{"id":326579,"date":"2026-04-30T00:28:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:58:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=326579"},"modified":"2026-04-30T00:28:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:58:32","slug":"akashdeep-saigal-opens-up-about-playing-younger-irl-smriti-iranis-grandson-in-kyunki-saas-bhi-kabhi-bahu-thi-2-states-it-was-a-strategic-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/30\/akashdeep-saigal-opens-up-about-playing-younger-irl-smriti-iranis-grandson-in-kyunki-saas-bhi-kabhi-bahu-thi-2-states-it-was-a-strategic-move\/","title":{"rendered":"Akashdeep Saigal Opens Up About Playing &#8216;Younger IRL&#8217; Smriti Irani\u2019s Grandson In Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2; States, &#8220;It Was A Strategic Move&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 is back with a brand new chapter, and it has already sparked strong reactions online. The reboot brings back familiar faces while introducing fresh dynamics to the enduring family saga. Nonetheless, one casting alternative has taken centre stage. Akashdeep Saigal, who once played Tulsi Virani\u2019s son Ansh Gujral, now returns as her grandson Riyansh (Riyo). The twist has surprised viewers and triggered widespread debate.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-akashdeep-saigal-opens-up-about-playing-smriti-irani-s-grandson-in-kyunki-saas-bhi-kabhi-bahu-thi-2\">Akashdeep Saigal Opens Up About Playing Smriti Irani\u2019s Grandson In Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2<\/h2>\n<p>Akashdeep Saigal addressed the shift in an interview with Zoom and framed it as a creative evolution somewhat than a mismatch. He said, <em>\u201cIt\u2019s a masterclass in evolution. Playing the son was about riot; playing the grandson is about legacy. Professionally, it\u2019s an excellent shift. Spiritually, it\u2019s a reminder that while the name on the door changes, the soul of the performance stays the identical.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DXtWgH0ketw\/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>Furthermore, he described the casting as a deliberate move by Ektaa Kapoor. He recalled his first response to her offer and called it a \u2018full-circle moment.\u2019 He said, <em>\u201cWhen Ektaa calls, it\u2019s not a pitch; it\u2019s a shared vision. We\u2019ve created history together, and we each knew that for the return of this legacy, it needed a particular type of power. Bringing me in for Riyansh wasn\u2019t just casting; it was a strategic move to bring back that X-factor.<\/em>\u201d He also spoke about reuniting with co-actors like Hiten Tejwani, Gauri Pradhan, and others, calling them the <em>\u201carchitects\u201d <\/em>of the show\u2019s genre.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-akashdeep-saigal-faces-backlash-for-playing-smriti-irani-s-grandson\">Akashdeep Saigal Faces Backlash For Playing Smriti Irani\u2019s Grandson<\/h4>\n<p>At the identical time, the web reacted sharply. Many viewers identified the visible age gap issue. Actually, Akashdeep is a yr older than Smriti Irani, who plays Tulsi, yet he appears as her grandson on screen. This contrast left social media buzzing with criticism and jokes. A user wrote, <em>\u201cTulsi ka buddha pota.\u201d<\/em> Punning on the show\u2019s title, one other commented, <em>\u201cKyunki papa bhi kabhi beta tha.\u201d<\/em> One other user added, <em>\u201cDad ka dada lag raha hai.\u201d<\/em> Meanwhile, one comment read, <em>\u201cWhat has happened to his face?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In the most recent episode, Tulsi comes nose to nose with Riyo for the primary time and stands stunned. She struggles to react, which adds emotional weight to the reveal. Akashdeep, who once defined Ansh\u2019s rebellious streak, now steps into the subsequent generation\u2019s narrative arc.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DXrfGAogdqS\/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><\/blockquote>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-kyunki-saas-bhi-kabhi-bahu-thi\">About Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi<\/h4>\n<p>For context, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi stays one in all Indian television\u2019s most iconic shows. It aired on Star Plus from 2000 to 2008 and shaped a whole era of each day soaps before the rise of social media culture. The reboot once more brings back familiar names like Ketki Dave, Kamalika Guha Thakurta, Hiten Tejwani, Gauri Pradhan, and Shakti Anand. At the identical time, it introduces recent actors reminiscent of Rohit Suchanti, Aman Gandhi, Shagun Sharma, and Tanisha Mehta. Viewers can stream the show on JioHotstar.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, Akashdeep Saigal\u2019s return has added each intrigue and controversy to the reboot. While he sees it as a daring and meaningful progression, audiences remain divided over the casting alternative. Nevertheless, the excitement has ensured that the show stays firmly in public conversation, proving that its legacy still holds strong.<\/p>\n<p>For more exclusive news and updates from the entertainment world, stay tuned to\u00a0Bollywood Bubble.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-also-read-rupali-ganguly-shares-post-taking-a-dig-at-alia-bhatt-s-milan-fashion-week-outfit-viral-video-slams-leather-outfit\">Also Read: Rupali Ganguly Shares Post Taking A Dig At Alia Bhatt\u2019s Milan Fashion Week Outfit; VIRAL Video Slams Leather Outfit<\/h4>\n<div class=\"saboxplugin-wrap\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Person\" itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"author\">\n<div class=\"saboxplugin-tab\">\n<div class=\"saboxplugin-gravatar\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"saboxplugin-desc\">\n<div itemprop=\"description\">\n<p>Varsha Tiwari is a budding content author captivated with Bollywood, popular culture, and the stories behind the highlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. At all times curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master\u2019s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn\u2019t all the time need words to make an impact.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 is back with a brand new chapter, and it has already sparked strong reactions online. The reboot brings back familiar faces while introducing fresh dynamics to the enduring family saga. Nonetheless, one casting alternative has taken centre stage. Akashdeep Saigal, who once played Tulsi Virani\u2019s son Ansh Gujral, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":326580,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20668],"tags":[51176,30275,22996,21998,30273,51177,14609,30274,969,553,2726,10306,28435,23708,884,5793,30276,8981],"class_list":["post-326579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tv","tag-akashdeep","tag-bahu","tag-bhi","tag-grandson","tag-iranis","tag-irl","tag-kabhi","tag-kyunki","tag-move","tag-opens","tag-playing","tag-saas","tag-saigal","tag-smriti","tag-states","tag-strategic","tag-thi","tag-younger"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=326579"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":326582,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326579\/revisions\/326582"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/326580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=326579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=326579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=326579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}