Indian TV actor turned politician, Smriti Irani revealed the amount she earned for a single episode of ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’.
Former actor and Minister of the Union Cabinet of India, Irani recently sat with YouTuber Neelesh Misra for a tell-all on his digital channel. She got candid about her journey during the early days of the TV industry when she used to get a per day wage of INR1800 and would travel via auto despite being the face of the leading channel.
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“I remember, I didn’t even look like a star, and was more like a technician with that kind of lifestyle,” Irani told the host.
“I used to get INR1800, per day. When Zubin [her husband] and I got married we barely had INR30,000,” she divulged. “I remember my makeup man was embarrassed and he used to say, ‘gaadi toh lelo mujhe sharam aati hai mai gaadi pe aata hu aur Tulsi bhabhi auto mein aa rahi hai, (please buy a car. I feel embarrassed that I am coming by car, while Tulsi bhabhi travels in an auto)’.”
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Irani also recalled her leader-like behaviour on the sets, who would stand up for the rights of crew members and technicians. She shared an anecdote about producer Shobha Kapoor, who had restricted everyone except actors to take food and drinks on the set.
“She feared the furniture would be spoiled,” the politician said, adding that it would irk her to see this treatment.
Irani recalled noticing a sound guy who had not taken a break even after 12-15 hours and was offering her tea. However, he refused to have it himself as he was not allowed to drink tea on sets.
“So then I had a setting with the spot guy, I used to ask for 60 teas to keep ready and I would go out with the technicians so that they all can have their tea too,” she shared.
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Irani mentioned that it was only after the producer spotted her drinking tea outside that they allowed everyone, including technicians and other crew members, to drink tea on the set.
Smriti Irani rose to fame with her portrayal of Tulsi Mihir Virani in the long-running daily soap ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ which became a prime-time success during its run time from 2000 to 2008.
