In Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Reboot, Nandini Learns of Ansh Gujral’s Secret Son Rio

Key facts

• Nandini (Gauri Pradhan) learns that Rio (Akashdeep Saigal) is the secret son of her abusive ex-husband Ansh Gujral.
• Karan (Hiten Tejwani) is revealed as Rio's guardian, having concealed the relationship.
• Rio, also called Reyansh Gujral, intends to stay in India to help Karan with his business.
• Tulsi's children—Shobha, Pari, Hrithik, Manjuri, and Parth—secretly plan a wedding for Tulsi and Mihir.
• Rio has a hostile first meeting with Vaishnavi (Tanisha Mehta), who is also involved in a romantic subplot with Parth Virani.
• The Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot premiered on 29 July 2025 on Star Plus, produced by Balaji Telefilms and Ekta Kapoor.
• The original series ran for over 1,830 episodes and held a Limca Book of Records entry.

Nandini Confronts the Truth About Rio

In the 29 April 2026 episode of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2, Nandini (Gauri Pradhan) is forced to confront a devastating secret: her abusive ex-husband Ansh Gujral (Akashdeep Saigal) has a son, Rio (also played by Akashdeep Saigal), and her current husband Karan (Hiten Tejwani) has been Rio's guardian all along. At Shantiniketan, Tulsi and Mihir sit down with Nandini and Karan to reveal the truth. Nandini initially refuses to believe them, accusing Karan of fabricating the story to deflect cheating allegations. But Tulsi insists, telling Nandini that Rio not only exists but shares the exact same face as his father. A shattered Nandini is flooded with traumatic memories of her past with Ansh Gujral, while Karan steps in to console her.

Rio's Arrival and Karan's Hidden Role

The episode begins with Karan at his “second house” with Niyati (Parakh Madan) and Rio. Over breakfast, Rio informs them of his intention to stay back in India to help Karan with his business, leaving Karan visibly worried. When Tulsi calls Karan's mobile, Rio picks up and introduces himself as Reyansh to Tulsi, asking who she is. Karan quickly intervenes, tells Tulsi he will call back, and then fabricates another lie when Niyati and Rio ask who he was talking to. This sequence underscores the web of deception Karan has woven. His role as Rio's guardian—a fact hidden from Nandini and the rest of the Virani family—now threatens to unravel as Rio's presence becomes impossible to conceal.

Secret Wedding Plans for Tulsi and Mihir

While the Nandini-Karan-Rio drama unfolds, Tulsi’s children—Shobha (Ritu Chaudhary), Pari (Shagun Sharma), Hrithik (Aman Gandhi), Hrithik's wife Manjuri (Prachi Singh), and Parth (Sohil Singh)—secretly plan a wedding for Tulsi and Mihir, where the iconic couple can renew their vows. They are joined by Aryan, Pari’s new suitor who works for Tulsi’s eldest son Gautam (Sumeet Sachdev). The group discusses wedding cards and tasks Gautam with convincing Tulsi to agree to the ceremony. This subplot provides a counterpoint of joy and family unity against the turmoil of Nandini's revelation. The secret wedding is a deliberate effort to celebrate the enduring love of Tulsi and Mihir, even as other relationships in the family face crisis.

Rio and Vaishnavi: A Hostile First Encounter

In a separate subplot, Rio has an accidental encounter with Vaishnavi (Tanisha Mehta) on the road. Far from a meet-cute, it is a case of hate at first sight, with the two immediately squabbling. This meeting is being teased as a pivotal subplot and a potential romantic complication, especially as Vaishnavi is simultaneously navigating her confession of love to Parth. In a major development during this same arc, Parth and Vaishnavi finally confessed their feelings for one another. The emerging Parth-Vaishnavi-Rio triangle is being set up to replicate the classic Karan-Nandini-Ansh dynamic, though hopefully without the disturbing violence of the original generation.

The Reboot's Return and Its Legacy

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 premiered on 29 July 2025 at 10:30 PM on Star Plus, produced by Balaji Telefilms and Ekta Kapoor. The reboot continues the legendary saga of the Virani family, which originally ran for over 1,830 episodes and earned a spot in the Limca Book of Records. The new season aims to recapture the emotional depth and family drama that made the original a landmark Hindi soap opera. The current storylines—Nandini's trauma resurfacing, Karan's secret guardianship, and the new generation's romantic entanglements—are designed to echo the original series' themes while introducing fresh conflicts. The show's ability to balance multiple subplots, from the secret wedding to the Rio-Vaishnavi-Parth triangle, demonstrates its commitment to serialized storytelling.

What Lies Ahead for the Virani Family

With Nandini now aware of Rio's existence, the immediate question is how she will process the truth and whether she can trust Karan again. The revelation also puts Karan in a precarious position: his lies to Niyati and Rio about Tulsi's call suggest he is still hiding the full extent of his involvement. Meanwhile, the secret wedding for Tulsi and Mihir promises a moment of unity, but it remains to be seen whether the ceremony will proceed smoothly or be disrupted by the ongoing tensions. The Parth-Vaishnavi-Rio triangle is poised to become a central conflict, potentially drawing in other family members and testing loyalties. As the reboot continues, the Virani family's past and present are colliding in ways that could redefine their future.

The bottom line

• Nandini learns that Rio is the secret son of her abusive ex-husband Ansh Gujral, and Karan has been his guardian.
• Rio intends to stay in India to help Karan with business, complicating Karan's hidden arrangements.
• Tulsi's children are secretly planning a vow renewal wedding for Tulsi and Mihir.
• Rio and Vaishnavi have a hostile first meeting, setting up a potential love triangle with Parth.
• The reboot premiered on 29 July 2025 on Star Plus, produced by Balaji Telefilms and Ekta Kapoor.
• The original series ran for over 1,830 episodes and held a Limca Book of Records entry.