But after her defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Amethi, she found herself reassessing what came next. Smriti Irani spent years away from television as her political career took centre stage, eventually leading her to the Union Cabinet. Instead of turning away from her acting career, she chose to return to the world she had left behind and was even prepared to reach out and ask for work.
Speaking to Times Now, Smriti looked back on that transition and opened up about calling Uday Shankar for an opportunity, returning to a television set of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 after years away, and why starting over in a familiar profession felt more liberating than she had expected. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 premiered on July 29, 2025, on Star Plus and was also available to stream on JioHotstar. He was the reason why I lost my job in the entertainment industry.
Rather than waiting for an offer, Irani decided to reach out herself. One of the people she called was Uday Shankar, now Vice-Chairman of JioHotstar and Star, who had been associated with television when Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi went off air. “I picked up my phone and asked for a job in media and entertainment. Then, he also became a reason why I joined back,” she recalled. Returning to television meant long shifts and the everyday grind of working on a set, a routine that was quite different from her life in politics. Stepping back onto a set after years in politics also surprised many people. The show marked Smriti Irani’s return to the small screen as Tulsi Virani, the character that made her a familiar face in households across the country in the 2000s. Her comeback also reunited her with Amar Upadhyay , who reprised his role as Mihir Virani.
I said I’m unemployed; can you give me something? Irani said Shankar also made sure she understood what she was signing up for.
