Jaya Bhattacharya recalls getting ₹1000 raise on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi: ‘Was the most underpaid actor’

Former Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi actress Jaya Bhattacharya expressed her frustration over being the most underpaid actor on the show.

Published on: Jul 28, 2025, 06:18:07 IST

By Sugandha Rawal

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Actor Jaya Bhattacharya, who was part of the original Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi alongside Smriti Irani for over seven years, has claimed that she was the most underpaid actor on the set.

It is not out whether Jaya Bhattacharya will be seen in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 or not.

Jaya Bhattacharya reveals

The actor recently joined Siddharth Kannan for a conversation on his podcast on YouTube. During the conversation, she looked back at her experience of working on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The actor was seen in the role of Payal Parikh in the show. It is not confirmed whether she will be returning for the upcoming reboot of the show.

Looking back, Jaya said, “I was the most underpaid actor. I never got a raise. Only once I asked for a raise, and while everyone got a raise of 2 thousand rupees, I got only 1 thousand. That hit my ego, so I didn’t ask for it ever again and hence didn’t get a raise for a straight 7 years.”

At that moment, Siddharth asked if other castmates got a raise in those seven years. To which. Jaya said, “Ohhh yes… woh log toh kahan se kahan paunch gaye (They reached great heights in their careers).”

About Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi revolutionised Indian television with its emotional storylines, memorable characters, and iconic dialogues. It aired from 2000 to 2008 on Star Plus. Produced by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms, the show centered around the Virani family and their strong-willed daughter-in-law Tulsi, portrayed by Smriti Irani. The show's impact was immense, catapulting the "saas-bahu" genre to unprecedented heights and cementing its place in the history of Indian small screen.

Now, 17 years later, the series will be back. The reboot is set to premiere on Star Plus and JioCinema (formerly Hotstar) on July 29. The new promo features Tulsi speaking about the relevance of sanskar (moral values) in today’s rapidly changing world. The caption read: "Badalte waqt mein ek naye nazariye ke saath laut rahi hai Tulsi! Unke iss naye safar mein judne ke liye kya aap hain taiyyar? (In changing times, Tulsi returns with a new outlook. Are you ready to join her on this journey?)"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sugandha Rawal
Sugandha Rawal has been writing about entertainment and lifestyle for over 13 years, and if there's one thing that's kept her going, it's a genuine love for storytelling. She completed her graduation in Journalism from the University of Delhi and went on to earn her Master of Media from IP University. Beginning her career in the fast-paced environment of news wire reporting, she learned the art of accuracy, speed, and storytelling under pressure. She later expanded her horizons in print journalism, where she honed her feature-writing skills and developed a keen eye for detail and narrative depth. These days, she's firmly rooted in digital journalism, adapting and evolving with a media landscape that never sits still. Over the years, Sugandha has covered everything from Bollywood and celebrity culture to wellness trends and lifestyle shifts. She enjoys spotting the drama behind headlines, the emotion behind interviews, and the details that others might miss. When she is not chasing the latest entertainment update or lifestyle trend, you will find her observing the cultural shifts that shape the stories we consume every day.Read More

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