For years, Ekta Kapoor’s Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi remained a stable soap in many households in India and beyond. Although many viewers remember the TV series for its intense drama and surreal twists, protagonist Smriti Irani recalls it as the time she used to earn only INR1800 a day.

During a recent conversation with Neelesh Misra on The Slow Interview, the renowned drama star shared that her early days in the TV industry were full of hardships and financial tensions.

“You don’t even look like a star, you look more like a technician with that kind of lifestyle. I used to get INR1800, per day. When Zubin and I got married, we barely had INR30,000. I remember my makeup artist being embarrassed by me travelling in an auto. He used to say, ‘Please get a car. I feel embarrassed that I come by a car while Tulsi travels in an auto’,” she shared.

Moving on, Smriti disclosed that while actors were allowed to eat and drink on set, the technicians and crew members were not as producer Shobha Kapoor worried the furniture would be tainted. Irked by his rule, she also elaborated that once “the sound guy had not taken a break even after 12–15 hours and was still offering others tea.” Even though Smriti asked him to drink, he refused, as he was not permitted to do so on sets.

“So then I had an agreement 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 could all have their tea too,” explained the Indian politician. “I used to travel the same way as the technicians, so I knew what they went through,” she said, further adding that it was only after Shobha noticed her drinking tea outside that the actor managed to get her to change the rigid and unnecessary rule.

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi became a prime-time success during its run from 2000 to 2008. With its melodramatic storytelling, the show also was the longest-running daily soap on Indian television, with 1,833 episodes in total. The much-acclaimed TV series revolved around a mother-in-law’s struggle to put up with her sons’ love interests. Smriti essayed the role of Tulsi Virani in the show, who was married to Mihir Virani, but strongly disapproved by his mother. 

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