Reflecting on her high-profile defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, former Union minister Smriti Irani has described the electoral setback as a deeply “liberating” experience that fundamentally reshaped her perspective on life and career.
Recalling the transition from national politics back to private life—where she lost her Amethi Lok Sabha seat to Congress leader Kishori Lal Sharma—Smriti noted that her motivations had evolved significantly. Where the initial chapter of her political journey was driven by a desire to prove herself, the post-2024 phase centered entirely on contribution and public service on her own terms.
Rather than stepping away from the public eye, Smriti took an immediate and pragmatic approach to her professional future. In a recent interview, she shared how she picked up her phone and directly reached out to figures in the media and entertainment industry to secure work, humorously pointing out that industry executive Uday Shankar was both the reason she lost her political office and, indirectly, the catalyst for her return to media.
That direct outreach led to a heavily publicized return to television in July 2025, when she reprised her iconic role as Tulsi Virani in the second season of the legendary show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Airing on Star Plus and streaming on JioHotstar alongside co-star Amar Upadhyay, the reboot proved to be a massive ratings success, pulling in over 1.6 billion minutes of watch time.
Reflecting on her return to the studio floor, she recalled the initial astonishment of crew members who viewed her as a peer rather than a senior politician, noting how liberating it was to step back into the shoes of a working professional. Alongside her entertainment career, Smriti has maintained her political footprint, serving as a BJP National General Secretary and continuing her organizational responsibilities within Uttar Pradesh.
