From Politics to TV: Smriti Irani's Strategic Re-entry

Irani doesn't concede defeat; she forges a new path. Has Irani been granted a brief leave? Although Irani may have lost the Lok Sabha seat, she still holds the narrative. Few instances in the nation's public life compare to Smriti Irani's fierce battles, her intense passion, or her swift declines. The upcoming re-launch of 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' on July 29th marks Irani's revival. This isn't a comeback but a re-entry. It's Irani's carefully planned cultural triumph. Returning to politics often involves symbolism, implications, and resonance. For this reason, bringing Tulsi-Irani back on the small screen cannot be called nostalgia, it is a conflict of discussion. Tulsi was once the cultured sovereign on Indian television. Now again in the role of Tulsi, Irani will cleverly present the adjustment of power, presence and personality.

Born in an ordinary family in Delhi in the year 1976, Irani’s political rise was not the result of anyone’s grace. Starting from scratch, from working in McDonald's to ruling the prime time with her role as Tulsi Virani, she presented the middle class sensibility in all its authenticity. But ambition is like a hungry animal. Initially, BJP watchers had assumed that Irani would be finished like other TV personalities. But Irani made her oratory her strength.

Even after losing the first election, she did not lose courage and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, she did what many people thought was impossible. She defeated Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, the dynastic fort of the Congress. A ruthless blow at the ballot box earned her the title of 'Giant Killer' and the applause for this achievement was heard far and wide in Indian politics. From 2014 to 2024, she held the responsibility of important ministries like Education, Textiles, Minority Affairs and Child Development at the Center. She helped draft the National Education Policy, 2020, restored the glory of handloom, reformed the Waqf Board and reshaped the discourse on child development. Her role was not merely rhetorical but executive. But politics punishes more severely than it rewards generously. In 2024, Kishorilal Sharma, a loyal worker of the Gandhi family, defeated Smriti Irani in Amethi by 1.67 lakh votes. Though some losers were accommodated in Narendra Modi's third term, Irani was sidelined. But Irani does not accept defeat, she creates a new path.

Irani also knows that in a country like India where politics is theatre and television is theology, the small screen is the real place, her announcement of Tulsi's return was not a whimper, but a roar. Irani called it a "side project", but it comes ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Is it a mere coincidence? Or a well-planned cultural initiative? By teaming up with designer Gaurang Shah, reinventing herself in Indian attire and reinventing Tulsi as a warrior for climate, gender justice and social equity, the former Union minister is combining fashion with function, drama with diplomacy and television with transformation. It works, Irani knows five languages. She has connections with five different professions and cultures - Bollywood, bureaucracy, Indianness, business and big tech companies, and her association with Bill Gates has made Irani more than just a minister. At a time when many of the BJP's top leaders are on the verge of retirement or irrelevance, Irani remains exciting, eloquent and unpredictable. Though Irani is not universally admired, her aggressive style, indomitable ambition and public feuds with the Gandhi family have polarised politics. Why has the BJP, which desperately needs charismatic female leaders, kept its bright leader on the sidelines? Has Irani been given a short break? Or will Tulsi 2-0 bring Irani back into people's living rooms? Will Irani's cultural resurgence also mark her political resurrection? With many senior BJP leaders on the decline by 2029, who better to represent the BJP's ideology than Irani, who defines female leadership, who can take on Rahul Gandhi, and who can script her own comeback laden with symbolism? In a party lacking serious female leaders, Irani could be a powerful successor to Sushma Swaraj.

Irani's return to her cherished television role is part of a larger plan. It's not simply about a sidelined star striving to stay relevant; it's the approach of a cultural capitalist who values television's role in a drama and memory-focused democracy. Despite losing the Lok Sabha seat, Irani still controls the narrative. She realizes that following her political career, she will now play an emotional character on TV. Her TV series transcends mere drama; it is emblematic. Tulsi has transformed from being just a daughter-in-law to a symbol of social discourse, tackling gender equality, environmental values, and cultural continuity.

With the announcement of her return to television, Irani has shown that she cannot be forgotten. 150 episodes of 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' are to be shown, so Irani's return to public life before the 2029 elections could not have been more spectacular. When Indian democracy is getting ready for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, Irani is ready to play her most memorable role. This role is not of Tulsi, but of an extraordinary personality. In fact, Irani understands better that in this country, image is ideology and sometimes a well-worn sari proves to be more effective than a speech. Clearly, Tulsi was never just a role - she was both the medium and the message.