Kumkum Bhagya

Plot

The series begins with Pragya Arora, a college lecturer, and Abhishek “Abhi” Mehra, a wealthy rock star, whose marriage is arranged through family intervention. Their relationship is initially strained due to manipulations by Abhi’s sister Aliya and his former partner Tanu. The narrative follows repeated misunderstandings, conspiracies, memory-loss incidents, and separations. Despite numerous obstacles, Pragya and Abhi reconcile multiple times. The birth of their twin daughters, Prachi and Rhea, coincides with another major separation, leading to the children being raised apart.

After a twenty-year leap, the story focuses on Prachi Arora and Rhea Mehra, who grow up unaware they are twin sisters. Prachi develops a relationship with Ranbir Kohli, while Rhea’s feelings for him create rivalry. Family interference and concealed truths complicate their lives until the sisters’ true parentage is revealed. Although Abhi and Pragya briefly reunite with their daughters, continued misunderstandings affect the family. Prachi eventually marries Ranbir, but their relationship faces many challenges arising from Ranbir's family, Rhea's obsession for Ranbir and many other misunderstandings.

A further leap introduces Prachi and Ranbir’s daughters, Khushi and Poorvi. Raised in different circumstances due to family conflict, the sisters’ lives unfold amid hidden identities and inherited tensions. Poorvi’s relationship with Rajvansh Malhotra becomes central to this phase. As past grievances resurface, the family once again confronts separation and reconciliation.

Another generational transition introduces new protagonists, including Prarthana Parikh and Shivansh Randhawa, whose lives intersect through family and business alliances connected to earlier characters. Their relationship is shaped by mistrust, rivalry, and concealed motives. While legacy figures appear intermittently, the storyline centres on the younger generation navigating conflicts rooted in the family’s past, continuing the series’ recurring themes of destiny and reunion.

Cast

Main

Sriti Jha as Pragya Arora Mehra: Raghuveer and Sarla's eldest daughter; Preeta, Bulbul and Shrishti's elder sister; Abhishek's wife; Kiara, Prachi and Rhea's mother (2014–2021; 2023)

Shabir Ahluwalia as Abhishek "Abhi" Mehra: Prem and Santoshi's son; Alia's brother; Pragya's husband; Kiara, Prachi and Rhea's father (2014–2021; 2023)

Mugdha Chaphekar as Prachi Arora Kohli: Abhishek and Pragya's second daughter; Kiara's younger and Rhea's elder twin sister; Ranbir's wife; Khushi and Poorvi's mother (2019–2024)

Krishna Kaul as Ranbir Kohli: Vikram and Pallavi's son; Prachi's husband; Khushi and Poorvi's father (2019–2024)

Rachi Sharma as Poorvi Kohli Malhotra: Ranbir and Prachi's younger daughter; Khushi's younger sister; Rajvansh's wife; Prarthana's mother (2023–2025)

Abrar Qazi as Rajvansh "RV" Malhotra: Harman and Harleen's younger son; Vikrant's brother; Poorvi's husband; Prarthana's father (2023–2025)

Pranali Rathod as Prarthana Parikh Randhawa: Rajvansh and Poorvi's daughter; Shivansh's wife (2025)

Namik Paul as Shivansh Randhawa: Smita's son; Prarthana's husband (2025)

Recurring

Mrunal Thakur as Bulbul Arora Khanna: Sarla and Raghuveer's third daughter; Pragya and Preeta's younger sister; Purab's first wife (2014–2016)

Supriya Shukla as Sarla Arora: Raghuveer's widow; Pragya, Bulbul, Preeta and Shrishti's mother (2014–2018)

Madhu Raja as Daljeet Kaur Arora: Raghuveer's mother (2014–2018)

Jasjeet Babbar as Janki: The Aroras' handmaiden; Poorvi's mother (2014–2018)

Arjit Taneja as Purab Khanna: Abhi's best friend; Bulbul's widower; Disha's ex-husband; Alia's husband; Sunny and Aryan's father (2014–2016)

Vin Rana replaced Taneja as Purab (2016–2021)

Madhurima Tuli as Tanushree "Tanu" Mehta: Alia's best friend (2014)

Leena Jumani replaced Tuli as Tanu (2014–2021)

Akshay Bindra as Raunak Zaveri: Kanti and Smita's son (2025)

Kanupriya Pandit as Sweety: Pragya and Bulbul's aunt (2014)

Faisal Rashid as Suresh Shrivastav: Rachna's brother (2014–2015)

Daljeet Soundh as Daljeet Kaur Mehra: Swarni and Indu's sister (2014–2018)

Charu Mehra as Poorvi: Janki's daughter; Pragya and Bulbul's namesake sister (2014–2015)

Neel Motwani as Corporator Neil Thakur (2014–2015)

Production

Development

The series is a love story produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor under the banner Balaji Telefilms that airs on Zee TV. Ekta Kapoor considers the letter K to be lucky and has named many of her productions starting with K.

Kapoor rejected 19 costumes while selecting the look of character Pragya.

Filming

The production and airing of the show was halted indefinitely in late March 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak in India. The outbreak caused the halt of filming of television shows and movies on 19 March 2020, and they were expected to resume on 1 April 2020. But shooting remained suspended and the remaining episodes were aired up to 24 March 2020. After three months, the production and filming of the series resumed on 29 June 2020 and airing resumed on 13 July 2020.

Casting

Shabbir Ahluwalia, who was also cast in Ekta's TV series Kayamath, was selected to portray the lead role of Abhishek Prem Mehra. Ahluwalia made his comeback after Zee twenty years. Actress Sriti Jha landed the lead role in the show. Mrunal Thakur was selected to portray the second leading role of Bulbul while Arjit Taneja was cast opposite her. In May 2014, Shikha Singh entered the show as the main antagonist Alia Mehra, while Madhurima Tuli was cast to portray the negative role of Tanu. Later, Tuli had to shoot for her film Baby so, this role was later played by Leena Jumani from September 2014. Actor Faisal Rashid was selected to portray the role of Suresh (Pragya's fiancé) who played an important role in April–May 2014, but in May 2015 he quit the series. Actress Supriya Shukla was cast to play the role of Sarla Arora, while Madhu Raja played the role of Daljeet Arora. Other supporting cast members include Samikssha Batnagar, Ankit Mohan, Charu Mehra and Amit Dhawan. Bhatnagar, who portrayed the supporting role of Mitali was replaced by Swati Anand within the month of launch while Anurag Sharma replaced Amit. In 2015, Neel Motawani (who was also cast in other shows of Ekta) was selected to play the negative role of Neel; while in June 2015 Nikhil Arya entered the series playing the role of main male antagonist Nikhil Sood.

In December 2015, Mrunal Thakur opted out from the show and was to be replaced by Kajol Shrivastava, however the character of Bulbul was phased out of the series after Mrunal's departure. In August 2016, Ankit Mohan quit the show so his character left as well. In September 2016, Arjit Taneja quit the show and was replaced by Vin Rana. In October 2016, Nikhil Arya was replaced by Rujut Dahiya. In July 2017, actress Ruchi Savarn entered the show as Purab's new love interest. Mishal Raheja as King Singh and Kaurwakee Vashista as Kiara Mehra entered the show after the leap. Actor Abeer Adil was cast in 2018 as King's cousin Tarun and Roma Bali as Tarun's mother.

In March 2019, a twenty-year leap was introduced with which several new characters entered in the show and became pivotal characters. In March 2019, Mugdha Chaphekar, Krishna Kaul and Naina Singh were introduced as leads of the second generation who play Prachi, Ranbir and Rhea respectively alongside Sriti and Shabbir. In August 2020, Naina left the show as she was not happy playing a negative role anymore and Pooja Banerjee replaced Singh as Rhea. In February 2022, Pooja Banerjee quit the show due to her pregnancy, and she was replaced by Tina Ann Philip. In February 2022, Jha and Ahluwalia officially quit the show after seven and half years as the story progressed on from their characters. They had last shot for the show in November 2021.

Spin-off

Kundali Bhagya

A spin-off series Kundali Bhagya premiered on 12 July 2017 and ran till 6 December 2024. The series narrated the story of Pragya's sisters, Preeta and Srishti and their attempt to find their mother Sarla and how they meet the rich and famous Luthra family. Later that show too took a generation leap and story shifted to Preeta's sons Rajveer and Shaurya.

Bhagya Lakshmi

A similar series Bhagya Lakshmi premiered on 3 August 2021 and ran till 29 June 2025. It traces the love story of Pragya's best friend, Lakshmi and Rishi. It stars Aishwarya Khare and Rohit Suchanti.

Reception

Critical reception

Here's celebrating a show that has stood the test of time and crossed the boundaries of language, a big thank you to each and every one of you from all over the world for all the love you have given Kumkum Bhagya, for always keeping it at the top, no matter where it aired, and what language. We, as a team, are truly grateful that you let us entertain you for half a decade.

Reruns of Kumkum Bhagya premiered on Zee Anmol from 2017 and received high ratings in the BARC rural chart when Zee Anmol was FTA. It began running on the network again from episode 1 from 10 June 2020, due to the return to DD Free Dish.

The show also managed to strike a chord with West Africans too. Actor Kartik Aaryan also watched the show during the lockdown.

Ratings

Kumkum Bhagya premiered on 15 April 2014, climbed to Top 5 most-watched shows across all GECs, after only a few weeks of its launch. It was touted as the biggest fiction launch of 2014.

The show topped the TRP chart in week 43 of 2015 with 4.5 points, ahead of Saath Nibhaana Saathiya and Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. By week 11 of 2016, it had slipped to second with 3.8 points, behind Naagin.

Mid-2016 it recorded peak TRPs, led the chart in weeks 28 and 29, and by week 34 had held the top spot for six consecutive weeks. The following week ( Aug– Sep) it drew 12.6 million viewers, up from 12.2 million, still at number one. By week 37 it had topped the chart a seventh time, at 12,636 points. It fell out of the top five the week after. In week 27 of 2017, it got 12,209 impressions at first place. Throughout 2017, it recorded ratings of 2.7, 3.3, 3.4, 3.2 in weeks 35, 37, 38, 52 respectively.

In July 2020, the show occupied second position with 4.9 million impressions. By December 2020, it fell to fifth position with 5,409 impressions. By January 2021, it rose back to fifth with 6,288 impressions.