The Kyunkii…Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi appearance mark Bill Gates’ second appearance on a show after his cameo in the American show The Big Bang Theory.
IMAGE: Alliance for Global Good Gender Founder & Chairperson Smriti Irani in conversation with Bill Gates during the ‘Future Forward: Shaping Global Futures with Indian Innovations’ event at the Prime Ministers’ Museum & Library in New Delhi, March 19, 2025. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo
It is a never-before scenario for Indian pop culture.
Microsoft Cofounder and iconic American philanthropist Bill Gates will appear on Ekta Kapoor’s long running soap Kyunkii…Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi which went into its second season this year after a gap of 25 years.
Speaking on the return of the show Smriti Irani says, ‘Kyunki… Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi isn’t just a show it’s a shared memory. For those who created it and the millions who embraced it, it was a story of families, faith, and the fabric that binds us across generations.’
‘Twentyfive years later, it still lives in our hearts. My gratitude to those who made the journey possible.’
Bill Gates’ appearance in this week’s episode is not short of a miracle, although getting him to agree was not a problem.
Apparently Producer Ekta Kapoor put in months of request to Bill Gates’ team. Gates responded in person and said he would be delighted to appear on the show, as he had heard of it.
IMAGE: Smriti Irani with her husband Zubin Irani with Bill Gates and his partner Paula Hurd during Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar, March 3, 2024. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo
In the episode Smriti Irani and Bill Gates would be on a video call. They will discuss the importance of family and how to deal with the younger generation and its specific demands which often overlap with family interests.
PTI adds:
The newly-released promo of the Star Plus serial shows Irani’s Tulsi Virani speaking to Gates on video call. She greets him with “Jai Shri Krisna” and he replies with “Jai Shri Krishna, Tulsi Ji”.
“It feels really nice that you are connecting with my family directly from America. We are waiting for you eagerly,” Tulsi says to which Gates says “Thank you, Tulsi Ji”.
The appearance mark Gates’ second appearance on a show after his cameo in the American show The Big Bang Theory.
Gates will talk about maternal and newborn health as well as the charitable endeavours of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in this direction in his cameo that will stretch for three episodes.
Irani, the former minister for women and child development, called Gates’ appearance on the show a historic moment in Indian entertainment.
‘For far too long, women and children’s health has remained on the margins of mainstream dialogue. This initiative is a powerful step towards changing that,’ Irani told CNBC-TV18 on Wednesday.
‘To bring together one of the world’s most respected global voices with one of Indian television’s most influential storytellers is more than a collaboration — it is the start of a Jan Andolan, a people’s movement rooted in awareness, empathy, and action,’ Irani added.
The latest episode of the show airs on Star Plus at 10:30 pm and is available to stream on JioHotstar.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
