Critical reception The series was critically acclaimed during its premiere for showcasing the concept of an actual joint family and the challenges faced by the newer generations within such a system. The way in which the storyline was presented was widely appreciated. When the series ended,
The Telegraph highlighted both the positive and negative aspects of the show, stating: "A by and large credible storyline and identifiable characters. Unlike Tulsi, Parvati, played by Sakshi Tanwar, was human and vulnerable, and that endeared her to viewers. Repetitive plot points and too many characters towards the end — the Agarwal family plunged from one crisis to another; the viewer plunged from boredom to frustration."
Ratings The series, which aired in the night slot of 10:00 pm (IST), is regarded as the second-highest-rated Indian soap opera after
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which dominated the top positions in Hindi GECs for about seven years.
Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii started with a TRP of 1.1 in 2000. Following the early success of
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi,
Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii rose in popularity, helping
StarPlus and
Balaji Telefilms achieve greater reach at that time. Three weeks after its premiere, the show ranked among the top three on
Indian television, alongside
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and
Kaun Banega Crorepati. The series became one of the most-watched shows during 2001 and 2002, averaging over 10 TVR. In week 24 of 2002, it was the second-most-watched Hindi GEC with 10.41 TVR, and the following week, it climbed to the top spot with 9.03 TVR, overtaking
Kyunki. In September 2003, the series took an 18-year leap in the storyline, and ratings spiked to over 10 TVR from around 9 TVR before the leap. During 2002 and 2003, the series consistently trailed only
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, maintaining the number two spot on Indian television. In 2004, following its first generational leap of 20 years, the show achieved TRPs as high as 18+, a feat matched only by
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which once reached 22+. In the same year, the "rape hearing" sequence helped the series top the charts for several consecutive weeks. On 15 November 2006, the series underwent another 18-year leap when ratings had begun to decline. The protagonist Parvati Agarwal, played by
Sakshi Tanwar, returned from the dead as Janki Devi to avenge Trishna (
Mita Vashisht), who had destroyed her family. The storyline was praised for its bold contemporary theme. An episode soon after the leap garnered 15.34 TVR — the show’s highest since its 12.55 TVR in January 2006. The first post-leap episode on 15 November 2006 achieved over 12 million viewers. By early 2008, the show maintained a TRP between 4 and 5 while staying among the top-rated programs. However, ratings soon declined to between 2 and 2.5, and by September 2008,
Kahaani recorded just 0.8. On the week ending 4 October 2008, it garnered 2.41 TVR, ranking ninth. Due to the consistent decline in ratings, the series went off air on 9 October 2008. The series concluded on 9 October 2008 after completing eight successful years. In the final episode, the
protagonist Sakshi Tanwar was shown passing the baton to
Puja Banerjee, the lead actress of
Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajna, which replaced
Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii on
StarPlus.
Impact Protests were evoked by
Jagori, a women's group, in May 2002 for the depiction of the rape of a blind girl Khushi, where the rapist justifies the crime as punishment for not respecting him, in the episode aired on 21 May 2002. In February 2003,
The Times of India reported that people had started recreating the grand sets of the series in their homes in Kolkata. In June 2008, a sequence was reported to be inspired by the ongoing
2008 Noida double murder case, where the lead character Parvati's granddaughter Tanu, played by
Akshita Kapoor, and her boyfriend Andy were to be murdered. The victim's mother, Nupur Talwar, requested the
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to stop
Balaji Telefilms from airing the sequence, saying that the production house was trying to earn
TRPs by exploiting a tragedy. However, the production house refused to change the script, stating that the sequence was not inspired by the case, although there were similarities reported between both.
Mumbai Mirror reported the following similarities: “The body of Tanu's boyfriend is found inside the house just as the body of the servant was found on the terrace in Aarushi's case. In the show, as in reality, Tanu's ashes will be immersed in Haridwar, just like Aarushi's. Also, the drama will focus on a family member's involvement in the murder. Like Aarushi's mother, Parvati will be shown giving interviews to the media. The show has also incorporated the element of the MMS and the CBI probe into the case.” Following the complaint and a meeting between the I&B ministry and Star TV, they ordered Star to withhold the episode telecast. Star then instructed Balaji Telefilms, as per the I&B directive, to alter the track accordingly. Soon, the storyline was modified, regarding which Creative Head
Nivedita Basu stated: "Well, Andy will not die; only Tanu will be bumped off. So there is no double murder like that of Aarushi and Hemraj. Moreover, we also removed the word 'honour killing' from the episode. Now the track will be of a 'who-dun-it', where every character in the Agarwal family will be a suspect." ==Awards==