by Subhash K Jha

Her birthday last week was like any working day for television's most beloved icon Smriti Irani.

"I took my daughter to dance rehearsals in the morning, brought her home and then went shooting. I was home by afternoon. So I managed to reduce the day to a semi-workingday. Then I pretended to be oblivious to my husband Zuben's plans for a surprise birthday party. But by afternoon when I came home I was so tired, having worked non-stop for six months, that I almost dozed off."

Six years ago on her birthday Smriti had signed a contract with Balajee for Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

"As a tribute to that relationship I always work on my serial on my birthday. I need to remind myself how grateful I am to have landed myself such a splendid life-making job. There were many candidates to play Tulsi. I guess I was just lucky to get it."

She gets reflective on her birthday. "What these thirty years and specially the last six years have taught me is to keep my feet firmly planted to the ground. Zameen se rishta-naata nahin todni chahiye. Udna asaan hai zameen pe tikey rehna bahut mushqil.

My family always told me...no matter where you go never forget where you belong..never be ashamed of your roots. So many people tell me to hide my penny-less past.

But I feel it's a matter of pride that I gave up my parents' cushy life to struggle on my own. I chose to do it on my own. For me, that's an achievement."

Considering she plays a much older woman on Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is it a surprise for her fans when they realize how young she really is? "More like a shock," she laughs.

"They can't believe it at first. I'd say it's a tribute to my acting talent that Ekta Kapoor considers me capable of playing a much older woman day-in and day-out. While others try to beat the clock, I'm actually running ahead of my times."

Now with a generation leap happening on Balajee's most beloved soap, Smriti will play an even older woman. "I don't know what Ekta's plans are. In my six years at Balajee I've never asked her what plans she has for me or the soap. They've been so good for me so far. I'm sure they'll be good to me in future as well. I know I can never get tired of Kyunkii...

Ekta is smart enough to not make the serial or me boring. I know she'll never make me a lampshade in the corner of the set. She knows my worth. As long as they pose a challenge for me, I'm game."

Not too many people are aware Smriti has done a socially relevant talk show Kuch Dil Se and she owns a production company.

"I'm doing a Gujarati play Manibehn.com which has completed seventy-five shows in just two months. I play this totally uncouth woman who doesn't know the 'e' of the English language. It's quite a challenge. But a satisfying experience.

The biggest challenge in theatre is to not only please the critics but also have audiences on your side. I think I've managed that with Manibehn.com. That apart I've my political office, plus two feature films, one in Bengali and one in Gujarati."

About her two movies... "Very honestly speaking, I'm not interested in playing Tulsi in films. Don't I do enough of that on television? If I take up a film it'll have to pose a challenge beyond what I'm doing. In the Bengali film I play this very angry physically handicapped jealous and petty woman.

The Bengali role is radically different to my TV image. The language won't be a problem, because my mom is a Bengali. The Gujarati film is a typical masala film. I've never done anything so commercial before. It has me in a before-and-after role--two distinct shades for the two halves.

The idea is to do something different in films. Otherwise why would people spend money to watch me in a movie theatre when they can see me for free at home? I can't possibly do mirror-reflections of Tulsi in films."

She takes a deep breath. "Then in April I'm co-producing some tv software with Balajee Telefilms. Then in May the Kyunkii....team goes to Hardwar...Yes it's full plate. But better than having an empty plate."