Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai EXCLUSIVE: Samridhii Shukla reflects on her journey as Abhira on Women's Day, reveals her inspiration

While exclusively speaking to Pinkvilla, Samridhii Shukla reflected on her journey as Abhira on Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. She even disclosed who her inspiration is.

By Pramila Mandal

Published on Mar 08, 2025 | 07:01 AM IST | 42.3K

Pic Credit: Samridhii Shukla Instagram

As the world celebrates International Women's Day today (March 8), there’s no better time to shine a light on the strong, powerful women who inspire us, both on-screen and off. One such name making waves in the Indian television industry is the incredibly talented Samridhii Shukla, who’s currently winning hearts as Abhira in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. With her magnetic screen presence and her ability to breathe life into her character, Samridhii is fast becoming a household favorite.

When asked about the women she looks up to and considers them as her inspiration, Samridhii Shukla exclusively shared with Pinkvilla, "I mostly look up to my mother. I think she has a lot of love to give. She’s a beautiful human being. The way she manages everything with a smile on her face while still doing so much for us is commendable. Even in the toughest situations where we almost questioned her, she was always very positive. I take a lot of inspiration from her."

Speaking about the evolving portrayal of women on Indian television, Samridhii believes the change is already underway, and she’s proud to be part of it. The Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actor elaborated, "A lot of change has really happened. Abhira herself is a very strong character, of course."

She added, "But being strong doesn’t mean you’re strong all the time. It means that, circumstantially, you change. Abhira is weak in love; only love or the people you love are the ones who can make you weak, and they can also bring a lot of strength."

Mentioning how Abhira is a strong and inspirational character, Samridhii added, "When it comes to Armaan, her family, her mom, or anyone near and dear to her, she’s always ready to fight. I think the portrayal of modern women has changed on television, and I’m living that change."

The actress shared how she is inspired by her character, Abhira and said, "She’s beautiful, she’s strong, she’s fierce, and she’s courageous in speaking the truth. I draw a lot of inspiration from her."

Starring Samridhii Shukla and Rohit Purohit, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai has been entertaining the audience since 2009 and continues to do so.