Geeta PandeyBBC News, Delhi
JioStar
Bill Gates appeared on Thursday night’s episode to talk about maternal and child health with Smriti Irani
A crossover no-one saw coming.
That’s how many in India are describing Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates’ appearance in an iconic Hindi TV drama with actress and former federal minister Smriti Irani.
Mr Gates appeared on Thursday night’s episode of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (Because the Mother-in-Law Was Also Once Daughter-in-Law) to talk about maternal and child health with Irani.
The Gates Foundation has been working on curbing infant and maternal mortality for years with governments in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar – the two northern Indian states with huge populations that are also among the most disadvantaged regions.
Government data shows a significant improvement in maternal and child health indicators over the years, including in the two states. But in a country steeped in patriarchy, challenges remain.
In such a scenario, experts say messaging becomes extremely important to keep the drumbeat going to change norms and to make people more aware of the need to take care of their girls and mothers.
And to do that, Mr Gates perhaps couldn’t have chosen a better platform than Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
First launched in July 2000, the series had a very successful long innings with several thousand episodes that were broadcast almost daily on Star Plus for eight- and-a-half years before it was discontinued, says Shailaja Bajpai, columnist and Readers’ Editor for Print new site.
In July, 25 years after it first hit the screens, Kyunki… returned for its second innings.
JioStar
Bill Gates’ unexpected cameo seems to have brought the show back into the limelight
Indian audiences found the show, based on the complex domestic relationship between Irani’s character Tulsi and her mother-in-law, riveting. The trials and tribulations of the dutiful new bride had families reorganise their daily routines to ensure they didn’t miss out a single episode.
Irani’s character was – and is – at the centre of this story of the fictitious Virani family. In the first season, she played a young woman who fell in love with and married the scion of a wealthy family.
A quarter of a century later, Tulsi is middle aged, her children are all grown up and she is about to become a ma-in-law herself.
But the battles she’s fighting now are still with jealous and misguided family members and the drama – and the melodrama – of the original season remain in abundance, Ms Bajpai says.
“If you take away the gadgets, the mobile phones and the laptops, essentially remove all the window dressing, it’s still the same story. It’s just been updated.”
But, she adds that one thing that’s different now is that the social messaging has increased. “I think that’s because it fits her profile more. She served as the minister for women and child development so the show now talks about divorce, child and maternal health and other socially-relevant issues.”
The four-minute-long segment with Mr Gates starts with the Microsoft founder greeting her in American-accented Hindi – “Namaste Tulsi-ji,” he says, asking her if he’d said it right?
“Yes, absolutely perfect,” she beams.
The call comes after Tulsi is seen in a viral video at a godh-bharai (baby shower) dishing out health advice to an expectant mother.
Tulsi’s son, who’s posted the video, tells her that he had tagged Mr Gates, wondering if he’d be willing to talk to Tulsi on a video call. “He’s accepted,” he squeals with delight.
Tulsi initially seems a bit nervous. “What will I say to him? I only do video calls with you all or your father about grocery shopping,” she says.
jiostar
First launched in July 2000, the series ran for eight- and-a-half years. In July, 25 years after it first hit the screens, it returned for its second innings
But once the laptop is fired up and Mr Gates comes in vision, Tulsi comes into her own, explaining the reason for the “traditional” ritual.
“We come together to bless a young expectant mother, we wish her lots of good health,” she says.
“We tell women how essential it is to look after their health, their nutrition and diet. We tell them to follow the doctors’ instructions and go to a hospital for their delivery.”
The two agree that “when mothers are healthy, children thrive and the world can make significant progress”.
In a statement to the BBC, makers of the show JioStar Entertainment said the show was using storytelling to spotlight critical issues around maternal and child health.
“We believe that storytelling can do more than entertain, it can inform, inspire and drive awareness on issues that matter,” JioStar’s Sumanta Bose said.
“By weaving topics of social significance into our narratives, we aim to create impact that reaches beyond the screen and brings about a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” he added.
The release says that Mr Gates will appear in three episodes of the show.
In its second innings, Ms Bajpai says, the show has had to compete with a multitude of other offerings on OTT platforms and hasn’t found the same resonance with the audience.
But Mr Gates’ unexpected cameo seems to have brought it back into the limelight – for now at least.
A promo of the episode received more than six million views on Instagram alone in less than a day, with thousands of comments echoing a sense of surprise and amusement.
“What is this multiverse,” said one comment which was liked by more than 17,000 people. Another said: “It’s so cringe but I also love it so much.”
