Latest news with #Smriti
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Smriti Irani Shoots For Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 With Z Plus Security: Report
Last Updated: Smriti Irani, known for her role as Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, has started shooting for the show's second season with Z+ security. Union Minister Smriti Irani, who became a household name as Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, has reportedly begun shooting for the second season of the iconic show. According to a report, the actress-turned-politician is returning to acting after a long break, and this time, she's filming under Z+ security. The new season of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi has been in the news for the last few months, with fans eagerly waiting for an official announcement. Now, it looks like the cameras are finally rolling, and Smriti is back on set. A source told India Forums that security on the sets is very strict. Mobile phones are being taped to avoid any leaks, and extra precautions are in place to ensure everything runs smoothly. With Z+ security, the highest level of protection in India, Smriti is being guarded closely during the shoot. The source said, "The mobile phones of everyone on the sets, excluding Amar (Upadhyay) sir, Smriti ma'am and Ekta (Kapoor) ma'am will be taped. Everyone will be barred from using their mobile phones. Smriti is also shooting with Z Plus security, and everyone on the sets will have to adhere to the strict security protocols laid." Smriti Irani first played Tulsi Virani over two decades ago, and her character went on to become one of the most loved on Indian television. The show air from 2000 to 2008. The show was co-produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor under their banner Balaji Telefilms. Smriti Irani began her political journey in 2003 when she joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She served as the Union Minister for Human Resource Development from 2014 to 2016. After that, she took charge as the Union Minister for Textiles, a role she held from 2016 to 2021. Smriti Irani also held the position of Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting from 2017 to 2018. In 2019, she was appointed as the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, a post she held until 2024. From 2022 to 2024, she also took on the additional responsibility of Union Minister for Minority Affairs. First Published: May 31, 2025, 08:26 IST
Indian Express
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
IND vs SL Women's Tri Series: Smriti Mandhana saves the best for last as India canter to title
If you are Smriti Mandhana, scores of 43, 36, 18, and 51 over four One-Day International knocks in a series is a below-par return. Since June 2024, before the start of the Women's Tri-Series in Colombo a fortnight ago, Smriti averaged 64.5 over 15 ODIs, scoring just 23 short of a 1,000 runs with five centuries. And so, in the build-up to the final against Sri Lanka, it felt like the star Indian opener was yet to truly deliver in a tournament where the scores were generally quite high. All that changed on Sunday, as Smriti smashed her 11th ODI century against the hosts. Her 101-ball 116, studded with 15 fours and two sixes, powered India to a mammoth 342/7, which proved to be 97 runs too many for Chamari Athapaththu's Sri Lanka. The islanders kept themselves somewhat in the contest as long as the skipper was around, but a flurry of wickets from 173/3 to 192/7 all but ended any slim chances they had. India's bowling effort was led by Sneh Rana (4/38), while Amanjot Kaur (3/54) did her all-round reputation no harm – both had a series to remember on their return to India colours after a break. Smriti has made it a habit in recent times to convert starts into big scores, but she has also started forming a frustrating habit of giving her wicket away. Just in this series, she had been out caught down the legside, pulled a short ball straight to the fielder at deep midwicket, and also got run out after a mix-up with Pratika Rawal. On each of those occasions, her form and touch seemed to be in place, but unforced errors cost her. It could have been somewhat similar in the final too, but she was given a reprieve on 21. It wasn't perhaps a mistake because Sri Lanka seemed to have a plan to tempt Smriti to go over mid-off. Inoka Ranaweera, a wily old veteran, got her to play the shot she wanted but Piumi Wathsala put down a simple catch, in a moment that had a significant impact on the game. India were just out of a middling Powerplay, reaching 45/0 after 10 overs, and a wicket at that point – especially Smriti's – could have easily shaved off a significant chunk off India's eventual total. Smriti made the most of it. Even before the reprieve, she had hit a couple of exquisite fours and a six over long-off. A six off Athapaththu at the start of the 18th over, when she cleared the front foot and launched one dead straight, was a clear sign that she was dialled in for the big haul on another hot and humid day in Colombo. As she reached her 70s, her strike rate started venturing close to 100, and she brought up her century with a hat-trick of boundaries off Athapaththu, and then hit a fourth straight four after completing her celebration. Smriti's biggest impediment towards that three-figure milestone was the humidity that has challenged players from all three teams, with the Indian opener needing frequent treatment and hydration for cramping. But her constant shifting of the gears helped India score 207/3 in the middle overs (between 11 and 40) even as Harleen Deol took her time before somewhat catching up during a 120-run partnership that nearly batted Sri Lanka out of the match. Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues then played crucial, better-than-run-a-ball 40s to take India to what was the highest women's ODI total posted in Sri Lanka. The hosts were always going to struggle because of the lack of firepower in their batting unit, even if they have improved in recent times in managing to find ways to put together partnerships. Amanjot's stump-to-stump strategy accounted for the first two wickets while Rana, who finished with 15 wickets in the tournament and picked up the player of the series award, was once again India's most potent spin threat. Harmanpreet was left pleased with the fight shown by her side throughout the tournament, but did point out that some of India's front-line pacers' struggles with injuries in recent times are a cause of concern. Brief scores: India 342/7 (Mandhana 116; Sugandika Kumari 2/59) beat Sri Lanka 245 in 48.2 overs (Athapaththu 51; Rana 4/38) by 97 runs Vinayakk Mohanarangan is Senior Assistant Editor and is based in New Delhi. ... Read More
Hans India
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Proud of the entire team, they really played good cricket, says Harmanpreet after tri-series win
After a dominant India registered a clinical 97-run win over Sri Lanka to win the women's ODI tri-series, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said she was proud of her team's strong performance and playing good cricket to emerge victorious in Sunday's final. At the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, India's emphatic win was fashioned by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana hitting a sublime 116 off 101 balls, as the visitors' posted a mammoth 342/7. Sneh Rana and Amanjot Kaur then shined by grabbing figures of 4-38 and 3-54 respectively, as India bowled out Sri Lanka for 245 in 48.2 overs. "Proud of the entire team, they really played good cricket. Really happy with the way we batted today. The improvement never stops though, such as areas like fielding, bowling and building good partnerships.' 'But the way the other batters apart from Smriti and me, the way they batted was a big positive. The way Sneh Rana bowled was also a big positive,' said Harmanpreet in the post-match presentation ceremony. That India managed to win the tri-series despite missing their first-choice bowlers due to injuries augurs well ahead of their tour of England in June-July. 'Our medium pacers keep getting injured, so need to work on that. The team is working on that. But we're going to try and keep playing good cricket. There are a lot of positives to talk about, but just want the enjoy the moment right now," added Harmanpreet. Smriti, who was named Player of the Match for hitting her 11th ODI century, said she found ways to get her runs once Sri Lanka's bowlers became wayward in their lines and lengths. "I am a reluctant talker, but mostly we plan our innings to first assess the conditions.' 'Initially they held their lines and were very disciplined early on, but later on we found ways to score. All the wickets have been really good batting wickets. Not that great to bowl, but our bowlers did well regardless." Sneh was adjudged Player of the Tournament for picking 15 wickets in just four matches in what was her first series for India in 50-over after her last appearance came in 2023. "I am very pleased to have contributed. After coming after so many months, I worked very hard, so I'm very grateful.' 'The plan was simple - just stick to pace-off deliveries and yorkers. Worked with the bowling coach a lot, and it worked out. (World Cup) Very confident, especially in my team, who worked so hard and played brilliantly." Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu reflected on the crushing defeat in the final, saying they need to work on their fielding, bowling and find some power-hitting batters ahead of this year's ODI World Cup in India. "First of a all congratulations to India, they played really well today. 300 plus is not easy to chase, we fought hard but we dropped some catches, and missed some runouts as well. Even our bowling unit struggled in the middle overs, but Smriti batted really well.' 'We have to improve our fielding, we dropped catches and missed runout chances throughout the tournament. SLC is trying to get new fielding coaches as well, so we need to work on it. We also need to improve our batting, we need some power hitters, but work needs to be done before the World Cup."
Hans India
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Smriti, Amanjot, Sneh help India clinch ODI tri-series beating SL by 97 runs
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana hit a sublime 116 off 101 balls while Sneh Rana and Amanjot Kaur shined with stellar bowling efforts as a dominant India clinched the women's ODI tri-series with an emphatic 97-run win over Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. On a pitch which was initially slow and got better to bat on as the innings progressed, Smriti was at the forefront of a brilliant batting day for India by slamming her 11th ODI hundred and oozing absolute elegance in her stroke-play. Her efforts led the way for India posting 342/7 in their 50 overs, the highest total made in a women's ODI game in Sri Lanka. In reply, Sneh stepped up to once again be India's standout bowler, as she picked up 4-38. On the other hand, Amanjot yet again impressed with figures of 3-54 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 245 in 48.2 overs. A chase of 343 was always going to be an uphill task for Sri Lanka, and they were never really in it, despite their Chamari Athapaththu making 51. Now, on losing the tri-series final on home soil, Sri Lanka will be wondering what could have been had they bowled with more penetration or could have made the most of their fielding chances, especially of dropping Smriti on 21 off Inoka Ranaweera's bowling. After that reprieve, Smriti never put a foot wrong in her wonderful knock, as she reached her century off 92 balls via four consecutive boundaries off skipper Chamari in the 31st over – third of which took her to the three-figure mark. Smriti, who incidentally hit her first ODI hundred against Sri Lanka, was also helped by the fact that each of the other top six India batters made or went beyond 30. She shared a 70-run opening stand with Pratika Rawal (30), before joining forces with Harleen Deol (47) for a 120-run partnership for the second wicket. After that, captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues made 41 and 44 respectively, before cameos from Deepti Sharma (20 not out) and Amanjot Kaur (18) ensured India went past 340-mark. For Sri Lanka, it was a day to forget with the ball and in ground fielding, as they were unable to keep the Indian scoring rate down in the middle overs. Though Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara and Dewmi Vihanga bagged two wickets each, the Sri Lankan bowling attack lacked any serious penetration and control. Moreover, there wasn't any visible effort to put pressure back on India, especially with missed catches and run-outs playing their part too, as India managed to make 90 runs in the last ten overs. India had a perfect start to their defence of a mammoth total when Amanjot castled Hasini Perera on third ball of the second innings. Though Chamari shared a 68-run stand with Vishmi Gunaratne (36) for the second wicket, Amanjot broke it in the 14th over by bowling the latter around her legs. With Chamari struggling for rhythm in the later part, she still managed to bring up her fifty, before being castled by Sneh. Despite Harshitha Samawickrama and Nilakshi de Silva sharing a 52-run stand, Amanjot and Sneh took them out respectively to ensure the game was firmly in India's favour, as the visitors' eventually completed a resounding win in the final and justify the pre-tournament favourites tag. Brief Scores: India 342/7 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 116, Harleen Deol 47; Sugandika Kumari 2-59, Dewmi Vihanga 2-69) beat Sri Lanka 245 in 48.2 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 51, Nilakshi de Silva 48; Sneh Rana 4-38, Amanjot Kaur 3-54) by 97 runs
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Smriti Irani on being successful in the ‘two toughest fields in the country: media and politics,' says ‘I think that I am blessed'
Union Minister and former television star Smriti Irani recently opened up about her remarkable journey through two of the most challenging professions in India—media and politics. Smriti shared a video of hers on social media where she spoke at an event. Smriti shared how her success across both these demanding fields is not just a result of effort or talent alone but a combination of perseverance, principles, and, in her words, 'divine intervention.' 'I think I am blessed, particularly because people rarely get to have one successful career in a lifetime. I've had the opportunity to work in two of the toughest fields in this country—media and politics,' she said. Irani, who rose to fame as Tulsi Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi , and later went on to hold key political portfolios, believes success in such spaces demands more than just skill. 'In both these fields, you have to be an inherent hard worker. You need to have potential, otherwise you will never find your feet. The fact that I could compete and carve a space for myself—I think that's a great blessing,' she added. Irani also reflected on the multifaceted challenges she faced. 'Many people talk about hard work or good luck. But in my case, I think it had to be divine intervention . You can't come from a poor background, be unapologetic about your ideology, uncompromising in your principles, be a woman—and still make it in two male-dominated spaces. God has to be particularly kind.' The actress saw her fair shares of ups and downs in the industry. The actress revealed earning Rs 1800 per month and spoke about working in a fast food chain and even washing dishes as a part of her job. She had once said, 'Side mein Hindustan ka pehla McDonald's hai, uska interview chal raha tha. Toh mene pucha ki kuch agar chal raha hai, I can interview for. Toh unhone kaha ki ek hi position bacha hai vo entry level hai, unhone kaha bartan dhone ka kaam hai. That's how I got my first job.
