New Delhi: Smriti Irani is back in the spotlight, but this time her story is not just about politics or television. After losing the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Amethi, the former Union minister has rebuilt her career on two fronts returning to the screen as Tulsi Virani and taking on a key organisational role in the BJP ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
Irani recently opened up about what happened after her election defeat, revealing that she simply picked up the phone and started asking people for work. In an interview, she recalled telling people that she was unemployed and needed a job. Her conversations eventually helped lead her back to television, including a conversation with media executive Uday Shankar.
That decision brought back one of Indian television’s most recognisable faces. Irani reprised her iconic role as Tulsi Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2, which returned to television in 2025. The comeback has kept her firmly in the entertainment news cycle, with the show’s ongoing storylines and her performance continuing to attract attention.
But Irani’s political comeback may prove even more significant. In August 2026, BJP president Nitin Nabin’s new organisational team appointed her as a National General Secretary, with responsibility for Uttar Pradesh. She is the only woman among the party’s new national general secretaries, giving her appointment added significance as the BJP prepares for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
The appointment comes two years after her defeat in Amethi. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Congress candidate Kishori Lal Sharma defeated Irani by 1,67,196 votes. The result was a dramatic reversal for Irani, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2019.
Her recent interviews have also put her personal journey back into focus. At the Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2026, Irani spoke about motherhood, the pressures faced by women in public life and the way successful women can become targets of personal attacks. She also addressed questions about Rahul Gandhi and whether she could challenge him again in 2029, keeping speculation about a future electoral contest alive.
Meanwhile, another recent interview has drawn attention to the difficult years of her early acting career, including her account of suffering a miscarriage while working on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and the professional challenges she faced after pregnancy.
From television star to Union minister, from an Amethi defeat to a political comeback, and now from Tulsi Virani back to the BJP’s national organisation, Smriti Irani is once again occupying centre stage and this time, she has two very different stages to stand on.
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