Smriti Irani recalls how mom battled financial hardships but ‘kept smiling through it all’, Ekta Kapoor showers love

Actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani took to social media on Mother’s Day to share an appreciation post for her mother Shibani Bagchi. Sharing pictures of herself with her mom, Smriti recounted how there were times growing up when their family didn’t have enough money to afford rent but their mother never panicked. The heartfelt post saw a lot of appreciation from fans and several members of the entertainment industry. Also read: Smriti congratulates Kyunki co-star Mouni on her wedding: ‘Suraj is a lucky man’

Taking to Instagram on Sunday afternoon, Smriti shared a carousel of pictures featuring herself and her mother Shibani. In the caption alongside, Smriti addressed her and wrote, “You have never had it easy…but in all the times when faced with challenges your only response was ‘let’s fight back’. There were times when I didn’t know how the next month’s house rent could be afforded but I never saw you panic, never heard you curse our fate. It is fairly easy today to write this on Instagram but you have been through hell and back and kept smiling through it all.”

Smriti added that she imbibed this never-say-die attitude watching her mother employ it in situations over the years. “Through all of life’s storms that have been withstood, through all the sleepless nights, through the grime and dirt I knew giving up was not an option coz Ma never gave up, staying down was not an option coz Ma would say get up and get going. So to you Ma and all the mothers out there…thank god everyday is Mother’s Day,” she added.

Film and TV producer and Smriti’s friend Ekta Kapoor was among the first to comment on the post as she dropped heart emojis in the comments section. The gesture was replicated by actor Sikander Kher as well. Several fans, too, appreciated Smriti’s mom and her post both. One commented, “That’s how moms are. Selfless and strong.”

Smriti Irani was one of the top television actors in the country in the early 2000s, largely due to her starring role in Ekta’s Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She later appeared in shows like Ramayan, Virrudh, Mere Apne, and Teen Bahuraaniyaan.

She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2003 when she was still acting. After 2012, she took a hiatus from acting to focus on her political career. She has been a Member of Parliament since 2011 and has served as a cabinet minister, heading various portfolios over the years.