Smriti opts for a new image

For six long years she has played the bahu of the Virani parivaar to the hilt. Smriti Irani, better known as Tulsi of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi has portrayed a wide range of emotions. It's been a journey of a few downs and lots of ups that catapulted the character to the nation's favourite bahu, so much so that Bharatiya Janata Party gave her a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 from south Delhi.

It is another matter that she lost the election. But if she lost in the field of electoral politics, she has won hands down in the battle of fictional family politics. While even after two generational leaps the saga of Tulsi goes on, Smiriti Irani is all set to play Uma in a weekend show called Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan coming on Star Plus which Smriti is co-producing with her mentor Ekta Kapoor.

If Tulsi is rich and famous, Uma is a lower middle class young working woman who is the sole breadwinner of her family. If Tulsi belongs to a huge extended moneyed family Uma belongs to a small close-knit family whose immediate concerns are day-to-day survival. If Tulsi travels in fancy cars Uma takes Mumbai's public transportation.

If Tulsi lives in a palatial bungalow Uma lives in a chawl. Inspired by the Mumbai textile mill workers' strike of 1981 that paralyzed the mills forever causing loss of jobs to thousands of workers, the serial deals with the clash of ideologies as well as the impact of the watershed strike on a lower middle class family. "Thematically it deals with the conflict between classes," says Smriti. "But broadly, as the title suggests it deals with Uma's roots, economic condition, sacrifices, her dreams and aspirations."

Six months ago Star channel decided to work on this concept and Smriti says Ekta expressed the idea of a joint production. "She said let's do it together," informs the actress who collaborates with Ekta's mother Shobha on production aspects and with Ekta for creative inputs. "Balaji is a great production house and while acting I have been learning the production details for six years." Not that Smriti is a novice in production.

As a model coordinator she had done a few shows as an executive producer. But that was six years ago and recently she has also produced two plays. But for Thodi Si Zameen…Smriti says collaboration with Balaji was the best option.

By opting to play a lower middle class girl living in a chawl Smriti is also going for a drastic image makeover. "But isn't acting all about image breaking?" she asks politely. "Aren't actor supposed to break their image? I have lived the Kyunki character to the hilt. Now I want to do something entirely different. I love the challenge."

But in a way Smriti has already broken her Tulsi image, though not on TV but on stage. In Moneyben.com she plays the protagonist who is uncouth and semi-educated. But the play is a big hit. "The script is very strong," adds Smriti who manages television, theatre, family and politics with equal ease.

"That's because I work with people who understand my priorities and commitment. My first priority is my family. I am completely committed to my family and I give it the most importance in my life. Everything else comes second," says the actress who apparently has pitched in for a reality show on cricket with the BCCI. "I won't comment on that because nothing is clear about it at this stage. I would rather talk about Thodi Si Zameen."

Does she feel the weekend 10.30 pm slot may not be an ideal one for her new show? "I was asked the same question six years ago when Kyunki came on air at 10.30 pm on weekdays. It's been rocking since then. If the show is good people will watch it," she says confidently.