Smriti Irani, once the face of Indian television, has never shied away from sharing her personal and professional battles, on Raj Shamani’s podcast, the actress-turned-politician gave a hard-hitting account of her journey in the TV industry. From returning to the sets just three days after giving birth to being fired while still in the hospital, Irani’s story reveals the harsh realities behind the glamour. She shared her experiences from working on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kuch Dil Se, two shows that defined her early career.
Irani recalled how the pressure of daily television forced her to resume work only three days after giving birth to her son. “My son was three days old when I came back to the set of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Why? Because everyone wanted to watch a new episode daily at 10:30 pm,” she said. The production expectations left no space for recovery or rest.
She also opened up about a heartbreaking moment—continuing to shoot even after suffering a miscarriage. Though producer Ravi Chopra gave her a week off, the daily format led to pressure to return. “Somebody in the production went and told Ektaa, ‘We're ready to shoot. But Smriti Irani isn't available. She is lying. Nothing has actually happened to her.’ So, I had to go back with my hospital reports to prove it actually happened,” Irani revealed.
Irani’s ordeal didn’t end there. While she was in the hospital after delivery, she received a termination letter. She had been working on Kuch Dil Se, a daily talk show for SAB TV, and had pre-recorded enough episodes to cover her one-month leave. “They were just waiting for me to get into the hospital to tell me I'm fired,” she said. The production used the bank of episodes she recorded and replaced her with a film actor. “Their intention was to use my hard work in favor of my replacement,” Irani said calmly. The show was eventually shut down.
Despite all challenges, Irani never stopped working. Now, years later, she is ready to return to TV screens. The reprised version of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi will begin airing on Star Plus starting July 29, fans can also catch it on JioHotstar.
