Throwback: When Smriti Irani spoke about suffering from a miscarriage while shooting for Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi; says 'I took all my medical papers and went to Ekta'

Smriti Irani, the actress-turned-politician, rose to prominence and became a household name after appearing in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Viewers showered immense love on her, and the show propelled her to tremendous popularity. In a throwback interaction with 'The Slow Interview with Neelesh Misra,' Smriti got candid about her early days with Kyunki and how she got on the role of Tulsi; she even spoke about the initial struggles and working hours of shooting back in those days.

Smriti Irani spoke about how she landed the iconic role of Tulsi Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and the struggles she faced along the way. Reflecting on her initial audition, she revealed that she had no prior knowledge of Ekta Kapoor or the show she was about to be cast in. She had originally been called for a role in Hum Paanch as a replacement for Rakhi Vijan, but the role did not appeal to her, leading her to decline the offer. Instead, she was selected for a role in Ghar Ek Mandir, but during the contract signing, Ekta Kapoor unexpectedly replaced that contract with one for Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

At the time, Irani’s primary concern was whether her daily wage of Rs 1800 would remain unchanged. She recalled asking Kapoor about it, to which Kapoor responded by introducing herself, expecting recognition. However, Irani was unfamiliar with her and responded indifferently, focused solely on ensuring that her pay remained intact. Kapoor, confident in her vision, assured Irani that she would make her a star.

Irani also recounted her financial struggles during the early days of the show. The production house, led by Shobha Kapoor, had strict rules prohibiting eating on set to maintain the furniture. Despite being the lead actress, she did not feel like a star, as her financial situation remained modest. She recalled how, after marrying Zubin Irani, the couple had only Rs 30,000 to their name. Her makeup artist often felt embarrassed that while he arrived in a car, Irani, who played the beloved Tulsi Virani, traveled by auto-rickshaw.

One of the most harrowing experiences of her life occurred when she suffered a miscarriage while working on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She had been feeling unwell on set but was not aware of her pregnancy at the time. Despite requesting to complete her scenes early, she continued working long hours. Later that evening, while returning home, she began bleeding heavily in an auto-rickshaw amid heavy rainfall. She managed to reach a clinic in Lokhandwala, where a nurse approached her for an autograph before she was admitted. With her husband Zubin out of the country and her son Zor at home, she had to make arrangements for someone to take care of him while she remained in the hospital.

Despite the severity of the situation, Irani received a call from the production team late at night, instructing her to report to work the next day. When she informed them about her miscarriage and ongoing bleeding, she was met with indifference and was asked to arrive for her shift at 2 p.m. With financial obligations, including home loan EMIs, she returned to work soon after.

Upon her return, she discovered that rumors had been spread on set, suggesting that she had fabricated the miscarriage. A co-actor had dismissed her loss, questioning why she had come back to work if she had truly suffered such a tragedy. Hurt by the allegations, she confronted Ekta Kapoor the following day, bringing her medical reports as proof. Kapoor, visibly uncomfortable, refused to look at the documents. Irani insisted that if any doubt remained, the reports were evidence of the truth, even remarking that had the foetus survived, she would have shown that as well.

Despite these challenges, Irani continued working, driven by her financial responsibilities and commitment to her career. Her resilience and perseverance ultimately made her one of the most celebrated figures in Indian television.