Smriti Irani

Smriti Irani
Born	Smriti Malhotra 23 March 1976 Delhi, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Politician, Actress, Model
Years active	1998–present
Known for	Tulsi Virani; BJP leadership
Spouse	Zubin Irani
Children	3

Smriti Zubin Irani (née Smriti Malhotra; born 23 March 1976) is an Indian politician and former television actress. She rose to nationwide fame for portraying Tulsi Virani in the television series Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She later transitioned into politics and became a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), serving as a Union Minister in multiple portfolios.

Early life and education

Smriti Irani was born in Delhi to Ajay Kumar Malhotra and Shibani Bagchi. She is the eldest of three sisters and comes from a culturally diverse background with Punjabi, Marathi, and Bengali roots. She studied at Holy Child Auxilium School, New Delhi, and later enrolled at the School of Open Learning, Delhi University, where she completed her first year of a Bachelor of Commerce programme but did not finish the degree.

Personal life

In 2001, Smriti married Zubin Irani, a Parsi businessman. The couple has two children together, and she is also stepmother to Zubin Irani’s daughter from his previous marriage. In 2018, Irani publicly stated that she is a practising Hindu married to a practising Zoroastrian and that she wears sindoor as an expression of her faith.

Acting career

Smriti Irani began her career as a model and was a finalist in the Miss India 1998 pageant. She made her television debut in the late 1990s and gained massive popularity after being cast as Tulsi Virani in Ekta Kapoor’s Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000–2008). The role turned her into a household name and one of the highest-paid television actresses of her time.

She also portrayed Sita in Ramayan (2001–2002) and acted in several television shows, films, and theatre productions. In 2025, she returned to acting by reprising her role as Tulsi Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2.

Political career

Smriti Irani joined the BJP in 2003. She held various organisational roles, including Vice-President of BJP Maharashtra Youth Wing, National Secretary, and National President of the BJP Mahila Morcha. In 2011, she entered Parliament as a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.

She served as Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Textiles, Information & Broadcasting, Women & Child Development, and Minority Affairs. In 2019, she defeated Rahul Gandhi to become Member of Parliament from Amethi, making history as the first non-Gandhi woman to represent the constituency. She lost the seat in the 2024 general election to Congress candidate Kishori Lal Sharma.

Filmography

Television

• Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000–2008, 2025–present)
• Ramayan (2001–2002)
• Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan
• Virrudh
• Maniben.com
• Savdhaan India (Host)

Films

• Malik Ek (2010)
• Jai Bolo Telangana (2011)
• Amrita (2012)

Achievements and recognition

Smriti Irani has won five ITA Awards for Best Actress (Popular) and four Indian Telly Awards. Her portrayal of Tulsi Virani is regarded as one of the most iconic roles in Indian television history. In politics, she is recognised for holding key ministerial portfolios and for her landmark victory in Amethi in 2019.