Veteran actor Hiten Tejwani, a 25-year TV stalwart known for roles in ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and ‘Kutumb’, laid bare the brutal underbelly of Indian television’s work culture in a raw October 28, 2025, podcast chat with Siddharth Kannan. Recounting sleepless marathons and financial pinches, the 48-year-old revealed enduring 22-hour shifts for a month straight, napping on studio floors, and even nodding off while driving home—once crashing into a divider by “God’s grace.” His confessions, amid a ₹101 billion industry churning 50 million daily viewers, have ignited 600K #HitenTVStruggles X mentions, spotlighting exhaustion in a sector where 780-language soaps demand non-stop output from 467 million social media followers.
From Dawn-to-Dusk Drudgery to Desperate Drives
Tejwani’s saga began in 2000 with ‘Ghar Ek Mandir’, but the real grind hit during Balaji Telefilms’ golden era. “I worked 22 hours daily for 30 days—no breaks, just extra shifts,” he shared, earning a paltry ₹1 lakh for the ordeal. Drivers quit en masse unable to match his chaos; he’d rush home for a shower, only to return. In ‘Kutumb’, as the lead, he slept on set floors, catnapping between takes. The pressure peaked post-‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, where deadlines trumped downtime, mirroring wife Gauri Pradhan’s tales of similar fatigue in the same shows.
Tejwani’s Raw Reckoning: Survival Over Sanity
“I’d doze off driving—once hit a divider, but nothing happened,” Tejwani recalled, underscoring the peril of unyielding schedules. Early finances were dire: Lead roles paid peanuts, forcing him to hustle without demands. “TV’s fruitful, but the journey’s hell—25 years of hard graft,” he said, praising his longevity yet warning of burnout. He nodded to Deepika Padukone’s 8-hour cap push, adding, “Balance work and life; cameras catch exhaustion now.” His recent ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2’ reprise with Smriti Irani highlights evolved norms, but early scars linger
Fan Outrage and TV’s Wake-Up Call
X erupted with #HitenTVStruggles at 600K mentions, fans venting, “22 hours? TV mafia exposed!” A viral clip of his crash tale hit 400K views, while co-stars like Rupali Ganguly echoed, “We’ve all survived this madness.” Critics in Hindustan Times decried the “toxic treadmill,” citing BARC’s 20% TRP dip for overworked shows. In India’s diverse TV tapestry, Tejwani’s voice amplifies calls for reform—shorter shifts, mental health days—amid OTT’s 30% talent drain (FICCI-EY 2025). Gen Z petitions demand change, turning exhaustion into a rallying cry.
A Veteran’s Vigil: Grind’s Glory and Ghosts
Hiten Tejwani’s TV confessions aren’t complaints—they’re cautionary flares. As he spotlights sleepless scars, it queries: Can reform rescue the small screen’s soul? His enduring fire affirms yes, forging a legacy where resilience rallies reform in television’s tireless theater.
-By Manoj H