Mumbai: Union Minister Smriti Irani turns 44 today. From modeling to acting to entering active politics, Smriti has come a long way.
Born in 1976, may have said her final goodbye to television but fans still remember her performance in the small screen.
Smriti is the eldest of three sisters. She completed her schooling from Holy Child Auxilium School in New Delhi. Later, she enrolled in School of Open Learning at University of Delhi.
Smriti was one of the participants in the Miss India 1998 beauty pageant. In the same year, she appeared in the song Boliyan from the album Saawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag with Mika Singh. Before entering modeling, Smriti used to work as a waitress at a restaurant.
In 2000, she made her début in television with Aatish and Hum Hain Kal Aaj Aur Kal, both of which aired on Star Plus. However, she got recognition from Ekta Kapoor’s show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, the serial that made her a household name in India.
Very few people would know that Smriti, who became famous as ‘Tulsi Virani’, was rejected by many producers, including Ekta Kapoor’s team, before her television debut.
“I have been associated with television for over 20 years now. Television gave me a platform to enter Indian political space and I will be forever grateful for that. Also, Ekta Kapoor spotted me among the many young girls who had come for audition and selected me despite her team having rejected me as not fit for TV,” Smriti said.
Apart from this, In 2001 Smriti also played the role of Sita in the mythological serial ‘Ramayana’ on Zee TV. She has also worked in many serials like Vrrudha, Teen Bahuraaniyaan. In 2001, she married Zaubi Irani, a Parsi businessman.
