“It seemed like a fun storyline.” Aarti Mann’s character in The Big Bang Theory was so unpopular that she wasn’t kept on the show for too long

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Throughout its 12-season run, The Big Bang Theory introduced numerous characters, with some remaining for longer periods while others appeared briefly. This varied greatly based on the writers’ creative decisions and audience response. Not every character in TBBT received a positive reception, and one of the more contentious figures in the sitcom was Priya Koothrappali, Raj’s sister.

It might seem logical for her to have a larger role since she’s closely related to one of the main characters and had romantic ties with another key character, Leonard. However, one of the challenges was that her presence often impeded Leonard’s relationship with Penny. This issue, among others, led fans to dislike her character. Consequently, the writers decided to abandon the storyline featuring Leonard and Priya, thereby giving more attention to the developing relationship between Leonard and Penny in the show.

According to producer Steve Molaro, in the book “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive Inside Story Of The Epic Hit Series,” Priya was considered by many fans as Leonard’s most divisive romantic interest. (as reported by ScreenRant)

Discussing a character who stirs up strong opinions: Contrary to popular belief, our creative process isn’t as meticulously planned as it may seem; it’s more spontaneous. We found the idea of Leonard dating Koothrappali’s sister intriguing and decided to develop that storyline. At that moment, we didn’t envision a series of specific episodes based on this premise; it was simply an interesting plot point. We were primarily focused on finding the next engaging episode, and if something more substantial emerged from it, so be it.

The writers behind TBBT found Leonard and Priya’s storyline amusing, but viewers held a different opinion. This story arc spanned just 12 episodes before Priya was completely written out of the series, which may have been influenced by the strong disapproval fans expressed towards Aarti Mann’s character. Essentially, Priya played a role similar to Emily in Friends.

Yet, wrapping up her character’s storyline did not signify abandoning a larger scheme – the producer disclosed that there had been no long-term plans for the television series; instead, most of the plot unfolded more improvisationally as the show advanced.

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2025-05-28 14:32