Television actor and former politician Smriti Irani shared her experiences from the early days of her acting career. In the recent episode of Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, she stated that in the beginning, many people criticized her harshly and even called her a “crappy actor.”She further revealed that male actors were often paid more than her and she constantly had to prove her talent. Despite the criticism, she kept working hard and took every opportunity to learn and improve.Her breakthrough came with the role of Tulsi Virani in the popular TV show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The character made her famous but she remembers the tough times when people doubted her skills.She reflected that if she could give advice to her younger self, it would be to demand better pay and recognition for her work. The actor added that before starting her career in acting, she worked as a model on the streets of Delhi, earning just Rs 200 a day.She even took a loan from her father, who gave her strict conditions to repay it. These early struggles helped shape her determination and independence.Later, she moved into politics joining the political party ‘BJP’ in 2003.She was the vice president of the Maharashtra Youth Wing and a member of the National Executive. She was then elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2011 and re-elected in 2017. In 2019, she won the Lok Sabha seat from Amethi defeating Rahul Gandhi.As of now, Smriti Irani returned to television with the reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, reprising her iconic role as Tulsi Virani.
Smriti Irani opens up about early career struggles, reveals being called “crappy”
