'I sit and pen 3 different angles to my 3 stories'-Smriti Irani

Smriti Zubein Irani is now a house hold name. Before seven years, she was known just in and around her family, but now the whole world recognizes her as a leading television actress. Starting from the role of Tulsi, Smriti has crossed every milestone in her life to reach the role of a producer. Accepting various criticisms and jumping out of hurdles, she has won the hearts of many of her fans.

Smriti talks to Telly Buzz regarding her role as a producer and also speaks on how India-Forums has played a major role in her career.

How do you juggle so many things at a time?

I really have no clue. It is very rare for anybody with no financial banking, that too not coming from an influential and rich family to grow so far. I have utilized my success in the best possible way, and thankfully have grown from strength to strength. People need to understand that I am 1 individual and do not have a big ocean of people working for me. I sit and pen 3 different angles to my 3 stories, and make a conscious effort to show variety in all. If you see my roles too, I could have easily played a 26 year old in Virrudh, but I played my age, while I play Amma in Mere Apne. The only criteria is that my roles should always make sense to me..

You started as a producer with Todi Si Zameen Toda Sa Aasmaan, now how does it feel to widen your vision as a producer?

When I started with Todi Si Zameen, I wanted to try something different from the usual saas-bahu saga, and today I am glad that this serial of mine set the trend for others to follow. When I started with it, I did not want to believe the number game and write my script according to the TRPs. I felt I needed to somewhere get closer to the audience and get feedback from them, and let me tell you, India-Forums helped me a lot in achieving this..

India-Forums totally rocks. It’s great to see your forum members come to my defense when anything negative is written about me. I have read every discussion here, and have taken the positives happily and the negative in the right stride and improved on my script. If today, I am brave enough to have 3 serials under my production; it is because of the encouragement I have got from you all.

Take us thro’ your new serial for 9X, Mere Apne?

Mere Apne portrays the clash of thoughts in the youth today and the older generation. In this story, the youngsters shown are not reckless, yet the parents have huge expectations, sometimes too much. I wanted to take up this striking dissimilarity in mindset in the garb of a daily soap. It’s heartening to see that this serial is Number 1 show on 9X today.

What is creative satisfaction to you?

To be happy and peaceful with what you are doing. I have done a mythological like Ramayan, to drama and now comedy. As long as I am content about what I do, its fine.

What next for Smriti, the producer?

I am getting into comedy now.. I await the response from my fans on this.

A Message to your fans?

If at all one day, I would want to directly get connected to my fans, then the only platform I can think of is India-Forums. I deeply appreciate the support offered to me by my fans in the forum. I thank each and every one here, for writing their critical observations on me and my serials. I have always read them and tried my best to work on them, and I will surely continue to do so…

Reporter: Srividya Rajesh
Author: Srividya Rajesh, Anu.Rad