New Delhi: Actor turned politician Smriti Irani, well-known for her portrayal of Tulsi in the popular TV show 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', recently shared an anecdote about her decision to turn down a lucrative paan masala advertisement. In an interview on 'The Ranveer Show', she revealed that she was facing financial difficulties and had borrowed a substantial amount of money from the bank to buy a home. The offer for the paan masala ad came at a time when the payment for it would have been ten times the amount she owed the bank.
Despite the pressing need for money, Smriti Irani made a conscious choice to refuse the endorsement. She considered the impact on her image and the message it would send to her audience. Being a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, she recognized her influence on families and young individuals who looked up to her. Selling a product like paan masala, which is associated with negative health effects, would contradict the values she wanted to promote.
“I had borrowed money from the bank to buy a home. It doesn't sound very flashy right now, but it was around 25 to 27 lakhs. I was just about to scrape by to give the down payment of the house. I remember somebody walking into my set one day and offering me an ad for a paan masala, and that money was exactly 10 times the amount that I owed to the bank,” she said in the interview.
Smriti Irani's decision was met with surprise and skepticism from those around her who couldn't understand why she would refuse such a lucrative opportunity. However, she remained steadfast in her conviction, understanding that her role as a public figure went beyond monetary gain. She also mentioned rejecting endorsements from alcohol companies for flavored water products, as she was aware of the potential harm they could cause, particularly to young people who admired her.
"I refused the ad and people looked at me as if I have gone absolutely crazy. They said are you mad, you need the money. I knew families were watching, youngsters watching. I said can you imagine somebody who is trying to make them as though you are a part of the family suddenly selling paan masala. So I said no, contentiously. I said no to all those so-called waters that are flavoured waters sold by alcohol companies. So there have been contentious decisions about my media journey and that's especially because I knew kids were watching. So I am happy as an adult today to hear youngsters say that as a child, I made them feel safe," she told Ranveer Allahbadia.
Beyond her acting career, Smriti Irani has transitioned into politics and is currently serving as the Union Minister of Women and Child Development in India. She also has an additional charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.