Karan Mehra says he has no regrets playing a father on ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’

Karan Mehra says he never looked back on playing a father to grown-up kids in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. The actor says staying on after the leap was ‘another subject’ for him, and explains why kitchen drama still drives TVThe actor, who became a household name as Naitik Singhania, calls it a natural part of the show’s journey. “It was an arranged marriage love story. And I enjoyed playing a son, fiancé, husband, son-in-law and father was another subject for me,” Mehra recalls.He continued, “I believe this started in the sixth year. It was similar for the show as well. The story progressed, and even with the children growing up, I stayed on for about a year and a half after that. I had a good time with the cast and crew.”Mehra played the idealistic, soft-spoken Singhania son from 2009 to 2016, becoming the original face of the show. The role still sticks with him on the street.“People still call me Naitik on the street more than Karan,” he says with a laugh. “That’s the kind of love you get when a show runs for over a decade and becomes part of people’s daily lives.”He credits the show’s decade-long run to its relatability over high-octane drama.“We weren’t doing high-octane drama. We were showing family, misunderstandings, festivals, small joys. That’s why it connected across generations.”On why kitchen drama remains a TV favorite, Mehra keeps it simple, “Kitchen drama always works. That’s just how it is. Other subjects might or might not work. Even with every show, there’s often some kind of kitchen politics behind the scenes. So yes, drama is what really drives TV nowadays.”Beyond Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Mehra has starred in Khatmal E Ishq, Shubharambh, and Mehndi Wala Ghar. He also appeared as a contestant on Bigg Boss 10 in 2016.