Smriti Irani recalls her mother was thrown out of her house because she couldn't have a son: ‘I was 7, that was my Agneepath'

Indian Express

6 days ago

From her beginnings as a model to becoming one of TV's top actors and eventually a Union Minister, Smriti Irani's journey from showbiz to politics has been remarkable. However, in a recent interaction, Smriti admitted that the fire in her belly ignited when she saw injustice against her mother growing up — when she resolved to provide for her siblings and mother.
During a chat with Karan Johar on Mojo Story, Smriti was asked which song would represent her life. She replied, 'It would move from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Agneepath.' When Karan asked why the shift from a love song to revenge, Smriti said, 'I am avenging possibly every kid who never had an opportunity to equally compete.'
She explained that she resonates deeply with Agneepath — like the film's lead character, she tackled challenges to fulfill her mother's dream. She explained, 'Agneepath was about a son who was trying to fulfill his mother's desire. He thought that his mother has faced injustice and I always felt that for my own mother. My mother was made to leave home when I was 7 because she could not have a son. So for me, that was my Agneepath, to get my mother back and give a roof over her head.'
In an earlier chat with Neelesh Misra, Smriti discussed growing up with financial constraints. 'My dad used to sell books outside an Army club. I used to sit with him, and my mother sold spices going to different homes. My dad didn't study much, while my mother graduated so those conflicts could have also been there. When they got married, they only had Rs 150. Initially, they used to live in a room above a cow's shed. Very few couples are able to survive the constraints of finance and social friction.' She also spoke about how her parents' separation affected her deeply and she refused to accept it for many years.
She recalled buying her mother a home, but revealed she still pays one rupee as rent. 'My mother has lived all her life on rent. Six years back, I bought a house. My mother gives me one rupee rent so that her self-respect is intact,' she said.