For Smriti Malhotra, playing the role of Tulsi in the hit television series ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Tthi’ marked a turning point, launching her into the realm of small-screen stardom. She was met with warmth and recognition everywhere as Tulsi Virani, the iconic ‘girl next door’. Was there ever an instance of an identity crisis for Smriti due to this overwhelming fame?
Her first television assignment was in Shrey Guleri’s countdown show, ‘Bakeman’s Ooh La La.’ During the audition, she enjoyed reading the lines. It was a performance-oriented countdown show. She was required to compare the old and new ways of portraying women in Hindi cinema. Now, she was playing the blend of modern and traditional in ‘Kyunki Saas’.
Ekta Kapoor’s mother, Mrs. Shobha Kapoor, noticed her in ‘Ooh La La,’ which paved the way for her role in ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.’ Before that, she played a weak and under-confident character in ‘Aatish.’ She portrayed a girl who didn’t know how to express herself in life. Unfortunately, ‘Aatish’ didn’t click. However, it gave her a chance to work with a talented director like Sanjay Upadhyay. In ‘Kyunki Saas’ and ‘Kavita,’ she implemented what she learned from Sanjay Upadhyay in ‘Aatish.’
Regarding the fan response to her role as Tulsi in ‘Kyunki Saas…’, Smriti mentioned that she wasn’t swarmed by fans like a star. Instead, she was treated as a member of the family by the viewers of ‘Kyunki Saas…’. This was the biggest compliment for her as an actress, as they saw her as the character she played. They would call out to her as Tulsi. Even on the sets of her other serial, ‘Kavita,’ she was called Tulsi. The cast of ‘Kyunki Saas’ had become like a real-life family.
She shared that during the conflicts between her and her screen-mother-in-law, elders and people younger than her would come forward to console her. It was very heartwarming to see people take the drama so seriously.
Following the death of her screen husband Mihir, played by Amar Upadhyay, everyone was shocked and behaved as if it were a real-life tragedy, which affected Smriti deeply.
She expressed that she never anticipated this kind of response from the audience. While they knew the bond between the soap and the audience was strong, they were taken aback by the extent of it. This was something she believed had never happened in the history of television.
Regarding her acting training, she mentioned that she had no formal training. She firmly believed that an acting school can, at most, sharpen one’s skills. However, one cannot be taught how to act. She placed herself in Tulsi’s position and reacted accordingly. She was grateful to Ekta Kapoor for giving her the role of Tulsi.
She aspired to be a performer. However, she didn’t see a possibility of being slotted in the typical heroine’s role. Once an image on television is established, it is difficult to break into movies. She was going slow and steady on television, accepting challenging roles.
When asked about her role in the sitcom ‘Kal Aaj Aur Kal,’ she replied that she was trying to break away from the serious dramatics of ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Tthi’ and ‘Kavita.’ She didn’t want people to burst into tears each time they saw her. She wanted them to smile and be happy.
Her prescription for happiness includes meeting a lot of people. A performer needs to constantly refurbish life’s experiences.
Her fiancé (now her husband) had seen some episodes of ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.’ He was shocked by its popularity. He’s very proud of her. Her parents were also very proud of her. They were surprised when she announced her intention to act. However, they are very happy and proud that she has preserved her dignity. No one approaches her to do a bimbette’s role.
