Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (transl. Taarak Mehta's inverted spectacles), also known as TMKOC, is a Hindi sitcom based on the weekly column "Duniya Ne Undha Chasma" by Taarak Mehta in Chitralekha magazine. It is produced by Asit Kumar Modi. It premiered on 28 July 2008 and airs on Sony SAB and is also digitally available on SonyLIV.[2] The show holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running indian daily sitcom on television by episode count.[3]
Premise
The series takes place at the Gokuldham Co-operative Housing Society, an apartment complex in Powder Gali, Film City Road, Goregaon East, Mumbai, and focuses on the members of Gokuldham Society who come from different backgrounds.
Gokuldham is also referred to as "Mini India" in the show. The residents of Gokuldham are shown facing many problems and finding solutions for those problems. The show also occasionally highlights social issues. Most of the episodes are based on Jethalal being stuck in a problem and Taarak Mehta, his best friend, whom he calls his "Fire Brigade", rescues him. Society Members live like a family and help each other in their problems, to promote unity in diversity. The members of Gokuldham celebrate all the festivals and organise various events too.
Cast and characters
Main
- Dilip Joshi as Jethalal "Jetha/Jethiya" Champaklal Gada: Champakalal's only son; Daya's husband; Tipendra's father;Taarak Mehta's best friend; A Kutchi Gujarati Jain from Bhachau, Gujarat, he is less educated yet a successful businessman who runs a store called "Gada Electronics".(2008–present)
- Disha Vakani as Daya Jethalal Gada: Jethalal's wife; Champklal's daughter-in-law; Khushi's foster mother; Tipendra's mother; Sundar's sister and Jeevdayaben's daughter. She is from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Garba queen, (2008–2017; 2018; 2019).
- Bhavya Gandhi as Tipendra "Tapu" Jethalal Gada: Jethalal and Daya's only son; Tapu sena's leader; Champaklal's grandson. (2008–2017).
- Raj Anadkat replaced Gandhi as Tipendra (2017- present); He is now studying at college.[4]
- Amit Bhatt as
- Champaklal Jayantilal Gada aka Champak Chachaji/Bapuji/Dadaji: Jethalal's father; Daya's father-in-law and Tapu's grandfather. He is from Bhachau (Kutch), Gujarat. He often teaches Jetha and the other society members various morals and lessons.(2008–present).
- Jayantilal Girdharlal Gada: Champaklal's father (2021)
- Shailesh Lodha as Taarak Mehta aka Metha sahab : The narrator of the show who is a writer and poet by profession; Jethalal's best-friend; Jethalal refers Metha as his 'Fire Brigade'; Anjali's husband.Ekta and Koyal' brother-in-law. He is frustrated with his boss babulal and his wife Anjali's diet food.(2008–2022)
- Sachin Shroff replaced Shailesh Lodha as Taarak(2022–present)[5]
- Neha Mehta as Anjali Taarak Mehta aka ATM: Taarak's wife. She is a dietitian (2008–2020)
- Sunayana Fozdar replaced Neha Mehta as Anjali. (2020–present)[6]
- Tanuj Mahashabde as Krishnan Subramaniam Iyer aka Iyer: A scientist from Chennai, Tamil Nadu and also treasurer of Gokuldham society.Babita's husband. Monica's best friend. He is often irritated by Jethalal because of latter having crush on his wife.(2008–present)
- Munmun Dutta as Babita Krishnan Iyer: Iyer's wife; Jethalal's secret crush; she was a dancer (model) in the film industry who hails from Kolkata and had a love-marriage with Iyer (2008–present)
- Mandar Chandwadkar as Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide: A tuition teacher from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra; He is Gokuldham society's one and only Secretary;Madhavi's husband; Sonalika's father (2008–present)
- Sonalika Joshi as Madhavi "Madhu" Aatmaram Bhide: Aatmaram's wife; Sonalika's mother; Vinayak's sister. A businesswoman who makes achar and papad(2008–present)
- Jheel Mehta as Sonalika "Sonu" Aatmaram Bhide (2008–2012): Aatmaram and Madhavi's daughter.
- Nidhi Bhanushali replaced Jheel Mehta(2012–2019)
- Palak Sindhwani replaced Nidhi Bhanushali:She is now in college.[7] (2019–present)
- Nirmal Soni as Dr. Hansraj Baldevraj Hathi :[8] An overweight doctor from North India; Komal's husband; Gulabkumar's father.Loves to eat food. His catchphrase is sahi baat hai.(2008–2009; 2018–present)
- Dr. Vanraj Hathi (Dr. Hathi's youngest brother) (2009–2011)
- Kavi Kumar Azad replaced Nirmal Soni as Dr. Hathi (2009–2018)[9] and Soni returned as Hathi due to Azad's death.
- Ambika Ranjankar as Komal "Komu" Hansraj Hathi: Dr. Hathi's wife; Gulabkumar's mother. Often assists her husband. Her catchphrase is Ooh come on. (2008–present)
- Kush Shah as Gulabkumar "Goli" Hansraj Hathi: Hansraj and Komal's only son. (2008–present)
- Gurucharan Singh as Roshan Singh Harjeet Singh Sodhi: A mechanical engineer who owns a car garage. He is very strong and hails from Jalandhar, Punjab. His Parsi wife is also named Roshan. He likes to party and drink which often ends up getting caught by ladies and Champaklal. He is always romantic with his wife. His catchphrase is "Use Te Main Chhaddanga Nahin" (I won't spare him) whenever he finds society members in trouble. .(2008–2013; 2014–2020)
- Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal as Roshan Daruwala Kaur Sodhi:[12] Roshan Singh's wife; Gurucharan's mother. She is a Parsi woman, who had a love-marriage with Roshan Singh.[12](2008–2013,2016–present)
- Dilkhush Reporter replaced Jennifer as Roshan but later returned in 2016. (2013-2016)
- Samay Shah as Gurcharan "Gogi" Singh Roshan Singh Sodhi: Roshan Singh and Roshan Kaur's only son and the youngest member of Tapu Sena.(2008–present)
- Shyam Pathak as Patrakaar Popatlal Bhagwatiprasad Pandey: Originating from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, he works as a senior crime reporter and digital edition head in the Toofan Express newspaper. (2009–present).
- Sharad Sankla as Abdul Nawab Miyaa: Owner of a grocery shop All In One General Store. (2008–present)
- Azhar Shaikh as Pankaj "Pinku" Diwan Sahay: Oldest member of Tapu Sena, who initially lived in Gokuldham Society but later shifted to the neighbouring Gulmohar Society. His parents Mr. Diwan and Mrs. Dipika Sahay are agents in RAW and were deployed overseas for many years. (2008–present)
- Ghanashyam Nayak as Natwarlal Prabhashankar Undhaiwala aka Nattu Kaka: Hailing from Undhai Village, Gujarat, Nattu is Jethalal's employee who handles the accounts section of Gada Electronics.
Production and promotion
The producers initially approached the Star Plus and Zee TV channels, to host the series, however when they rejected their offer, Sony SAB decided to accept the script.[34] The filming for the series takes place in film city in Mumbai. External filming for specific scenes has taken place in locations, for example: Gujarat, New Delhi, Goa and in overseas locations such as London, Brussels, Paris, Hong Kong and Singapore.[35][36]
On completing 1000 episodes on 6 November 2012,[37] Asit Kumarr Modi stated that it took eight years to get the show on air:
- "Originally, it was a column in a Gujarati magazine, and I bought its rights in 2001. I approached every channel, but the trend of daily soaps had just started, and saas-bahu shows dominated the scene. Whoever I approached said there was no scope for comedy every day. But I had a feeling that one-day comedies, too, would become a daily trend. Finally, in 2008, Taarak Mehta... came on the air."[38]
In February 2015, Joshi, Vakani, and Lodha hosted the red carpet at the 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards to promote the Clean India campaign.[39] From March to June 2020, filming shut down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India.[40] During the same period it was revealed that it was originally planned for two years and might have gone off-air in 2010 itself as per original plan. But viewers' love made it a seamless series.[41] The show started broadcasting its new episodes from 22 July 2020.[42]
By 24 September 2020, the 3000th episodes had been filmed .[43]
The series was also dubbed in Telugu as Tarak Mama Ayyo Rama for ETV Plus[44] and Marathi as Gokuldhamchi Duniyadari for Fakt Marathi.[45]
