Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
File:Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Poster.jpg
Genre	Indian soap opera
Created by	Director's Kut Productions
Written by	Saba Mumtaz Bhavna Vyas Ghazala Nargis Munisha Rajpal Zama Habib Bandana Tiwari
Directed by	Romesh Kalra Rishi Mandial Ram Pandey
Creative director	Vivek Bahl
Starring	Shivangi Joshi Mohsin Khan
Opening theme	Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai By Alka Yagnik
Country of origin	India
Original language	Hindi
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	2,621 as of 6 April 2018
Production
Executive producer	Vivek Jain
Producer	Rajan Shahi
Production locations	Mumbai Udaipur Goa Rishikesh Bangkok Cape Town Hong Kong Zürich Bikaner Greece
Cinematography	Arjuni Rao
Editor	Sameer Gandhi
Running time	22 minutes
Original release
Network	Star Plus
Release	12 January 2009 (2009-01-12) – present

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (lit. What Is This Relationship Called?) is a Hindi language television drama. It premiered on January 12, 2009 on Star Plus. It is India's longest-running TV serial. The show focuses on the daily life of an Udaipur-based Rajasthani family. It is produced by Rajan Shahi's Director's Kut Productions, and is the longest-running Indian television series based on episode count. The show's lead characters are Naira (Shivangi Joshi) and Kartik (Mohsin Khan). The series initially focused on Naira's parents Akshara (Hina Khan) and Naitik (Karan Mehra).

Plot

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai was initially the story of a young couple, Akshara and Naitik Singhania, who lived in a Marwari joint family in Udaipur. The story showcases their journey as a married couple going through adjustment issues, as parents of young children, and how they learn to love each other as their extended families mature. Now the story focuses on Naira and Kartik Goenka facing the same journey as Naira's parents, with a youthful twist.

4 years later

After an accident, Naitik falls into a coma. Naksh (Akshara and Naitik's son) is now 5 and doesn't know about his father. One day, Naitik comes back and although at first Naksh doesn't welcome his father, he later accepts him into his life. Soon the family travels and Gayatri (Naitik's mother) dies. Now Rajsekhar (Naitik's dad) is asked to marry someone, and he marries Devyani, who comes with her two children from a divorced marriage. Later, Bhabimaa's husband dies, and Bhabimaa (Naitik's aunt) blames it on Akshara and kicks her out of the house, after Akshara's daughter Naira is born. Akshara, Naitik, Naksh, and Naira leave the house.

10 years later

Naksh is now a mature adult and Naira is a diva teenager. Akshara and Naitik, along with Naksh and Naira, live in Cape Town. Naksh returns to Udaipur. He tries to clear up the misunderstanding with Bhabimaa. After many days, Akshara is forgiven and is allowed to return. The story then focuses on Naksh. He falls in love with Tara, and preparations for their wedding are made. Just minutes before the ceremony, she breaks up with him.

7 years later

The show focuses on teenage Naira, who flees from her house and now lives in Rishikesh, harboring animosity toward her mother. After finding Naira, the story takes a new twist: a love triangle that forms between Kartik (Naitik's employee), Naira and Gayu (Naitik's niece). Naira and Kartik have feelings for each other but don't know that it's love. Meanwhile, Gayu loves Kartik, unaware that Kartik doesn't love her back. When Kartik proposes to Naira, she initially rejects him, but by the time she realizes that Gayu also loves him, she thinks of sacrificing her happiness in favor of Gayu. When Mishti (Naira's cousin) reveals that Kartik loves only Naira, Kartik and Naira confess their love for each other; Gayatri understands. Kartik doesn't want to talk about his family because he hates them. Meanwhile, on Akshara's birthday, everyone goes for a veneration, but Akshara dies in a car accident. The Singhanias blame Kartik for Akshara's death as Kartik was found drunk and injured at the accident site. Kartik's family shows up and supports Kartik. Later, Naira finds that Kartik is not the culprit. She proves Kartik's innocence by finding the real culprit. Kartik doesn't like his father and stepmother as he thinks they were responsible for his mother's death. Seeing Kartik's feelings towards the Singhanias, his family approves of their relationship in spite of not being much in favor of it.

Several months later

The two families (Goenka and Singhania) start making preparations for their wedding. Just before the wedding, Kartik discovers the real culprit who ran Akshara over and yearns to tell Naira, but his uncle convinces him that he will tell her. He reneges and tells Naira only that Kartik is missing his mother. Finally, the wedding takes place. A few days later, Naira meets the man whose brother is in jail for killing her mother and learns that Akshara's accident was caused by Mansi (Kartik's cousin). The news reaches the Singhanias and they are heartbroken. The Goenkas come to apologize. Naira is initially very hurt and angry with Kartik, but she understands that it's not his fault. She takes Akshara's accident case back and forgives Mansi. On Kartik's birthday, he comes to know that Aditya (Kartik's brother in law) tortures Keerti (Kartik's sister) and, along with Naira, decides to expose him. Eventually, Aditya's truth comes out and Keerti and Aditya get divorced.

Suhasini Goenka (Kartik's grandmother) wants to find a suitable match for Keerti and later forces Naira to get Naksh and Keerti married. Naksh accepts the proposal for the sake of Naira.

Another parallel story about Manish and Saumya Goenka (Kartik's mother) is revealed. Saumya was a mental patient and committed suicide a long time ago. Manish (Kartik's father) kept the fact hidden keeping his promise to Saumya. Later, Kartik learns the truth and his misunderstandings regarding Manish get cleared up.

Naksh and Keerti marry.

Parallel story arcs

Parallel with Akshara and Naitik's stories, the stories of their respective siblings also form significant story arcs in the series. Past plots have been built around the lives of Naitik's sisters Nandini and Rashmi. The series has also focused on Naitik's step-siblings. The series also paralleled the story of Akshara-Naitik with that of Varsha-Shaurya. Varsha is Akshara's best friend, and Shaurya is Akshara's older brother.

After several leaps, Naira and Kartik became the leads of the show. Parallel with Kartik and Naira's story, the series also focusses on the story of their siblings - Naksh, Gayu, Keerti and Shubham.

Main cast

• Shivangi Joshi as Naira Kartik Goenka/ Naira Naitik Singhania Kartik's wife, Naitik-Akshara's daughter (2016–)
• Mohsin Khan as Kartik Manish Goenka, Naira's Husband (2016–)
• Mohena Singh as Kirti Naksh Singhania/ Kirti Manish Goenka, Naksh's wife and Karthik's sister (2016–)
• Kanchi Singh as Gayatri Nikhil Deora, Naira's cousin, Rashmi-Nikhil's daughter, Sameer's step-daughter (2016–2017)
• Rishi Dev as Naksh Naitik Singhania, Kirti's husband, Akshara and Naitik's son, Naira's brother (2017–)

Recurring cast

• Sanjeev Seth as Vishambharnath Maheshwari, Akshara's father, Naira's maternal grandfather (nanu) (2009–)
• Lata Sabharwal as Rajshri Vishambharnath Maheshwari, Akshara's mother, Naira's maternal grandmother (nani) (2009–)
• Sandeep Mehta as Raj Shekhar Singhania, Naitik's father, Akshara's father in law, Naira's paternal grandfather (dadaji) (2009–)
• Medha Sambutkar as Kaveri Mahendra Pratap Singhania, Naitik's bhabhi maa, Nandini's mother, Naira's paternal grandaunt (badi dadi) (2009–)
• Kirti Sually as Baisa, Naitik's dadi Naira's paternal grandaunt (bua dadi) (2010–)
• Kshitee Jog as Devyani Raj Shekhar Singhania, Raj Shekhar's 2nd wife, Naira's paternal grandmother (choti dadi) (2013–)
• Aarna Sharma as Mishti Naman Singhania, Naira's cousin, Naman-Karishma's daughter (2015–)
• Ali Hassan as Akhilesh Goenka, Kartik's paternal uncle (chachu) (2016–)
• Shilpa Raizada as Surekha Goenka, Akhilesh's wife, Kartik's aunt (chachi) (2016–)
• Vishal Singh as Naitik Raj Shekhar Singhania, Akshara's husband, Naksh-Naira's father (2016–)
• Parul Chauhan as Suvarna Manish Goenka, Kirti's & Kartik step-mother (2016–)
• Sachin Tyagi as Manish Goenka, Kartik's and Kirti father (2016–)
• Gaurav Wadhwa as Subham Manish Goenka (Aryan), Suvarna and Manish's son (2017–)
• Swati Chitnis as Suhasini Goenka, Kartik's paternal grandmother (dadi) (2017–)

Former Cast

• Hina Khan as Akshara Naitik Singhania / Akshara Maheshwari, Vishambhar-Rajshri's daughter, Naitik's wife, Naksh-Naira's mother (former main female lead, dead) (2009–16)
• Karan Mehra as Naitik Raj Shekhar Singhania, Gaytri-Raj's son, Akshara's husband, Naksh-Naira's father (Former Main Male Lead) (2009–16) (replaced by Vishal)
• Shivansh Kotia as Young Naksh Naitik Singhania, Naitik-Akshara's son (2012–15)
• Ashnoor Kaur as Young Naira Naitik Singhania, Naitik-Akshara's daughter (2015–16)
• Rohan Mehra as Naksh Naitik Singhania, Akshara-Naitik's son, Naira's brother, Naintara's ex fiancé (2nd Main Male Lead) (2015–16) (replaced by Rishi)
• Sonali Verma as Gayatri Raj Shekhar Singhania, Raj's 1st wife, Naitik-Rashmi's mother, Akshara's mother in law, Naksh-Naira's grandmother (2009–13) (dead)
• Sanjai Gandhi/Abhijeet Lahri as Mahendra Pratap Singhania (Dadaji), Kaveri's husband, Nandini's father, Naitik's uncle (2009–15) (dead)
• Manu Malik as Omkarnath Maheshwari, Akshara's uncle, Sunaina's husband, Anshuman's father (2009–16)
• Neelima Taddepalli as Sunaina Omkarnath Maheshwari, Naira's maternal grand aunt (choti nani) Akshara's aunt, Omkar's wife, Anshuman's mother (2009–16)
• Aman Sharma/Dheeraj Gumbar as Anshuman Omkarnath Maheshwari, Akshara's cousin brother, Jasmeet's husband (2009–16)
• Vineeta Malik as Bhairavi Maheshwari, Vishambharnath-Omkarnath's mother, Akshara's grandmother, Naira's maternal great grand mother (badi nani) (2009–16)
• Nidhi Uttam as Nandini Mohit Agarwal, Kaveri-Mahendra Pratap's daughter, Mohit's wife, Yash-Anmol's mother, Naira's paternal aunt (bua) (2009–16)
• Ayush Agarwal/Shamik Abbas as Mohit Agarwal, Naitik's best friend, Nandini's husband, Naira's uncle (phupaji) (2009–16)
• Urmila Sharma/Sunita Rao as Rukmini Agarwal, Mohit's mother (2009–16)
• Neha Saroopa as Rashmi Sameer Desai/Rashmi Nikhil Deora (née Singhania), Gaytri-Raj's daughter, Naitik's sister, Nikhil-Sameer's wife, Gayu's mother (2009–16) (dead)
• Pooja Joshi as Varsha Shaurya Maheshwari, Akshara's friend, Shaurya's wife, Ananya-Kuhu's mother, Naira's maternal aunt (mami) (2009–17)
• Ather Habib/Yash Gera as Shaurya Vishambharnath Maheshwari, Akshara's brother, Varsha's husband, Ananya-Kuhu's father, Naira's maternal uncle (mamaji) (2009–17)
• Anand Mani as Bhajinder Singh, Maheshwari's servant (2009–12)
• Sunita Rajwar as Dhaniya Bhajinder Singh, Bajinder's wife (2009–12)
• Rakesh Deewana as Maharaj, Singhania's ex chef (2009–14)
• Roshan Khan as Gopi Dadi, Bhairvi's friend (2009–14)
• Ali Merchant as Rituraj, Naitik's cousin brother (2009; 2011–12)
• Amit Dolawat as Alok Awasthi, Muskaan's husband (2009; 2014–15)
• Preeti Sharma as Bindiya, Rituraj's wife (2009)
• Divya Bhatnagar as Gulaboo, Singhania's maid (2009–15)
• Amardeep Jha as Shankari, Akshara's match-maker (2009–16)
• Charu Asopa as Sneha: Naitik's worker, Kuhu's mother (2010)
• Bani as Baby Naksh Naitik Singhania, Naitik-Akshara's son (2011–12) (replaced)
• Ashish Kapoor as Nikhil Rajendra Deora, Rashmi's ex-husband (2011–12)
• Unknown as Rama Rajendra Deora, Rashmi's mother in law, Nikhil's mother (2011–16)
• Reem Sheikh as young Prerna Singhania (chikki), Singhania's adopted child (2012)
• Alpesh Gehlot as Samar, Akshara's admirer (2012)
• Akanksha Kapil as Antara, Loves Naitik (2012)
• Navika Kotia as Prerna Singhania, Grown up Chikki (2013)
• Anurag Nigam as Ankit (2013)
• Zarina Roshan Khan as Muskaan Alok Awasthi, Naman's sister (2014–15)
• Shirin Sewani as Jasmeet Anshuman Maheshwari, Anshuman's wife (2014–16)
• Anshul Pandey as Naman Raj Singhania, Suresh-Devyani's son, Raj's step son, Muskaan's brother, Karishma's husband, Mishti's father (2014–16)
• Priyanka Udhwani as Karishma Naman Singhania, Naman's wife, Naira's aunt (chachi) (2014–18)
• Mazher Sayed as Sameer Desai, Rashmi's second husband (2015)
• Mishka Jain as Baby Naira Naitik Singhania, Naitik-Akshara's daughter (2015) (replaced)
• Sanchit Sharma as Yash Mohit Agarwal, Naira's cousin, Nandini-Mohit's adopted son, Rose's husband (2015–16)
• Akshaya Naik as Ananya Ranveer Sharma, Naira's cousin, Varsha-Shaurya's daughter, Ranveer's wife (2015–16)
• Umang Jain as Tara Singh Shekhawat, Naksh's ex fiancé (2015–16)
• Alok Nath as Chandrabhan Singh Shekhawat, Tara's grandfather (2015–16)
• Amal Sehrawat as Sangram Singh Shekhawat, Tara's brother (2015–16)
• Shivam Agarwal as Aditya Singh Shekhawat, Tara's brother (2015–16)
• Vaishali Takkar as Sanjana, Naksh's friend (2015–16)
• Khushmeet Gill as Nannu Anshuman Maheshwari, Anshuman-Jasmeet's son (2015–16)
• Yamini Makwana as Kuhu Shaurya Maheshwari, Naira's cousin, Shaurya-Sneha's daughter (2016–17)
• Arjun Kohli as Ranveer Sharma, Ananya's husband (2016)
• Sippora Zoutewelle as Rose Yash Agarwal, Yash's wife (2016)
• Karan Pahwa as Anmol Mohit Agarwal, Naira's cousin, Nandini-Mohit's son (2016)
• Harbandana Kaur as Young Kuhu (2016)
• Sheetal Tiwari as Sukanya, Naira's friend (2016) (dead)
• Veena Jagtap as Nisha Singh Sekhawat (2016)
• Suzanne Bernert as Martha, Rose's mother (2016)
• Fahad Ali as Vivaan, Gayu's school friend (2016)
• Nupur Joshi as Soumya Manish Goenka, Kartik and Kirti's mother, Manish's 1st wife (2016) (dead)
• Tia Gandwani as Priyanka, Kartik's maternal aunt (masi) (2017)
• Romit Sharma as Aditya Bansal, Karthik's former brother-in-law, Kirti's ex-husband (2017)
• Nikhil Sharma as Raghav, Naira's former friend (2017)
• Shravan Mehta as Kiran, Naira's dance partner and friend (2017)
• Bhuvan Chopra as Ratan
• Neha Sehgal as Payal
• Sonal Shrivastava as Juhi

Guest stars

• Shweta Tiwari (2009)
• Sara Khan (2009)
• Kinshuk Mahajan (2009)
• Anupriya Kapoor (2010)
• Neha Sargam (2010)
• Pooja Gor (2010)
• Sanaya Irani (2011)
• Soumya Seth (2011)
• Anas Rashid (2012)
• Neelu Vaghela (2012)
• Aamir Khan (2012)
• Deepika Singh (2012, 2016)
• Preeti & Pinky (2014)
• Hiba Nawab (2015)
• Kamalika Guha Thakurta (2016)
• Badshah (2017)
• Shah Rukh Khan & Anushka Sharma (2017)
• Akshay Kumar & Bhumi Pednekar (2017)
• Alka Yagnik (2017)
• Adaa Khan (2018))

Crossover

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai has had several crossover episodes with various shows. In 2009, the show had a connection with Sapna Babul Ka...Bidaai. In 2012, the show had a crossover episode with Diya Aur Baati Hum. In 2016, Diya Aur Baati Hum's lead actress Deepika Singh made an entry.

Reception and impact

The show is one of the most often-awarded shows of Indian Television, and is India's longest running television series by episode count. Hina Khan participated in the 'Power of 49' campaign, in which soap opera actors used their influence to urge women to vote.

Shoma Munshi said the show has "simplicity and highly emotional content" and was noted for placing female characters in the historical tradition of a large joint family.

Popularity in Pakistan

The show is also broadcast by Urdu 1 and Star Plus sister channel STAR Utsav. The show generally maintains the top spot among Indian TV serials that aired in Pakistan. The show was beaten three to four times by Kumkum Bhagya that aired on Geo Kahani but recovered its leading position. The show also recorded one of the highest TRP in Pakistan.

Awards

Main article: List of accolades received by Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai

External links

• Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Steaming on Hotstar
• Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai at IMDb