Union Minister Smriti Irani has described being a “recognisable face” as “a disadvantage” while speaking on Soha Ali Khan’s new podcast All About Her. In the third episode, she addressed perceptions about actors entering politics especially the idea that many join late in their careers.
Smriti Irani says being a recognisable face in politics is a ‘disadvantage’: “Most actors are parachuted into politics because of their popularity”
When Soha Ali Khan asked whether being well-known was an advantage or disadvantage, Smriti Irani responded, “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.”
Irani added that her own political journey has been very different. She joined active politics in 2003 as a youth wing member of the BJP in Maharashtra and worked through grassroots roles, earning respect along the way. She said, “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’s podcast, which launched on August 22, is rapidly gaining attention for its warm, honest conversations. The show has already featured figures from diverse backgrounds including actors like Sunny Leone, Patralekhaa, as well as professionals such as doctors.
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