Smriti Irani Birthday: From Ekta Kapoor's Tulsi to BJP's orator; here's her inspirational success story
BJP leader Smriti Irani has turned a year older today i.e on 23 March, before becoming a successful politician Irani was a successful TV actress. Well, the credit goes to Ekta Kapoor who selected her for the role of Tulsi Verani (Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi) even after rejecting her.
So on the eve of Irani’s birthday lets go down a memory lane and see her success story. Those who don’t know then let us tell you the 44-year-old Textile Minister started his first job as a waitress. Yes 20, years ago before stepping in the entertainment world she uses to work at McDonald's in Bandra as she was short of many and was not getting any role in the Mumbai.
Actress-turned-Politician have done many beauty commercial adds and has also participated in Miss India in 1998, but, she could make up to the top 9 contestants. However, this did turn out to be fortunate as in the same year she got a break wherein she appeared in Mika Singh music album Saawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag and song Boliyan.
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Then in 2000, she made her debut in TV industry with show Aatish and Hum Hain Kal Aaj Aur Kal that aired on Star Plus. That’s where TV producer Shobha Kapoor (Ekta Kapoor’s mother) spotted her and asked her to come for an audition. Irani initially got rejected but it was Ekta who saw a great actress in her and on her own risk she approved the leader. This is how Irani turned in to a household name and India’s most favourite ‘Bahu’.
Since then there was no looking back for Irani, however, in 2008 she said alvida to the television industry as she joined the Bhartiya Janta Party in 2003. In 2014 actress-turned-politician challenged Congress by contesting in Amethi, but she lost against Rahul Gandhi, however, she was appointed as HRD Minister in PM Narendra Modi’s cabinet.
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However, her term as HRD minister proved to be a controversial one and saw a massive increase in volatile campus politics. In 2016 in a cabinet reshuffle, Irani was shuffled to the Ministry of Textiles and in 2017 he was handed Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In 2019 she made her comeback in Amethi once again challenging Rahul Gadhi and this time she won the Lok Sabha elections and is now a very successful politician in BJP.
In an interview, Smriti Irani said, “I was involved with TV for 20 years. It gave me a platform to enter Indian politics and I will always be grateful to TV for this. Apart from this, Ekta Kapoor has supported me a lot.”
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First published: 23 March 2020, 12:12 IST