Disha Vakani, Shailesh Lodha, Jennifer Mistry. Pic/Google
One of the longest-running sitcoms on Indian television, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, clocked 15 years on July 28 this year. Based on the weekly column Duniya Ne Undha Chasma by Tarak Mehta in Chitralekha magazine, it is loved by the audience globally. While the daily soap received immense love and popularity, it has got its own share of controversies. Over these 15 years, many members of the star cast have ended their association with the show. Some of them left on a bitter note.
Shailesh Lodha, who left behind a mark as Taarak Mehta, dragged producer Asit Kumar Modi to the court over non-payment of dues. The court announced its decision in favour of the actor. Producer Asit is now legally bound to pay him Rs. 1.05 crores via demand draft. Shailesh quit the show in 2022 after a fallout with Asit. He was replaced by Sachin Shroff.
As Shailesh's matter has been resolved by the court, here's looking at the bitter and unsavoury exits from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah that left fans disappointed. From Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal's allegation of sexual advances to Disha Vakani's extended maternity leave, the show made headlines for unlikely reasons.
Disha Vakani:
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Disha Vakani, who immortalised the role of Daya bhabhi in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, took maternity leave in 2017 and after having two babies in these six years, she's yet to make a comeback. Reportedly, Asit didn't agree to the conditions she put forth in order to strike the right balance between professional and personal commitments. Reports also claimed that Disha asked for a hike in remuneration but the producer refused to accept it.
Neha Mehta:
Neha Mehta a.k.a Anjali of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah ended her association with the show in 2020. In that year, she hinted towards groupism on the sets. However, in 2022, Neha accused the makers of non-clearance of her pending dues. Soon after, Neela Film Productions Private Limited reacted and denied her allegations.
Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal:
Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal, who played Roshan Kaur Sodhi in the sitcom, came out in public to raise her voice against Asit and his associates for making sexual advances towards her. She filed an FIR against him for sexual harassment. Jennifer exited the show before coming out in public regarding the matter.
Monika Bhadoriya:
Bawree, played by Monika Bhadoriya, went missing from the show suddenly a couple of years ago. This sparked rumours of trouble in her professional association with the makers of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. She recently broke her silence on her exit and opened up about the toxic work culture on the show's set. The actress claimed Asit held her dues for more than a year. She went on to reveal people working on the show are being tortured.
Priya Ahuja Rajda:
Priya Ahuja Rajda played Rita Reporter in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. While she was a part of the show and would be seen in episodes at regular intervals, the actress was replaced without prior intimation. In interviews, she spoke about how Asit never replied to her messages and she got a rude shock upon learning about her replacement coming on board.
Apart from them, Bhavya Gandhi, Raj Anadkat, Gurucharan Singh, Jheel Mehta and Nidhi Bhanushali parted ways for personal reasons.
