The Big Bang Theory featured several guest stars over the course of its successful 12-season run, however, not everyone was equally embraced by fans. One such figure included Aarti Mann, who was introduced as Raj’s sister Priya Koothrappali, in Season 4 and was romantically involved with Johnny Galecki’s Leonard.
The character appeared in a total of 12 episodes throughout the show, leaving fans unimpressed with the character’s impact on Penny and Leonard’s relationship. However, despite fans’ negative reaction, Galecki wanted her to have a more extended presence on the sitcom.
Johnny Galecki Wanted Aarti Mann to Continue on The Big Bang Theory
Introduced in Season 4, Priya would go on to be one of the significant love interests of Leonard, played by Johnny Galecki, in The Big Bang Theory. However, fans were not very fond of the character, especially as she served as an abstraction in Penny and Leonard’s romance.
However, unlike fans, Galecki found the equation between Leonard and Priya very sensible, as he described Mann’s character as “Leonard’s sort of intellectual equivalent.” Discussing why he wanted the character to have a longer run in an interview with TVLine, he said,
I thought it made a whole lotta sense. She did one episode this season, and we just really loved Aarti [Mann], and her work ethic kind of melded with everybody else’s. And it makes sense as far as the characters.
He further stated, “She is Leonard’s sort of intellectual equivalent,” arguing that it allowed for smoother and more effortless communication between them. However, he also suggested that that was not the case for Leonard and Penny, who do not share the same intellectual connection.
Aarti Mann Revealed Surprising Changes to Priya Koothrappali’s Character
In an interview with Desert News, Aarti Mann revealed that her character Priya was initially pitched to have a different storyline than what was eventually featured. “The character changed completely,” the actress said in an interview.
She revealed that the character was originally meant to be engaged when introduced in the show and Leonard was set to be her last fling before getting married. “We rehearsed it over the week and it became just Priya making a booty call,” she recalled.
After they filmed the episode, co-creator Bill Prady wanted to keep the option open for Priya’s potential return. Mann revealed that she later received a call from her agent, informing her that the show wanted her back as Priya.
“It’s fun to see how Priya has changed,” the actress said talking about her character on the Emmy-winning sitcom, which also became a learning experience for her. After her introduction in Season 4, the character reappeared in Season 5, where she and Leonard attempted a long-distance relationship before breaking up.
Despite her significant presence, Priya remained unpopular among fans for various reasons. After Season 5, aside from brief mentions, the character did not return to the show, and Leonard eventually moved on with Penny.
The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.
