Bill Gates cameo in iconic Indian TV drama with Smriti Irani

No one saw the crossover coming.

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 Mother-in-law Was Once a Daughter-in-law Too) to talk about maternal and child health with Irani.

The Gates Foundation has been working with the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for years to curb infant and maternal mortality – two northern Indian states with some of the most deprived regions.

Govt data With two states, maternal and child health indicators show significant improvement over the years. But challenges remain in a country plagued by patriarchy.

In such a scenario, experts say it is crucial to keep the drumbeat changing the rules and make people more aware of the need to take care of their daughters and mothers.

And to do so, Mr. Gates could not have chosen a better platform than Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

First launched in July 2000 series It was a very successful long run with several thousand episodes airing almost daily on Star Plus for eight-and-a-half years before it shut down, says Shailaja Bajpai, columnist and reader editor of the print new site.

In July, 25 years after hitting the screens for the first time, Kyunki… returned for its second innings.

Based on the complicated domestic relationship between Irani’s character Tulsi and her mother-in-law, the show caught the attention of Indian audiences. The trials and tribulations of the dutiful bride forced families to rearrange their daily routines so they wouldn’t miss a single episode.

Irani’s character was – and is – at the center of this story of the fictional Virani family. In the first season, she played a young woman who falls in love with and marries a scion of a wealthy family.

A quarter of a century later, Tulsi is middle-aged, her children are all grown up and she herself is about to become a mother-in-law.

But the battle she’s fighting now is still with jealous and misguided family members, and the drama — and melodrama — of the original season abounds, Ms. Bajpai says.

“If you take away the gadgets, the mobile phones and the laptops, essentially removing all the window dressing, it’s still the same story. It’s just been updated.”

But, she adds, one thing that’s different now is the rise of social messaging. “I think it’s because it suits her character better. She served as the Minister of Women and Child Development so the show now talks about divorce, child and maternal health and other social-related issues.”

The four-minute segment with Mr. Gates begins with the Microsoft founder greeting her in American-accented Hindi — “Namaste Tulsi-ji,” he asks her if he got it right.

“Yes, absolutely perfect,” she said.

The call came after Tulsi was seen in a viral video at a godh-bharai (baby shower) giving health advice to expectant mothers.

Tulsi’s son, who posted the video, tells her that he tagged Mr. Gates, wondering if he would be willing to talk to Tulsi on a video call. “He’s accepted,” he shouts happily.

Tulsi seems a bit scared at first. “What do I tell him? I just video call with you all or your dad about grocery shopping,” she says.

But once the laptop explodes and Mr. Gates comes into view, Tulsi comes into her own, explaining the reason for the “traditional” ritual.

“We come together to bless a young expectant mother, we wish her good health,” she says.

“We tell women how important it is to take care of their health, their nutrition and diet. We tell them to follow the doctor’s instructions and go to the hospital for delivery.”

Both agree that “when mothers are healthy, children thrive and the world can make significant progress”.

In a statement to the BBC, the show’s producers, Geostar Entertainment, said the show uses storytelling to highlight critical issues related to maternal and child health.

“We believe storytelling can do more than entertain, it can inform, inspire and raise awareness on important issues,” said Sumanta Bose of JioStar.

“By weaving social issues into our narratives, we aim to create an impact that reaches beyond the screen and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” he added.

The release states that Mr. Gates will appear in three episodes of the show.

In its second innings, Ms. Bajpai says, the show had to compete with several other offerings on the OTT platform and did not find the same resonance with audiences.

But an unexpected cameo from Mr. Gates seems to have brought it back into the limelight — for now, at least.

The episode’s promo has garnered more than six million views on Instagram in less than a day, with thousands of comments expressing wonder and amusement.

“What a multiverse,” said one comment, which has been liked by more than 17,000 people. Another said: “It’s so creepy but I love it.”