Smriti Irani details return to entertainment industry after election loss

Former Union Minister and actor-politician Smriti Irani has detailed her transition back into the entertainment industry following her 2024 Lok Sabha election defeat in Amethi. Irani revealed in a recent interview that she proactively sought work by contacting industry leaders, specifically mentioning a call to Uday Shankar, Vice-Chairman of JioHotstar and Star.

Irani noted that Shankar had previously been involved in the shift in the television landscape that impacted her earlier career, but he also facilitated her return. She described the experience of asking for employment as a practical step rather than an embarrassing one, stating, “I’m unemployed; can you give me something?”

In addition to her professional return, Irani recently reunited virtually with several former co-stars from the iconic television series ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’. The reunion follows the launch of the show’s second season in August 2026, marking a return to the screen for the actress who played the central character, Tulsi Virani.