New Delhi: Smriti Irani recently disclosed that when she first started out, she received a meagre daily income of 1800 rupees while working for Shobha Kapoor's daily soap 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'. Smriti began her career on television in 2000 with 'Atish' and 'Hum Hain Kal Aaj Aur Kal'. Nevertheless, it wasn't until she played Tulsi Virani in Ekta Kapoor's 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' that she gained widespread recognition.
Smriti recalled her early days in the television industry and said that producer Shobha forbade anyone from eating or drinking tea on the sets because she was worried about the furniture getting spoiled. "You don't even look like a star, you look more like a technician with that kind of lifestyle. I used to get ₹1800, per day. When Zubin and I got married we barely had ₹30,000. 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 get a car. I feel embarrased that I come by car while Tulsi bhabhi travels in an auto)' ," Smriti said in The Slow Interview with Neelesh Mishra.
Smriti also recalled how it used to irritate her that technicians and staff workers were not permitted to eat on the site while actors were. She remembered observing that the sound guy hadn't taken a break even after 12-15 hours and was offering her tea. He was not permitted to drink tea on sets, therefore he declined to consume it himself.
"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. I used to also travel the same way as the technicians so I knew what they went through,” Smriti said. She said that the actor was only able to convince Shobha Kapoor to permit everyone (including technicians and other crew members) to drink tea on the set when she saw Smriti having tea outdoors.
In the same interview, Smriti Irani also shared that she was asked to return on the sets of 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', right after having a miscarriage. At the same time, Smriti was also shooting for the TV series Ramayan, and its director Ravi Chopra asked her to rest and not come to work.