After stepping away from the arc lights to focus on her career in politics, Smriti Irani is set to return to the small screen with the reboot of the TV show
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She will once again embrace Tulsi Virani’s avatar — the character that made her a household name two decades ago. In an exclusive interview, Smriti opens up for the first time about her return to the small screen and why this isn’t just another acting job — it’s personal.
‘It’s as though we never left’
Ask Smriti, who started shooting for the daily soap on July 3, what it felt like to slip back into the strong, sari-clad character once again, and she says, “I’m someone who never based my professional life on a look. Why Kyunki and especially Tulsi worked is because we were more focused on the emotional bar. The emotion of being back with people that I had worked with for a long time took precedence as compared to the look, clothes and makeup. It’s as though we never left.”
‘It is not as though one cycle has ended and another has begun’
Was she nervous to face the camera again after such a long break? Smriti replies, “I’ve never been nervous in front of anyone, let alone the camera. I don’t know why people thought that there’ll be something different about how I look. I guess because for 16 years, they also saw me in another avatar, and many forgot that my media and my political life ran simultaneously. It is not as though one cycle has ended and another has begun. Even in 2003, when I began my political journey, I was Tulsi. I’ve now had 22 years of experience in managing both fields. However, people haven’t seen me all spruced up in a very long time (laughs).”
‘You can’t hold your parliamentary obligations and say, ‘I need to go and shoot’
Elaborating on why acting took a backseat, she explains, “You have to keep in mind that I was the first ever from the industry, who became the I&B Minister. I’m the first ever from the industry, who became an education minister. So given that you are in a constitutional position, your work is 24 X 7. You can’t hold your parliamentary obligation as a constitutional authority and say, ‘I need to go and shoot.’ That would mean great disrespect towards my parliamentary or constitutional duties.”
‘Actors are meant to absorb and observe life’
Talking about how her political journey has helped her evolve as an actor, she shares, “I feel that actors are meant to absorb and observe life, and a political journey helps you understand your nation and your people at a greater depth. I may be the only one who has seen constitutional office, and media success both simultaneously and complementarily. It makes you a better human being.”
‘Smriti has impacted Tulsi and not the other way around’
Reflecting on how the character Tulsi has impacted her, she says, “I played Tulsi as close to my true emotions as I could. It was not Tulsi impacting Smriti, it was Smriti impacting Tulsi. But I was mindful that I’m playing a fictional character that stems out of beliefs or narratives. So, the only way that I could make the character resonate with people is by bringing her as close to the real me as possible.” She adds, “People should not feel what you are on screen and what you are off screen is so divergent that they are disappointed. And this is a conversation that I had with Ekta Kapoor (producer) at the beginning of the show.” Ask her if she’s ready to dive back into the gruesome pace of TV, and she laughs and says, “I’m a politician working in television. There’s nothing that television can throw at me that politics hasn’t.”
‘There is no pressure’
Reboots often come with high expectations, but Smriti remains unfazed. “There is no pressure. What you will see on screen is a partnership between Ekta and me. I will translate what she gives. For us,
Kyunki is our legacy,” she explains.