Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah: Not Just Neha Mehta, These 2 Actors Also Ended Up Having Issues With Asit Modi(Pic credit: Instagram/bhavyagandhi97, still from episodes)
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Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah recently saw two of its much-loved actors i.e. Neha Mehta and Gurucharan Singh leaving the shows. Both of them were quickly replaced by Sunayana Fozdar & Balwinder Singh Suri respectively.
Regarding the reason for leaving the show, Neha hadn’t spoken much earlier. However, she had said that there were some unresolved issues because of which she quit TMKOC. Recently there have been reports suggesting Neha had quit the show multiple times before. Talking about the same, she said, “That’s not true. With great respect to my producer (Asit Modi), it is not that baar baar humko waapas laya gaya. In fact, it was the other way round. It was a case of ‘sher aaya, sher aaya’. You know the rule here – ‘aapko karna hai to karo warna chhod doh.’”
Putting more light on the issues, she said, “We all go through such things at work. But then, you can’t make an actor cry and ask him to perform the best. On August 15, I went to an event in Ahmedabad for an event which was about educating the people on coronavirus- wearing masks. I got a very warm response. It was a commitment that I had made before leaving the show. People were very disappointed to know that I had quit the show.”
She also talked about how she was told multiple times by Asit Modi that they have a backup. “I respect Asit Modi a lot… I have the same regards for all the producers whose shows I have done till date. I said ‘Sir, this is it. If this is the thing that we want to negotiate and talk, it is fine’. And what then if you are told that you have to handle certain ego issues but if you want to go, you should still go because I have someone else whom I can hire, who is a better prospect for me as I have to pay him lesser? It could happen to anybody. So I am gracefully moving on,”
But it is not the first time that a Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actor had issues with the producer Asit Modi. Earlier in 2017, Bhavya Gandhi who played Tapu in TMKOC quit the show which had created problems between him and Asit. It was said that Bhavya left TMKOC because he got film offers in Gujarat. Though the makers of TMKOC were upset because he did it without giving prior notice.
Back in 2017, while speaking to Daily Bhaskar, Asit Modi said, “Honestly, it was sad to see Bhavya Gandhi quitting our show when we needed him the most. I was like a father figure to him and I supported him throughout these years. He signed a Gujarati movie without informing us. I did not interfere in it as long as my show did not suffer. We were shooting a special Republic Day episode and Tappu was required for it. Surprisingly, Bhavya refused to shoot. I was disheartened to see his behaviour towards me and my team. Throughout these years, I always cooperated with him, but one cannot bear this kind of unprofessional behaviour. We had no other option rather than replacing him with a new face.”
“It seems like fame and success has gone into his head. But he should not forget that it was Tapu’s character which made him so popular. Anyway, I have no grudges against him and now my whole concentration will be on Raj (replacement of Bhavya) and Tappu Sena,” he had added.
Shyam Pathak who plays Popatlal in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah also found himself in trouble once because his behaviour was found problematic by Asit Modi.
It so happened that Jethalal actor Dilip Joshi had gone to London for a show. On seeing a huge demand for Popatlal, Jethalal called and informed Shyam about the same. Since the shooting of the show was anyway not happening at that time, Popatlal actor came to London immediately for performing. Since he didn’t inform the TMKOC team about the same it left the makers angry. When he returned on the sets, Asit Modi was very angry on him and reportedly both of them also had an argument. Following this, Shyam Pathak was removed from the show. However, when he accepted his mistake later he was called back again.
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