When Smriti Irani revealed Ekta Kapoor didn't believe she had miscarriage while shooting Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi

Smriti Irani with Ekta Kapoor

Smriti Irani, a name synonymous with Indian television’s golden era, especially for her portrayal of Tulsi Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, once shared a deeply emotional and traumatic experience from her early acting days. In an honest and moving conversation on The Slow Interview with Neelesh Misra, the actress-turned-politician opened up about suffering a miscarriage while working relentlessly on the sets of the iconic daily soap.

The Journey to Becoming Tulsi Virani

Before Smriti Irani became a household name, her entry into Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was anything but conventional. In the interview, she revealed she had originally been considered for a replacement role in Hum Paanch, a comedy show. However, she wasn’t keen on taking it up. Later, she was signed for Ghar Ek Mandir, but during the contract signing, producer Ekta Kapoor replaced that contract with one for Kyunki—a show Irani had no prior knowledge of at the time.

"I had no idea who Ekta Kapoor was," Smriti recalled. “I only cared about one thing—whether my daily wage of Rs 1800 would remain the same.” She recounted asking Ekta bluntly if her pay would change, to which Ekta, surprised, introduced herself. Smriti simply replied that she didn’t know who she was and just wanted to be sure she’d earn the same amount. Amused yet determined, Ekta promised her, “I will make you a star.”

Struggles Behind the Stardom

Despite becoming the face of one of the most-watched shows on Indian television, Smriti’s financial struggles continued in the early days. She spoke about how the production house, led by Shobha Kapoor, had stringent rules—one of them being no eating on the sets to protect the furniture.

Irani revealed, “Even though I was the lead actress, I didn’t feel like a star. My makeup man used to come in a car, but I would travel by auto.” She and her husband, Zubin Irani, had only Rs 30,000 to their name after marriage. The modest lifestyle and financial pressure made her even more committed to her job, despite the harsh working conditions.

A Personal Tragedy Amid Professional Pressure

One of the most harrowing parts of the interview came when Smriti opened up about suffering a miscarriage while still working on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She had been feeling unwell on set but had no idea she was pregnant. After a long day of shooting, she began to bleed heavily while traveling home in an auto-rickshaw, during a heavy downpour.

She recounted how she managed to reach a clinic in Lokhandwala, where even in that vulnerable moment, a nurse approached her for an autograph before admitting her. With her husband out of the country and her young son at home, Smriti had to arrange for someone to look after him while she was hospitalized.

Despite the physical and emotional trauma, she received a phone call from the production team that very night, asking her to report to work the next day. When she explained that she had just suffered a miscarriage and was still bleeding, the response was cold and unsympathetic. She was told to come in for her shift at 2 p.m. the following afternoon.

“I had EMIs to pay, responsibilities to handle. I went back to work,” she said, highlighting the brutal reality faced by many working women—especially in showbiz—where personal crises often get sidelined in favor of professional commitments.

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Facing Cruel Rumors on Set

Upon her return to work, Smriti was shocked and deeply hurt to learn that rumors had begun circulating on set. Some co-actors reportedly questioned whether she had even suffered a miscarriage. One actor cynically asked, “If she really had a miscarriage, why did she come back to work so soon?”

Shattered by the accusations, she confronted Ekta Kapoor the next day and brought along all her medical reports to prove the truth. “I took all my medical papers and went to Ekta,” she said. But Kapoor, visibly uncomfortable, refused to look at the documents. Smriti, still reeling from the loss, told her, “If you want proof, it’s all there. If the foetus had survived, I would’ve shown you that too.”

Despite the emotional toll, Smriti Irani continued with her work on the show, driven by necessity and her unwavering commitment to her career