Smriti Irani, Sharad Kelkar and more: Celebs on their return to the small screen

IN 2025, many actors returned to telecasting — some after thomas more than a decennary aside. They divvy up what kept them off the small screen and how TV has evolved over the yearsSmriti IraniAfter leaving acting for politics, Smriti returned to TV 22 years later with the reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. “What drew me in was what Ektaa (R Kapoor, producer) brings to the table. It’s fascinating to reconnect after 25 years and see her journey,” says Smriti, adding, “I’m proud that we are in the game of telling the world that Indian TV still rocks. If you look back, we actually stood for things which were not a part of popular mediums, and we did it without being preachy.”Vandana PathakVandana ended her six-year-hiatus on television with Tumm Se Tumm Tak, which she describes as a “carefully considered decision since nothing exciting was being offered to her”. She says, “After working for decades and playing an array of roles, you either want a meaty role or one that pays good money. Also, I was focusing on working with people I know and feel comfortable with,” adding, “Television now has become repetitive. When we used to shoot weekly, we had time to think deeply about the character and episodes. Now, with daily shows, it’s very challenging — you have to evolve quickly because there’s lesser time to work on characters.”Sharad KelkarThe actor returned to television after eight years with Tumm Se Tumm Tak. Sharad tells us, “With experience, you begin to view new roles through a different lens. Saying I was away from television is just one way to put it. Film work demands full commitment — you have to be ready at a moment’s notice. That’s one of the main reasons I didn’t take up daily shows. Also, I didn’t want to do just any character. I needed something that would challenge me.”Gaurav ChopraGaurav finds a role exciting only if it doesn’t limit his creativity as an actor. After a five-year hiatus, he returned to TV with Pushpa Impossible. Explaining his break, he says, “It wasn’t one of those aggressive professional moves like, ‘No, I’m not going to do television anymore.’ It was more about stepping back,” adding, “In over two decades of acting, I was being offered the same kind of roles. Sometimes I was coming back from London as an investment banker, other times I was a self-made businessman from India — but the journey was the same.”Gaurav, however, does acknowledge, “I am fortunate that I haven’t been offered the typical, boy-next-door roles. There’s always been some kind of edge to the characters I’ve played. But even those edgy roles started becoming repetitive. That’s when I decided I only want to pick things that excite me — things I haven’t done before.”Ridhima Pandit“I never planned a comeback. I was just waiting for a role that would show me in a new light, like Ufff...Yeh Love Hai Mushkil did. I’ve been in this industry for years. If not now, when will I get to choose the parts I play and how the audience sees me?” says Ridhima, who returned to television after a gap of 5 years with the show. The actor adds,”I’ve worked hard to get here, so I wanted to take my time and decide. Waiting for the right part is a personal choice.”