Former actress and politician Smriti Irani opened up on why she turned down several films including the romantic hit Dil Chahta Hai.

In an interview to the Brut, the Union Minister who started her life as an actor said she received plenty of offers for lead roles from three months after her hit TV soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT) started broadcast and she had declined as she prioritised her familial responsibilities. Irani added that she wanted to start a family so she turned down several offers including Farhan Akhtar's directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai. She said it was not for Preity Zinta's character but for another important female role.

The BJP leader said she had left her acting career behind as the highest-paid actor in Indian television though not venturing into lucrative opportunities such as endorsement of pan masala in order to maintain her personal integrity.