Kumkum Bhagya's Akshay Dev Bindra opens up on experience of working with Pranali Rathod: 'She is such a..'

Zee TV’s long-running television show Kumkum Bhagya, which first premiered in 2014, is coming to an end after completing over 11 years on air. The show initially featured Sriti Jha and Shabir Ahluwalia in the lead roles and later introduced a new cast, including Pranali Rathod, Namik Paul, and Akshay Dev Bindra, in its final storyline.

Akshay Dev Bindra, who joined the show in its last phase, played a prominent role and was a key part of the ongoing track. In a conversation with The Free Press Journal, he shared his thoughts on the show’s conclusion, his working experience with co-actor Pranali Rathod, and what he believes led to the show going off air.

“It is definitely sad that a beautiful legacy of 11 years has come to an end. But at the same time, I feel incredibly grateful that I got to be a part of it. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for more,” he said when asked how he felt about the show wrapping up.

Talking about his expectations when he joined the show, and if he expected the show to end so soon, Akshay said, “Not at all. I truly believed it would go on for at least a year.”

It is definitely sad that a beautiful legacy of 11 years has come to an end. But at the same time, I feel incredibly grateful that I got to be a part of it. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for more

- Akshay Dev Bindra

He also shared his experience of working alongside Pranali Rathod. “Working with her was an absolute delight. She’s such a chilled out, carefree, and full of life person. At the same time, she knows her job well and is very clear about what she wants in life. I’ll definitely miss working with her,” he added.

Addressing the reason behind the show going off air, Akshay pointed to frequent changes in the storyline and cast. “I think the constant changes in the storyline and characters were a major factor. Every week, new characters were introduced and the narrative shifted to a new tangent. By the time the audience connected with one character, the focus moved elsewhere. That inconsistency probably confused viewers, and eventually, they disconnected,” he explained.

With the show now reaching its final chapter, Akshay's reflections offer insight into what it meant to be part of one of Indian television’s longest-running dramas.