It has crossed the 1500 episode mark and even though the struggles of fictional Virani family continue, the curtains will come down on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Thursday night because the show's producer Balaji Telefilms is locked in a legal battle with the Star TV that has been airing the saga for the last eight years.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi first went on air in 2000, and soon the show and its characters became a household name.
Every weeknight millions tuned in to watch the story a Gujarati family and its ideal bahu Tulsi, played by Smriti Irani, who fought to keep the family together. Even in its fifth year, the serial was at the top of the charts.
But the soap has now hit choppy waters. TRP's are falling and Star TV which was Rs27 lakh per episode feared it would lose its market leadership if it continued to air the show. On November 10, the channel will terminate sourcing and telecasting the series. While the producers claimed this was a breach of the original contract, the court stayed the termination notice served by Star TV.
But Kyunki Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi fans need not lose hope as yet Balaji Telefilms is in talks with a rival general entertainment channel to telecast what has been the longest running soap on Indian television.