Mumbai: After spending years in politics and serving as a Union Cabinet minister, Smriti Irani found herself at a crossroads following her defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Amethi.
She decided to return to her roots in television and, rather than wait for an opportunity to come her way, was willing to ask for work herself.
In an interview with Times Now, Smriti opened up about that transition and recalled calling Uday Shankar, now Vice-Chairman of JioHotstar and Star, to seek an opportunity.
“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.
Shankar was surprised to receive Irani’s call, particularly as he was travelling abroad at the time. He found it unexpected that a former Cabinet minister was approaching him for a job and asked whether she was certain about returning to the workforce.
Irani, however, did not find anything unusual or uncomfortable about the situation. She believed there was no shame in seeking an opportunity and viewed her return to television as a practical step towards resuming the career she had once pursued.
Irani also recalled that Shankar wanted to ensure she understood what returning to television would entail.
After years in politics, she would have to adjust to long working hours and the demanding routine of life on a television set—something vastly different from her political career.
Her decision to return to television after such a long gap also came as a surprise to many around her.
“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.
‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2’ premiered on Star Plus on July 29, 2025, marking Smriti Irani’s return to television after several years away from the small screen. The show was also made available for streaming on JioHotstar.
Irani reprised her iconic role as Tulsi Virani, the character that made her a household name in the 2000s. Her comeback also saw her reunite with Amar Upadhyay, who returned as Mihir Virani.
