Smriti Irani calls being a recognisable face a 'disadvantage' in a chat with Soha

Mumbai Sep 12
Bollywood actor and author Soha Ali Khan has recently started her own podcast series wherein she invites multiple personalities, especially women from different walks of life, who talk about their journey and other inspirational things.

Recently, the personality who appeared on Soha Ali Khan's recent podcast was Smriti Irani. The third episode features a heart-to-heart with Smriti Irani, where the Union Minister opens up about her journey in politics, tackling stereotypes around being a recognisable face and proving her commitment through years of grassroots work.

On the podcast, Soha asked Smriti Irani if being a recognisable face was an advantage or a disadvantage. Smriti replied, “A disadvantage. Because everybody presumed actors treated politics as something they did at the very end of their careers, not something they pursued seriously from the ground up. Most actors are parachuted into politics because of their popularity and then just become Rajya Sabha members.”

She further added, “I was not one of those. When I came into active politics in 2003, I started as a youth wing member of the BJP in Maharashtra. My batchmate today is the CM of Maharashtra, and my other colleague, Dharmendra Pradhan, is now the Minister of Education. But even then, I wanted to be in the trenches, working alongside my colleagues and gaining their respect, because I knew I was in it for the long haul. I worked my way through grassroots responsibilities, later becoming the State Secretary in Maharashtra when Nitin Gadkari became president. I’ve worked with five BJP presidents: Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda, and at that time, Venkaiah Naidu. In 2004, I fought my first election at the age of 27. So I can safely say, "Been there, done that."

Soha Ali Khan, who kickstarted her podcast journey on YouTube on August 22, is being loved for her warmth, wit, and candid conversations. Earlier, Soha Ali Khan's podcast has seen celebrities like Sunny Leone, Patralekhaa, Doctors and others.