Smriti Irani returns as Tulsi in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2', first look goes viral

Politician and actor Smriti Irani on Monday said reprising her role as Tulsi Virani, the ideal daughter-in-law from “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi”, is not just about stepping back into a role but about returning to a story that redefined Indian television and shaped her life.

The hit show, which ran from 2000 to 2008 on Star Plus and portrayed the goings-on in a business family, returns in a new avatar on the platform. The buzz intensified on Monday when an image of Irani, dressed in a maroon saree, started circulating on various social media platforms with many describing it as a her first look from the show.

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“In contributing to this next chapter, I hope to honour the legacy of Kyunki-and help shape a future where India’s creative industries aren’t just celebrated, but truly empowered,” Irani said in a statement titled “Some journeys come full circle—not for nostalgia, but for purpose”.

“Today, I stand at a crossroads where experience meets emotion, and creativity meets conviction. I return not just as an actor, but as someone who believes in the power of storytelling to spark change, preserve culture, and build empathy.”

Smriti Irani’s painful memory amid ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ reboot

In a chat with Neelesh Misra on his show, The Slow Interview, Irani opened up “I was not aware that I am pregnant. I was on the set of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, and I told them I am not well enough to shoot and asked to be allowed to go home. But still, I worked, and by the time they let me go, it was evening already. The doctor suggested I go for sonography. On my way, I started bleeding, and I remember it was raining. I stopped an auto and asked the driver to take me to the hospital. I reached the hospital, a nurse came running to ask for an autograph, while I was bleeding. I gave her the autograph, and asked her, ‘Admit kar loge, I think I am miscarrying.”

The person didn’t realise that I have returned because I needed money to pay EMIs for my house. The next day, I took all my medical papers to Ekta to tell her it is not a drama. She got uncomfortable and told me not to show the papers. I told her, ‘Foetus bacha nahi, warna woh bhi dikha deti.’