tulsi steps onto the same scale and the needle jumps to 80 kg. She immediately gets off.
Later, at a family party, the issue is brought into sharper focus. Tulsi’s daughter bluntly criticises her appearance: “You have become fat. All my friends’ mothers are so fit. Why don’t you take care of yourself?”
Guests whisper behind her back: “Mihir is so fit, and this is his wife?” Some even comment that she looks a decade older than him.
While these moments form the backdrop for other storylines, the show doesn’t let them slide. In the third episode, Tulsi reflects on the remarks. That’s when Mihir steps in, offering a powerful response.
“Yes, you’ve gained some weight. Your clothes don’t fit the way they used to, but it’s too easy to judge housewives for not ‘maintaining’ themselves. Your arms may be heavier, but I’ve seen you carry the weight of this entire family on them. People don’t understand how much a woman’s body changes after childbirth and the toll it takes,” he says.
Given that Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi primarily caters to middle-aged Indian women, it’s encouraging to see the show beginning to engage with these conversations.
With this scene, the show breaks from TV‘s long-standing habit of glamourising homemakers, choosing instead to portray them with honesty and respect.
The decision to show real, ageing bodies and faces on screen has also yielded a meaningful and refreshingly real storyline. The same Tulsi Virani who once handled joint family politics with a perfectly blow-dried bun is now taking on beauty standards with a weighing scale and a protein shake.
In a world where most TV moms age like vampires, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 is giving us a real look at womanhood. It’s proof that even in the land of saas-bahu sagas, evolution is possible.
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(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)