Sumeet Sachdev on Kyunki 2, reuniting with Smriti Irani

Actor Sumeet Sachdev, who became a household name as Gautam Virani in Ekta Kapoor's iconic daily soap 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', is now once again successfully winning hearts as his beloved character in the second season of the show. The original 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' was an emotion for an entire generation and with its reboot, the cast has reunited after years. In an exclusive conversation with Times of India TV, the actor spoke about the show's legacy, lessons learnt and reuniting with Smriti Irani. Speaking about the pressure of living up to the legacy, the actor said, "When I started off again in January, there was definitely a lot of pressure. The audience had loved the character so much in the past, and even today, people have such strong memories of him. You don't want to come back as the same character and have people feel, 'We remember him as something else, but now he seems completely different.' So that pressure was definitely there in the initial month or month and a half, while I was finding my rhythm and getting back into the groove. But now, it's been a while, and I feel very comfortable. I feel like I'm back with the family, and that pressure has naturally gone away. I'm just enjoying being part of the show again." On his comeback in Kyunki 2 Talking about whether Gautam has evolved, he said: "Gautam has clearly started to take life more seriously and has evolved as a professional. He has grown older, and experiences do change a person. People go through different phases in life, so he has definitely become more experienced and mature. That said, he still has a tendency to lose his temper at very short notice. Those similarities are still there, and I really enjoy portraying him. It's good fun." He also spoke about one lesson the show has taught him, he shared: "One lesson Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi taught me is the importance of family and relationships. Life goes through different phases, and people may change with time, but the values we learn from our loved ones stay with us. The show also taught me that patience and standing by your family can help you get through even the most difficult situations." Sumeet also spoke how the TV industry has changed from TRP to social media and OTT, he said, "The TV industry has changed completely. Earlier, TRPs were the main way to judge a show’s success, but today social media is equally important. OTT has also created a new space for different kinds of stories. As an actor, I find this change exciting and challenging. Audiences are more aware now and can watch content from around the world. This encourages us to keep learning and improving instead of becoming comfortable. However, the basics of acting remain the same. Whether it's television, OTT or any other platform, you still have to understand your character, connect with the audience and be honest in your performance. The formats and viewing habits may have changed, but the responsibility of telling a good story remains the same." On reuniting with Smriti and Amar Recalling his reunion with Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay, he said: "The reunion was really lovely. It had been quite a while since I had met Smriti, but it honestly didn't feel as if so many years had passed. In fact on my first day she spotted me. She was getting out of her vanity van, and I was a little ahead on my way to the set when she called out to me. I went back, gave her a hug and met her. Being back together on the set brought back a lot of wonderful memories. As for Amar, I hadn't worked with him earlier because he wasn't part of the show when I joined. So this was my first time working with him, and it has been lovely."