Smriti Irani recalls being 'unemployed' and asking for work before Kyunki 2

Actor-politician Smriti Irani has opened up about a rather unexpected phase in her career, asking for work after years in politics. Following her 2024 Lok Sabha election defeat from Amethi, the former Union minister decided to return to the entertainment industry and, instead of waiting for an offer, picked up the phone to ask for a job. Recalling the moment, Irani revealed that she called Uday Shankar, now Vice-Chairman of JioHotstar and Star, for work.Shankar was associated with television when Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi went off-air. Recalling the conversation, Irani told Times Now, “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.”Irani's call reportedly caught Shankar by surprise, particularly because he was overseas at the time. He wanted to know whether she was genuinely prepared to return to the industry and work on a television set after years in politics. For Irani, however, asking for work was neither awkward nor embarrassing. She viewed it as a practical step towards beginning the next phase of her career.Shankar also made sure Irani was aware of what returning to television would entail. After years in politics, she would once again have to adjust to long hours and the demanding routine of working on a set. “Those who know the work understand this. You can work up to 12 hour 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.Irani eventually returned to the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi universe with its second season, marking her comeback to television after years away.Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 premiered on July 29, 2025, on Star Plus and also streamed on JioHotstar. The show marked Smriti Irani’s return to television as Tulsi Virani, the iconic character that made her a household name across India in the 2000s. Her comeback also saw her reunite with Amar Upadhyay, who reprised his role as Mihir Virani.- EndsPublished By: Prachi aryaPublished On: Sep 5, 2026 17:10 IST