Smriti Irani reveals why she is making her acting comeback after years, says ‘can't envision me as anyone…'
Ever since the return of 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' has been announced, people cannot wait to see the modern-day Tulsi Virani and Mihir. Since the announcement, all eyes have been on the leads of the show, Smriti Irani. Smriti, who was once television's beloved bahu, transitioned to a cabinet minister, shaping national policy. Nearly after two decades later, Irani is returning to the world of showbiz in a way that has both fans and critics curious.
She confirmed her presence as Tulsi Virani, a character from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. While a lot of people now associate her with politics, her journey began in front of the camera Smriti Irani on her comeback as Tulsi Virani
'I always did. I had a break only when I became a Cabinet minister. But I am so glad that as a Cabinet minister, I became so prominent that people never envisioned me as anything but a minister. My role as a Cabinet minister became so prominent that people have forgotten my other roles,' she said, reflecting on how her political identity took center stage. Smriti Irani on managing both politics and acting
Speaking about balancing both politics and her acting career, she said that she has always kept her dual lives separate. While politicians and karyakartas knew her only as a leader, many on the sets of the show were shocked to discover her grasp on politics and legislation. She also shared how a karyakarta in Bijnor said, 'Didi, my mother wanted me to get a picture with you,' when news broke about her return to television. 'Now both worlds are coming together, which never happened earlier,' she said.
As she is all geared up for her comeback, Smriti said that it's a limited series in collaboration with Uday Shankar and Ekta Kapoor, incorporating a renewed lens on today's youth and socio-political relevance. Speaking of how things have changed, she said that earlier, acting had little preparation, but now, even script readings are detailed. Interestingly, the actors were curious not about the script, but about Parliament, governance, and legislation, turning the set into a political workshop more than a media one.
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Hindustan Times
39 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Smriti Irani recalls how female producer gave Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 'ajeeb o gareeb' late-night time slot
Filmmaker Ektaa Kapoor and Smriti Irani's show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi returned to television after 17 years, also marking Smriti's comeback. In a recent interview with Times Now, Smriti revealed how a female producer gave the show a strange time slot when it was released in 2000, but it still went on to redefine Indian television. Smriti Irani recalls the struggles struggles faced by Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi when it was first released in 2000. Smriti Irani recalls female producer giving a late-night slot to Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Smriti said that the reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is a retelling of the story and said, 'Wo story jise raat ke bohot hi ajeeb o gareeb slot main dhakela gaya kyuki ek mahila producer ek story ko lekar bohot utsahit thi. Ek bohot bada show 9 baje aane wala tha Star Plus pe aur us show aur hmare beech faasla bohot tha (That story was once told at a very odd and obscure hour on television, pushed to a late-night slot, because a female producer was passionately backing a story. Star Plus had a major show lined up for the 9 PM prime time slot, and there was a huge gap between that show and ours).' She added in Hindi, 'Our show created history. People often say history doesn't repeat itself, but I guess we proved that wrong. We repeated history. If someone says there's a show running today that will be recreated or relived 25 years from now, I don't think that's possible. So, achieving that kind of milestone on Indian television, that's no small feat.' About Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi The show, which first aired in 2000, revolved around Tulsi Virani (played by Smriti Irani), the ideal daughter-in-law of the wealthy Virani family, and chronicled her journey through family conflicts, traditions, moral dilemmas, and generational changes. With its emotional storytelling and dramatic plot twists, it became a cultural phenomenon, making 'saas-bahu' dramas a staple in Indian households. It ran for eight years, making its cast household names. The reboot stars both Smriti and Amar in the lead, along with Hiten Tejwani, Gauri Pradhan, Rohit Suchanti, Shagun Sharma, Aman Gandhi, Tanisha Mehta, Ankit Bhatia and Prachi Singh in key roles. The show is available to watch on JioCinema and StarPlus.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Smriti Irani Believes Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 Has ‘Repeated History'
Smriti Irani revealed the hurdles Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 faced during its early days, including skepticism and an unfavourable time slot. Smriti Irani has officially returned to the small screen with the reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, marking a nostalgic and significant moment for Indian television fans. The original series, produced by Ektaa Kapoor, first aired in 2000 and ran successfully until 2008. Now, nearly 25 years later, the show has been reintroduced to a new generation, and Smriti is calling it a retelling, not a reinvention. While recalling the good old times during an interview with a media portal, Smriti revealed why their show was pushed to a late-night slot. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2's Show Timings Revealing the hurdles Kyuki 2 faced during its early days, including scepticism and an unfavourable time slot, she told Times Now, 'Woh story jise raat ke bohot hi ajeeb o gareeb slot main dhakela gaya kyunki ek mahila producer ek story ko lekar bohot utsahit thi (That story was aired at a very odd hour because a female producer was passionately backing it)," she recalled. 'Ek bohot bada show 9 baje aane wala tha Star Plus pe aur us show aur humare beech faasla bohot tha (Star Plus had a major show lined up for the 9 PM prime time slot. There was a massive gap between the prime-time show and ours)," she added. Smriti Irani also reflected on the legacy of Kyunki and her journey in the entertainment industry. 'Mujhe nahi lagta ki aap ise reinvention keh sakte hai; ye ek story ki retelling ho sakti hai. Woh story ho aaj se 25 saal pehle television par kahi gayi (I don't think you can call it reinvention. It's a retelling of a story that was told on television 25 years ago)," she said. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 'Scripted History' Though the show had its own share of challenges, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi broke records and became a defining chapter in Indian television history. Smriti expressed, 'Humare show ne itihaas racha television ke liye. Log kehte hai history doesn't repeat itself; well, I guess we have defeated that. Itihaas humne dohraya (Our show created history. People often say history doesn't repeat itself, but I guess we proved that wrong. We repeated history)." Noting that such an occurrence is unlikely to happen again in today's television landscape, she added, 'Aaj agar aap kahein ki koi aisa show hai, jo aaj chal raha hai or 25 saal baad dobara reinvent or re-live ho sakta hai, mujhe nahi lagta. Toh apne aap mein television main is uplabdhi ko paana chhoti baat nahi hai (If someone claims there's a show currently airing that could be recreated or relived 25 years from now, I don't believe that's possible. So, achieving that kind of milestone on Indian television is no small achievement)." Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2: Star Cast And Episodes The new season of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi premiered on small screens on Star Plus on July 29 at 10:30 pm. Produced by Balaji Motion Pictures, the daily soap brings back the OG cast, including Smriti Irani, Shakti Anand, Ketki Dave, Hiten Tejwani, Gauri Pradhan and Amar Upadhyay. Joining them are fresh faces like Shagun Sharma, Aman Gandhi and Rohit Suchanti. The first season had approximately 1,833 episodes, making it one of the longest-running shows at the time, but Kyunki 2 is said to feature a limited number of episodes. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Real Smriti Irani would give Tulsi Virani a tight slap
The show has made a comeback to the small screen, after a gap of 17 years. Welcome home, Tulsi, Shanti Niketan was missing you. Smriti 'Tulsi Virani' Irani has returned to where she always belonged. On the sets of TV series Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi ( Hotstar ) . Irani joined BJP, was a Rajya Sabha MP, defeated Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi (2019) and became a senior, high profile, union minister. She has been one of the most recognized faces of the ruling party — until her defeat in the 2024 general elections. She has since then been on the sidelines of the political arena. Now, she will be hoping the soap opera that first made her the beloved bahu of the Hindi heartland will propel her to centre stage. Will it? Let's see. Also read: 'Wanted to be like Tulsi'—how Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi revived the joint family fantasy Now a leader on small screen Meanwhile, she's larger than life, dominating the new season of the Balaji series, with her mere, sheer presence – dwarfing all the other characters, literally and by her screen time. Producer Ektaa Kapoor's Kyunki…, in its second coming, still is all about family—as it was in the first season – but now it is very much Tulsi's family, less the Viranis. This may change as and if the soap has a long run, but for now Tulsi and her beloved tulsi plant in Shanti Niketan's courtyard with 'Thakurji's' blessings, command the audience's attention. The others live in her shadow and under her watchful, loving eye. Husband Mihir tries valiantly to assert his authority when he thinks her `zid' gets the better of her judgement but he ends up as he did before – looking boyish and years younger than her. His youthfulness is compared constantly with Tulsi's puffiness around the eyes, and her size – these are recurring themes of the first week's episodes. From the opening sequence when she sees her reflection in the mirror (in contrast to 25 years ago when she came as a new bride to the Virani home), to the weighing machine recording 80+ kg for her and a younger woman being mistaken for Mihir's wife, the physical changes in Tulsi-Smriti Irani are frankly acknowledged. As Tulsi says to Mihir, '…You are the handsome Papa, me a golgappa…' Refreshing to watch a leading character readily admit to her weight problem. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thhi was the original 'saas-bahu' TV drama after its debut in 2000. Series that followed, imitated its style and content. Current TV shows remain faithful to it: they focus on the family, saas-bahu clashes, old versus the young, love, hate and the enduring importance of the Hindu value system. Is Kyunki… 2025 a continuation of Kyunki… 2000-2008? No. Or, only to the extent that some principal characters return: Tulsi, Mihir, the aunts Daksha and Gayatri, Gayatri's son Hemant, son Karan and daughter-in-law are played by the same actors as before. Also read: Tulsi 2.0 is dealing with wrinkles, weight gain. Indian TV serials are finally getting real What's cooking plot-wise? The story is totally new. When we left Tulsi, she was a grandmotherly greying lady. In the last scene, she confronts her old friend Parvati Agarwal (Parvati of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii) and learns that her missing grandson, Parth, who had inherited grandmother Baa's fortune, was with Parvati all the time. On this cliffhanger, the series teetered to its inconclusive conclusion. There is no Parvati or Parth in the new season, so far – and Tulsi has acquired black hair. Also, back then, a shaggy, unsteady Mihir (played by Ronit Roy) had periodic amnesia. Now, Baa is seen in flashbacks, so is Tulsi's ma-in-law, Savita – she appears as a ghost, chatting to Tulsi like old times. Amar Upadhyay's Mihir is liveliness personified as he serenades Tulsi on their 38th wedding anniversary at the start of the new season. And they've acquired three new children – Pari, Angad, and Ritik — offspring of Tulsi's late sister. Their non-biological status as Viranis is another theme, largely because of the wicked aunt Gayatri, who mentions their adopted status to embarrass Tulsi when Angad is wrongly arrested for a car crash that injured a pedestrian. The plot line of the first seven episodes was largely devoted to the crash, particularly Tulsi's reactions of grief, with scenes where she cries and collapses. There's also her anger against her son – she thrashes him with a broom. Yes, a jhadu. Large parts of episodes are devoted to her dilemma—to bail or not to bail out Angad. Here, Kyunki… tackles a topical issue: Hit and run cases involving the sons of rich businessmen. The other plot concerns Pari's 'affair'' that is discovered when Mihir wants her to marry a colleague's son. These events enrage Mihir who brings up another theme of the new season: Parenthood and in particular, a mother's responsibilities. He scolds Tulsi for the upbringing —'parvarish' – of Pari and Angad and the cunning Gayatri nastily mentions this whenever she can. In contrast, Tulsi's role as the primary caregiver of the entire family and the binding force of the family is continually acknowledged by Hemant, Pari, and Angad besides Mihir—when he's not annoyed with her. Also read: Indian bahu Tulsi Virani vs BJP leader Smriti Irani—audience has a clear favourite Tulsi prays to tulsi A rather awkward subplot introduces us to Tulsi's successor- Vrinda. The daughter of a policeman who erases CCTV footage showing the real culprit of the car accident, in exchange for a bribe to pay for his mother's hip injury, Vrinda will be Tulsi's 'hand of god' and the true inheritor of her legacy. Whenever Tulsi is in need, or appeals to her tulsi tree and Thakurji for help, the series' theme music plays and Vrinda steps in. Such supernatural interventions are commonplace to the series—an avowal of how Tulsi's complete faith in God is rewarded. Tulsi speaks to her tulsi and Thakurji, frequently. In fact, her internal monologues are at the heart of the serial. Frankly? She talks too much. Just as Mihir's praise of his wife, her qualities, her selfless acts would give sugar diabetes. That's how saccharine sweet it is. Also read: Tulsi returns to protect modern Indian family from rising social media, falling sanskar Still relatable? Two questions. Is Smriti Irani convincing as Tulsi and able to overcome her public profile as a politician who was constantly in the news? Second, will Kyunki… succeed with a new generation of viewers? Well, it will certainly be watched by those who followed it from 2000 to 2008 – it has nostalgia for us, reminds us of earlier, less divisive times when family values, a joint family were the bedrock of Hindu society. It should be a hit with audiences in smaller cities where the family ties are still very strong. But in urbanised, nuclear cities, its charm may elude aspiring young people trying to build independent lives. As for Smriti-Tulsi, it's difficult to watch a VPP – very public personality – who is strong, individualistic, assertive and dynamic, spending the entire time only looking after her family—her pleading with a police constable at the police station is very awkward. It's odd to see her cry so much, and beseech the powers that be to come to her rescue. Smriti would give Tulsi a tight slap and tell her to get up off the floor and deal with it. The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Views are personal.
