Actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani became an iconic name on Indian television with her character in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. And while the Ekta Kapoor show became a cult on the small screen, Smriti recently shared how she bagged the lead role on the show. During a conversation with Curly Tales, Smriti also shared that her per-day salary on the show and recalled how she was living in extremely difficult financial circumstances at that time.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Smriti Irani (@smritiiraniofficial)
Also Read: Smriti Irani recalls shooting for Kyunki Saas Bhi… three days after she gave birth: ‘Because I’ve been poor, couldn’t let go of my wages’
Sharing how she was cast on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Smriti said, “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi didn’t happen because of personality. An astrologer was sitting in Ekta Kapoor’s office who saw me from afar and asked them to stop me. The astrologer’s name was Janardhan, and he said I would become a big star, I had gone there to sign a contract where I was going to play the role of someone’s sister. I didn’t know Ekta was sitting behind a curtain with the pandit and he told Ekta if you work with her, she is going to be a big face in the country. The minute he finished his sentence Ekta immediately came and asked me what was I signing.”
Smriti further added, “I was getting paid around Rs 1200-1300 per day as per the contract. At that time I was doing a cleaner’s job at McDonald’s where I was getting paid Rs 1800 a month. So getting Rs 1200 a day was much better, I had no concrete job then. A 23-year-old earning Rs 1800 a month, there was no option.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Smriti Irani (@smritiiraniofficial)
Recalling how much she got paid for Kyunki…, Smriti shared that as soon as Ekta saw what she was signing, she tore that contract, and decided to cast her as Tulsi Virani for Rs 1800 per day. For Smriti, this was a big moment, as she was getting a month’s salary for one day’s work.
“Ekta tore that contract and I was shocked, but she gave me a new contract and said she was making a show Kyunki and I will play Tulsi’s role. She asked me what was my per day, and I said Rs 1200, so she wrote Rs 1800 per day on that contract. It was a big deal for me because the person who made Rs 1800 a month washing utensils was getting paid that much in a day. I felt like I had won the lottery,” she shared.
Smriti Irani gained a lot of prominence for her role on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. It was the longest-running show on Indian television, and after her stint in acting, Smriti went on to become a politician.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
