&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Smriti Irani recalls being called a 'Crappy' actor: “The male actor was getting paid more”")
Actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani has recently shared candid details about her early struggles in the entertainment industry, revealing that she was once dismissed as a “crappy actor”. The former Union Minister opened up during a conversation with Soha Ali Khan on the podcast All About Her, where she revisited her career, financial hardships and eventual rise in politics.
Smriti Irani on facing harsh criticism
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Looking back at her initial years, Smriti recalled how she was constantly judged for her performances despite her hard work. “Everywhere I would go, they would say you’re a crappy actor… the male actor was getting paid more than me,” she admitted. Despite the criticism, she became one of Indian television’s most celebrated faces through her portrayal of Tulsi Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, a role she recently reprised in the show’s reboot.
Humble beginnings and family pressure
Smriti also talked about her difficult start before entering the television industry. Her very first job, she revealed, was in Delhi’s Janpath, where she worked for just ₹200 a day. At that time, she had taken a loan from her father, who gave her a strict condition, “I’ll give you one year, and if you can’t pay me back, marry whoever I tell you to marry.”
In those years of self-doubt, she even questioned her father, asking: “I’m going to live the rest of my life as somebody’s wife. 17 years as your daughter. When do I get to live for myself?” When Soha Ali Khan asked what today’s Smriti would say to the Tulsi of 25 years ago, the actress-turned-leader had a witty response, “Get a better paycheck.”
Political journey against the odds
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Smriti Irani also spoke about her unexpected shift from acting to politics. “In 2004, I fought my first election. I was 27. There’s no education, no academic adventure to understand hardcore politics,” she revealed. Despite entering unprepared, her persistence eventually led her to the national stage. After joining the BJP in 2003, she steadily rose in ranks and contested multiple elections. She famously defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, though she lost the seat in 2024 to KL Sharma.
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The early life of Smriti Irani
Born into a Marathi-Punjabi-Bengali family in Delhi, Smriti began her career as a model in 1994 before stepping into acting. Apart from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, she appeared in popular serials such as Maniben.com, Teen Bahuraaniyaan, and Kavita. She later married businessman Zubin Irani and went on to balance her personal life with an illustrious career spanning entertainment and politics.
