Saath Nibhaana Saathiya

Synopsis

Initially, the show focuses on the life and arranged marriage of two female cousins (Gopi and Rashi) and their contrasting personalities. Urmila and Jitu adopt Gopi (the latter's niece) after Gopi's parents pass away; she is left illiterate, naive, kind and shy while Rashi, their own daughter, is educated, outgoing, vivacious and cunning. It is the story of how Kokila Modi – the strict, strong-minded mother-in-law of Gopi, transforms the latter into a confident and smarter woman so that she gets accepted by her husband. Rashi tries numerous unsuccessful attempts to create difficulties for Gopi, but in the end both cousins happily get accepted into their families and by their spouses. Kinjal, Kokila's daughter, gets married to Dhaval, Rashi's maternal cousin. Gopi gives birth to a daughter, while Rashi to twin boys. Gopi also succeeds in finding her long-lost parents, who were thought to be dead. The season ends with Gopi's biological sister Radha killing Gopi and Ahem's daughter, Meera, while Gopi gets the blame, and is thrown out of the Modi Bhavan.

Gopi raises her second daughter single-handedly, Kokila and Ahem are in depression, and Rashi is the new matriarch of Modi Bhavan. Eventually, Gopi reunites with her family, and the family finds out Meera had never died, but grew up as an orphan. Radha's true colors are revealed, and she is sent to jail. Then, Rashi sacrifies her life to save Gopi from an obsessed man who was in love with the latter. Jigar gets married to Paridhi, Rashi's maternal cousin. Radha returns, tricks Jigar into sleeping with her and gets pregnant. She gives birth to a girl, who is also named Rashi. Radha threatens to kill baby Rashi and tries to destroy Modi family, leaving Gopi no option but to unwillingly kill her own sister. Gopi is sentenced to 14 years in jail.

Gopi's sentence is reduced due to her good behaviour. Gopi comes back to find that Ahem has disowned his family and has moved to Mumbai with their two daughters, and is in a live-in relationship with another woman, Mansi. Meera has grown-up to be independent, cunning and short-tempered, while Vidya is totally Gopi's replica. Ahem and the daughters both blame Gopi of prioritizing others before family. Kokila is living separately, looking after Urmila (who is now mentally disabled), and Junior Rashi (whom Paridhi refuses to accept). Kinjal, Kokila's daughter, has left her husband and son, and is living in her parental home. Eventually, after a lot of twists and turns, Ahem returns home with Meera and Vidya, and the whole family gets reunited. However, Meera refuses to accept Gopi, and blames the Modi family of always creating problems for her.

Kokila's childhood friend Gaura Suryavanshi enters the show, to avenge the death of her brother who had died due to Kokila's mistake. The Modi family – unaware of Gaura's true intentions, get Vidya married to her grandson, Shravan; while Gaura manipulates Meera and gets her married – without anyone's knowledge – to Dharam, her son; therefore, Meera becomes Vidya's mother-in-law. Gaura tries to use Meera against her own family to ruin the Modi family, and in some occasions tries to kill Kokila and Ahem – but is unsuccessful, and after a lot of twists and turns (one of which leads to the death of Dharam's first wife, Durga), is arrested and disowned by her own family. Both Meera and Vidya fall in love with their respective spouses and decide to settle down. Sahir – one of Jigar's sons, gets married to Sonakshi, an illiterate, much to the disapproval of Paridhi. Gopi's mother also comes back to take revenge on Kokila for the death of Radha, but is killed in the process. The season ends with Ahem passing away in a car accident.

Gopi is in extreme depression after Ahem's passing, has not smiled or talked in 4 years. Kokila decides to accept Dr. Krishna Raheja's proposal of him marrying Gopi; on the wedding day, Gopi recovers, only to be unwilling forced to marry Dr. Krishna. Jigar and Paridhi have undergone major personality changes and are no longer the caring and family-oriented persons. Paridhi had kicked out Sahir, Sonakshi and their two sons out of Modi Bhavan, and gets Jigar's other son Samar married to Monica, an arrogant fashionista. Meanwhile, Meera hates Vidya as she holds the latter responsible for the former's miscarriage, while the real culprit is Naiyya, Shravan's sister. Gopi vows to reunite the Modis by taking over the family business, and eventually succeeds. It is revealed that Krishna is Mansi's brother, and him, Mansi and Pramila (his mother) have come to take revenge on Gopi. Kokila hires Ahem's look-a-like (Jaggi, illegitimate son of Parag and Urvashi), to rescue Gopi, and he eventually succeeds. Gopi marries Jaggi to save him from Radhika's evil plans, and eventually the family accepts their relationship. Gaura returns once again to avenge the Modis – she pays Chanda (Meera's child's surrogate mother) to trouble the Suryavanshis, and eventually kills her when she [Chanda] tries to expose her, putting the blame on Vidya. It is revealed that Gaura was also responsible for the accident that caused Ahem's death. Gaura also later frames Kokila for the attempted murder of Urvashi.

Adaptations

Saath Nibhaana Saathiya has spawned several different language remakes including Pudhcha Paul (Marathi), Deivam Thandha Veedu (Tamil), Chandanamazha (Malayalam), Amritavarshini (Kannada) and Bodhuboron (Bengali). Saath Nibhaana Saathiya is dubbed into Telugu as Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellamaa on MAA TV. Internationally it airs in Sri Lanka dubbed into Sinhala as Mage Sanda Obai on Swarnavahini.

Cast

Reception

Saath Nibhaana Saathiya became the fourth longest running Indian soap opera, after Balika Vadhu, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah overall and Second longest running Show on Star Plus. Show continued at no. 1 position in year 2015 constantly which is succeeded by Naagin Show became most successful show for Rashmi Sharma Telefilms Limited Show got many awards including national awards. It has been no. 1 show on Star Plus for a very long time from beginning of the show. Currently last week after a long time it's regained no. 1 position all over

Broadcast

In Indonesia, it began airing on ANTV from 26 September 2016 under the title Gopi but was airing from Monday to Friday at 3:00 pm (Indonesia Western Time).