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Actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani, who recently returned as Tulsi Virani in the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot, addressed ongoing comparisons with Rupali Ganguly’s hit show Anupamaa. In a candid chat with India Today, Smriti shared her thoughts on being pitted against the current TV favourite.

Smriti Irani on competition with Anupamaa

“I don’t (look at them as competition). So when somebody gets to number 30 in terms of TRPs, then you can be our competition, right? We were there 25 years ago. If you have the capacity to be remembered for 25 years, then we will talk about competition,” she said.

Reflecting on her long-standing career, Smriti reminded audiences of the legacy of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which ruled TRP charts for eight consecutive years.

“If you have been a three-time MP, a cabinet minister for a decade, a BJP person for 25 years — if you want to compete, you have to be fair to everybody in the so-called competitive sphere. Do you measure up on all these standards? Then compete. You can’t have somebody who’s just started something and say, ‘Compete with Smriti Irani.’”

She added, “So the competition or even referring to such a competition is unfair, because you’ll never get to 30. And you’ll never be consistently number one for eight years, which we were. The fact that we’ve had competitive mediums, and yet managed to come back after 25 years — that’s remarkable.“

Smriti Irani on OTT

Smriti also highlighted the reboot’s performance on OTT platforms, noting its enduring appeal beyond traditional television.

“Today, it’s not as if I am acting or conveying a story only on television. I have both. So if I look at the reference numbers on OTT, which is a very hard market to crack, it is so complex. So, for a show that is so-called old school to resonate so loudly on OTT, that speaks volumes,” she said.

The Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot is currently streaming on JioHotstar, proving that the iconic saga continues to capture audiences decades after its original run.