Smriti Irani spent years away from television as her political career took centre stage, eventually leading her to the Union Cabinet. But after her defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Amethi, she found herself reassessing what came next. Instead of turning away from her acting career, she chose to return to the world she had left behind and was even prepared to reach out and ask for work.
Speaking to Times Now, Smriti looked back on that transition and opened up about calling Uday Shankar for an opportunity, returning to a television set of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 after years away, and why starting over in a familiar profession felt more liberating than she had expected.
Smriti Irani personally asked for work
Rather than waiting for an offer, Irani decided to reach out herself. One of the people she called was Uday Shankar, now Vice-Chairman of JioHotstar and Star, who had been associated with television when Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi went off air.
“I picked up my phone and asked for a job in media and entertainment. I said I’m unemployed; can you give me something? He was the reason why I lost my job in the entertainment industry. Then, he also became a reason why I joined back,” she recalled.
Smriti’s call caught Shankar off guard, especially since he was overseas at the time. He was surprised that a former Cabinet minister was now reaching out to ask for a job and wanted to know if she had really made up her mind. Irani, however, saw nothing awkward about it. To her, going back to the profession she had once worked in was simply a practical decision, not something to feel embarrassed about.
She was ready for the demands of television
Irani said Shankar also made sure she understood what she was signing up for. Returning to television meant long shifts and the everyday grind of working on a set, a routine that was quite different from her life in politics. Stepping back onto a set after years in politics also surprised many people.
“Those who know the work understand this. You can work up to 12 hours shift, and you are never really off the job. So he asked me if I was sure to go out and work as an employee on a set. There is no harm in it. I think everybody on the set was a little flabbergasted. People were wondering, how will I work with the daily wages?” she recalled.
Returning to Tulsi after 25 years
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 premiered on July 29, 2025, on Star Plus and was also available to stream on JioHotstar. The show marked Smriti Irani’s return to the small screen as Tulsi Virani, the character that made her a familiar face in households across the country in the 2000s. Her comeback also reunited her with Amar Upadhyay, who reprised his role as Mihir Virani.
