Smriti Malhotra’s portrayal of Tulsi in the immensely popular soap opera ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ was a masterclass in small-screen success. She was warmly received everywhere as Tulsi Virani, the nation’s quintessential girl next door. Did this level of fame ever lead to an identity crisis?
Her initial foray into television was with Shrey Guleri’s countdown show, ‘Bakeman’s Ooh La La,’ where she enjoyed reading her lines, as it was performance-oriented. Her role required her to compare the old and new representations of women in Hindi cinema, a contrast she would later embody in ‘Kyunki Saas’.
Mrs. Shobha Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor’s mother, noticed Smriti in ‘Ooh La La,’ leading to her casting in ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.’ Before that, she played a timid character in ‘Aatish,’ which, although not a success, allowed her to work with director Sanjay Upadhyay, whose lessons she applied to her roles in ‘Kyunki Saas’ and ‘Kavita.’
Regarding fan reactions to her role as Tulsi, Smriti revealed that she wasn’t mobbed like a star, but rather treated like a family member by the viewers of ‘Kyunki Saas.’ This, she considered the highest compliment, as people saw her as the character, often addressing her as Tulsi even on the sets of her other show, ‘Kavita.’ The cast of ‘Kyunki Saas’ became a close-knit family.
She shared that during dramatic conflicts with her screen mother-in-law, viewers, both young and old, would offer comfort, highlighting the seriousness with which people viewed the show’s storylines.
After the death of her on-screen husband Mihir (played by Amar Upadhyay), the reactions were of deep shock and grief, akin to a real-life tragedy, which deeply moved Smriti.
She admitted to never anticipating the depth of the audience’s emotional connection with the show, which she considered unprecedented in television history.
When asked about her acting training, Smriti stated that she had no formal training, believing acting schools could only sharpen skills, while true acting couldn’t be taught. She credited Ekta Kapoor for casting her as Tulsi, a role she embraced without modeling her performance on any other actor.
She expressed her aspiration to be a performer rather than limiting herself to typical movie roles, recognizing the difficulty of transitioning from a lead television role to the same status in cinema. She preferred challenging roles on television and was selective about her projects.
She described her role in the sitcom ‘Kal Aaj Aur Kal’ as an attempt to break away from the serious tone of ‘Kyunki Saas’ and ‘Kavita,’ aiming to bring smiles to people’s faces.
Her prescription for happiness involves meeting people and constantly refreshing life’s experiences.
Her then-fiancé (now husband) was surprised by the show’s popularity and proud of her success, as were her parents, who were initially concerned about her pursuing acting but were pleased that she maintained her dignity and was not offered roles that compromised her values.
