Apara Mehta has spoken about the overwhelming fan craze she experienced during Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. While the love from viewers was immense, the actor also faced frightening situations.
Published: July 25, 2026, 4:30 PM IST
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https://www.india.com/entertainment/apara-mehta-recalls-fans-burned-her-with-cigarettes-during-kyunki-saas-bhi-kabhi-bahu-thi-craze-8483759/
Apara Mehta (PC: Twitter)
Television has created many iconic stars over the years, but very few have witnessed the kind of frenzy that surrounded Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. For Apara Mehta, who became a familiar face in millions of homes through the hit serial, the show’s popularity brought more than just admiration. It also led to some unforgettable and, at times, deeply unsettling experiences. Looking back at those years, the veteran actor shared how fans often crossed personal boundaries in their excitement. While their affection reflected the show’s incredible reach, some encounters became so intense that they left a lasting impression on her. Among them were incidents that shocked even those closest to Apara Mehta.
Apara Mehta opens up about disturbing fan encounters
Speaking about the peak of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Apara Mehta revealed that fans sometimes became uncontrollable when they saw her in public. She recalled being surrounded by large crowds wherever she travelled, making it difficult to move freely.
The actor shared that on more than one occasion, people allegedly burned her with cigarettes just to see if she was “real”. She described these incidents as painful and surprising, explaining that some fans seemed unable to separate the actor from the television character they watched every day. She said, “Kyunki was at the peak aur mera Gujarati drama Kolkata mein hota tha, 5 show hote the Kala Mandir mein. Seat to seat packed hote the. Jaise hi main enter hui, 8000 dandiya uchle as soon as they saw me (Kyunki was at its peak, and my Gujarati plays used to be staged in Kolkata—we would hold five shows at Kala Mandir. The venues were packed to capacity; the moment I entered, 8,000 dandiya sticks would fly into the air as soon as the audience saw me). And the way I was mobbed.”
Apara Mehta in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (PC: IMDb)
Fans even tried to snatch Apara Mehta’s diamond ring
Apara Mehta also remembered another shocking moment when a fan allegedly tried to pull a ring off her finger. According to her, people often wanted to touch her or take home something associated with her, believing it would be a memorable keepsake. She further revealed, “Mujhe kheench ke podium pe le gaye. People were pulling and pushing me. I started shaking hands with them, toh koi meri diamond ki angoothi kheench raha hai, kisi ne mujhe cigarette laga dii (They dragged me onto the podium. People were pulling and pushing me. As I started shaking hands with them, someone tried to pull off my diamond ring, and someone else pressed a lit cigarette against me).
And the whole podium started shaking. People went crazy. It became very dangerous. Then they asked me to get down from the podium, they formed a circle around me and, at that time, everybody touched me everywhere. I said, ‘Okay touch kar lo, kya milega?’ (It’s okay, you can touch me, but what will you get?)”
Although these incidents were frightening, Mehta acknowledged that they reflected the extraordinary popularity of television at the time. Long before social media connected celebrities with audiences, daily soaps had become an integral part of family life, creating an emotional bond between viewers and the actors they watched every evening.
Unforgettable craze around Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi remains one of Indian television’s most iconic shows, and its cast continues to be remembered fondly even years after it went off air. For Apara Mehta, the serial brought widespread recognition and career-defining success. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi became one of the biggest television phenomena in India when it premiered on July 2000 on Star Plus. It ran for more than eight years, ending on November 2008, and became a defining show of the early 2000s Indian TV era. The main cast of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi included Smriti Irani as Tulsi Virani, Amar Upadhyay as Mihir Virani, Sudha Shivpuri as Baa, and Apara Mehta as Savita Virani.
At the same time, her recent recollections serve as a reminder that immense fame often comes with unexpected challenges. While she remains grateful for the love she received from audiences, some moments from that extraordinary period continue to stand out for all the wrong reasons.
