Long before she became one of television’s familiar bahus, Riva Bubber made her acting debut opposite Vijay in Tamil cinema. Years later, she became a household name as Damini Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, appeared in some of the biggest television shows of the 2000s, and even shared screen space with Akshay Kumar in Pad Man. But at a time when many actors would have wanted to hold on to the spotlight, Riva quietly stepped away from mainstream acting. In a recent interview with India Now And How, Riva opened up about her journey—from making her Tamil film debut opposite Vijay to becoming a household name with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, before walking away from television to pursue a completely different creative passion. A nervous debut opposite Vijay Riva entered the entertainment industry in the mid-1990s under the screen name Reeva. Her acting debut came with the Tamil film Selva (1996), opposite Vijay, who would go on to become one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars before entering politics. Looking back …