MAM
Smriti Z Irani on CNN-IBN’s ‘Being’s at 8 p.m. on 25 February
“I would love to be the Devil’s Advocate and sit and corner Pranab Mukherjee” – Smriti Z Irani
New Delhi, February 24, 2006: Think television soaps in India and one of the first names that comes to mind is Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Launched on the same day as Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) in 2000, the show outlived KBC and was the center of attention for millions of viewers.
The epicenter of this familiar, familial melodrama, Smriti Irani hooked a generation of housewives to television. But there’s more to Smriti Irani than being Tulsi. She balances a political career, a family and children, produces plays and manages a hectic acting schedule. From working at McDonald’s, to getting rejected because she didn’t look like the typical Indian housewife, everybody’s favorite agony aunt tells us what it’s like BEING Smriti Irani Only on CNN IBN, Saturday 25th February 20:30pm & Sunday 26th February 15:30pm.
Excerpts from the interview:
“I would genuinely trade my job any day to run behind and get breaking news through. I would love to be a part of your Lakshmi Narayan Mittal exclusive, I would love to be the Devil’s Advocate and sit and corner Pranab Mukherjee, I almost thought that Karan had it that day. I would love to do what you did with the Bofor’s case. Just be there, hunt, investigate, it almost sounds like a fantasy. It’s the rush of discovering something that’s hidden under so many layers”
“I was in an environment (in Delhi) where it was easy to accept rejection. I was constantly told that’s its not my cup of tea .I realized it’s the environment that’s propelling me towards a different destiny. That’s why I left. I have faced rejection from the day I stepped into Mumbai, from not winning the Ms India crown, to missing out so many auditions, to being rejected for an ad for home appliances because I didn’t look like an Indian housewife. So many people told Ekta Kapoor she’s out of her mind if she wanted to caste me .I mean rejection is not something new. I lost my first election. I would in fact take it as a sign of a new beginning because I’m in an environment where everybody that I know is not the type to give up easily.
‘I have stepped out of the comfort zone. Its not an easy thing to do but the biggest burden of Being Tulsi is the constant criticism that comes along with my job. I have from day one been the poster child for all the flak for all saas-bahu soaps and its not easy trying to maintain ones sense of balance or politeness through it all and let the critics get away’.
“If you look at how soaps began post ‘Kyunki saas bhi….’, there were so many that came into being where the marketing strategy was “It’s different from the ‘saas- bahu’ soaps”. There were so many actors that came to the surface whose entire interview revolved around that one quote –” I don’t do saas- bahu”. But ironically most of them revolved and came about and started doing saas- bahu on their own because I think somewhere the realization came that it was not selling on the basis of that “we are different factor” .At the end of the day we are at of the entertainment business, channels have got caught in the revenue net. Today for a channel the viability of a project is much more important than the message I’m trying to give”.
“I think he (Narendra Modi) has changed a lot of peoples opinion through his administrative work .I have spoken to him. He’s extremely gracious and I’m in touch with him. He was extremely gracious in letting a lot of things go and extremely gracious as not to comment on what I said. I think that’s one part that everyone has to accept. He never said a word about me. It says a lot about the man. He’s willing to be prosecuted for any crimes that courts might decide against him that’s says a lot about somebody who is sitting in a seat of power”
GBN, a TV18 Group Company, is a 74:26 joint venture between the TV18 Group and professionals – Rajdeep Sardesai, Sameer Manchanda and Haresh Chawla. GBN’s charter is to launch channels in the general news space under the editorial leadership of Sardesai, one of India’s most reputed TV journalists. The TV18 Group is India’s leading and most successful business news broadcaster, in both English and Hindi.
– END –
For more information contact:
Prachi / Priyadarshani
Hanmer & Partners
New Delhi
011 2921 4793/ 4
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
