An unfortunate fall-out of being rich and famous is getting the wrong kind of attention. Smriti Irani recently discovered this, when she got threatening calls traced to a member of her famous soap Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi's unit.
Now, a much relieved Smriti is accompanied by a policeman who refuses to let her be alone for even a second.
Says television's Tulsi, "It was traumatic for me. But I was more concerned because my family was put through the ordeal. It is, on some level, understandable if I'm subject to unwanted attention. But why threaten my poor babies? I've chosen to be in a profession where I'm constantly being watched. I can't crib about the consequences of being in the public arena. But why drag my family into it? My one-and-a-half-year-old daughter doesn't even know her mother is an actress! She has never seen me on screen, for God's sake!"
Smriti protests at the mention of her female antagonist. "Why categorise crime as a gender issue? Why should a man or woman be more inclined to believe in certain basic values? I've absolutely no explanation for what happened. When I did the agony aunt show Kuch Dil Se on Sab TV, I met so many people with their peculiar problems. As I heard out people who had done others wrong, I'd often wonder how a human allows his or her better judgement to override their conscience. When I share these feelings with my friends they say, 'Everyone isn't like you.' But I think it's easy to assert your better feelings and not allow the darker side to dominate your personality."
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Smriti says she has no idea why she was threatened. "I believe the idea was to frame someone else from another community. And the best way to target someone was through me, I guess. It's a sensitive issue. I chose not to speak to the press about it while it happened. The people involved in the crime are youngsters. They don't realize the enormity of their actions. Their whole life and career could be destroyed. At the same time, I can't fully sympathise with them because I've seen my children suffer. I don't see how they thought they could get away with it� but I'm okay. No one can stop me from living my life the way I want to."
The incident hasn't soured Smriti. "You can't stop trusting people just because of a few people. I felt bad for my babies. I'd look at them each night during the trauma and wonder why they should be threatened when I'm the actress and politician. Even my husband wasn't worried for his own life, but for mine and our children. Once cops ensured me my family would be safe, my worries lessened."
Has the security been beefed up? Smriti laughs. "Well, the senior leaders in my party insisted. And I have a cop with me round-the-clock. Poor thing! I keep doing this Tulsi number on him. I keep telling him to go home to his wife and kids."