The series is set in Mumbai and follows the lives of the residents of Gokuldham Co-operative Housing Society, a diverse community with people from different cultural and regional backgrounds.
Most storylines focus on an individual, a family, or sometimes the entire society as they encounter and resolve various problems. The characters frequently support one another and celebrate festivals together, highlighting their close-knit bond.
A recurring theme centers on Jethalal Champaklal Gada, who often finds himself in comical situations and troubles, with brief moments of relief before new challenges arise.
Sonalika Joshi as Madhavi Aatmaram Bhide: Aatmaram's wife; runs an Achar & Papad Business (2008–present)
Jheel Mehta as Sonalika "Sonu" Aatmaram Bhide: Aatmaram and Madhavi's daughter (2008–2012)
Nidhi Bhanushali replaced Mehta as Sonu (2012–2019)
Palak Sindhwani replaced Bhanushali as Sonu[7] (2019–2024)[8][9]
Khushi Mali replaced Sindhwani as Sonu (2024–present)[10]
Gurucharan Singh as Roshan Singh Harjeet Singh Sodhi; Roshan's husband; Gogi's father: He owns a garage. (2008–2013; 2014–2020)
Laad Singh Maan replaced Singh as Sodhi,[11] but later Singh returned as Sodhi. (2013–2014)
Balwinder Singh Suri replaced Gurucharan Singh as Sodhi.[12] (2020–present)
Suri also portrayed Balvinder "Ballu" Singh Suri; Sodhi's friend (2019)
Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal as Roshan Kaur Sodhi:[13] Roshan Singh's wife; Gogi's mother. She is a Parsi fromNavsari, who had a love marriage with Roshan Singh.[13] (2008–2013; 2016–2023)
Dilkhush Reporter replaced Jennifer as Roshan but later Jennifer returned in 2016. (2013–2016)
Monaz Mevawalla replaced Jennifer as Roshan (2023–present)[14]
Samay Shah as Gurcharan "Gogi" Singh Roshan Singh Sodhi: Roshan Singh and Roshan Kaur's son and the youngest member of Tapu Sena (2008–present)
Nirmal Soni as Dr. Hansraj Hathi:[15] An overweight doctor; Komal's husband; Goli's father. His catchphrase issahi baat hai (that's right). (2008; 2018–present)
Soni also portrayed Dr. Vanraj Hathi, Dr. Hansraj Hathi's younger brother (2009–2011)
Ambika Ranjankar as Komal Hansraj Hathi: Dr. Hathi's wife; Goli's mother (2008–present)
Kush Shah as Gulab Kumar "Goli" Hansraj Hathi: Hansraj and Komal's son (2008–2024)[17]
Dharmit Turakhiya[18] replaced Kush Shah as Goli. (2024–present)
Shyam Pathak as Popatlal "Popu/Popat" Pandey: He is commonly known as Patarkaar Popatlal, born inBhopal, Madhya Pradesh, he works as a senior crime reporter and digital edition head in theToofan Express newspaper. (2009–present)
Azhar Shaikh as Pankaj "Pinku" Diwan Sahay: The oldest member of Tapu Sena, who initially lived in Gokuldham Society but later shifted to the neighboring Gulmohar Society. (2008–present)
Sharad Sankla as Abdul: Owner of a grocery shopAll In One General Store (2008–present)
Ghanashyam Nayak as Natwarlal "Nattu" Prabhashankar Undhaiwala: Hailing from Undhai Village, Gujarat, Nattu is Jethalal's employee who handles the accounts section of Gada Electronics. (2008–2021)[19]
Kiran Bhatt replaced Nayak as Natwarlal after his death. (2022–present)[20]
Tanmay Vekaria as Bagheshwar "Bagha" Daddu Undhaiwala: Nattu's nephew; Bawri's fiancé and Jetha's employee (2011–present)
Vekaria also portrayed various characters (2008–2009)
Recurring
Priya Ahuja as Rita Shrivastav: She is commonly known as Rita Reporter, a reporter inKal Tak news channel, a rival of "Toofan Express" in which Popatlal works. (2008; 2009–2010; 2013–2022)
Nidhi Nautiyal replaced Ahuja as Rita. Ahuja was again cast in the role after Nautiyal left the show. (2010–2013)
Ramsha Farooqui replaced Ahuja as Rita (2023–2024)[21]
Ami Joshi replaced Farooqui as Rita (2024-2025)
Dipti Kashyap replaced Joshi as Rita (2025-present)
Anil Yadav as Matka King Mohanlal: Resident in Gokuldham Society (2008–2009)
Mayur Vakani as Sundar Lal: Daya's brother (2008–present)
Yash Patel as Magan, a worker at Gada Electronics (2008–present)
Daya Shankar Pandey as Chalu Pandey (2010–present): A police officer in Mumbai Police
Akshaan Sherawat as Veer Binjola: Ratan and Rupa's son, Bansari's brother (2025—present)
Maahi Bhadra as Bansari Binjola: Daughter of Ratan and Rupa, sister of Veer (2025—present)
Guest
Surbhi Chandna as Sweety: former salesgirl at Gada Electronics who later claimed to be Jethalal's girlfriend to extort money from him but was exposed by Tapu (2008)[25]
Kari Irwin Otteburn as Kerry: Jetha's namesake sister from London and Popatlal's former love interest. But she married someone else. (2009)[26]
Raju Kher as Mr. Chandiramani, owner of costliest apartment of society (2010)
Nilesh Divekar as Gaffur Ghisela. A vasooli man who comes for Vasooling Gold Money from Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide (2010)
Asma Siddiqui as Koyal: Anjali's mischievous sister studying journalism, Popat's former love interest (2010)[26]
Deepesh Bhan as
Rahul: Goli's cousin (2010)
Pyare Mohan: Gulabo's husband, Jetha's defence lawyer in Gulabo's case (2012–2013, 2015)[27]
Simple Kaul as Gulabo: Mohan Pyaare's wife; Jethalal's namesake sister. A girl from Matkunda village,Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand who claimed to be Jetha's first wife but lost case after being exposed and married Jetha's defence lawyer Mohan Pyaare. (2012–2013)[28]
Khushboo Tawde as Bulbul: Popat's former love interest (2013)[29]
Sachin Parikh as Ajay Deewan: A new resident in Gokuldham Society who is from a royal deewan family and has a ruby worth 10crores and his evil twin brother Sanjay Diwan (2014)[30]
Tanaya Gupta as Minty/Sapna: A con girl who came to marry and loot Popatlal, but repented. (2015)[31]
Production
Development
The producers initially approached theStarPlus andZee TV channels, to host the series. However, when they rejected their offer,Sony SAB decided to accept the script.[32]
When the series completed 1,000 episodes on 6 November 2012,[33]Asit Kumarr Modi stated that it took eight years for the show to finally be aired:
"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."[34]
From March to June 2020, filming shut down in the wake of theCOVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India.[37] 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 stated by the original plan.[38] The show started broadcasting its new episodes from 22 July 2020.[39] In April 2021, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, theGovernment of Maharashtra suspended the shooting of films and TV shows in the state. Because of this suspension, the show’s shooting from April to July took place inDaman.[40]
Dubbed versions
The series was also dubbed inTelugu asTarak Mama Ayyo Rama for ETV Plus[41] andMarathi asGokuldhamchi Duniyadari forFakt Marathi.[42]
In the special episode "Anand Ka Safar", it paid tribute toRajesh Khanna, airing in July 2012 in which the cast members danced to Khanna's songs.[46] In the same year,Giaa Manek appeared as Jeannie to promote her showJeannie Aur Juju.[47]
Crossover episodes withC.I.D. named "Mahasangam" aired in July 2014 in which CID visits Gokuldham Society to solve a murder mystery case.[48]
Comics based on characters from the series were launched as part of theSAB Ke Comics series in 2014.[52]
Spin-off
An animated series based on the characters of theTaarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah titledTaarak Mehta Kka Chhota Chashmah aired onSony YAY! since 19 April 2021.[53] It is also available onNetflix.[54] A television filmTapu and the Big Fat Alien Wedding aired on 27 May 2022 onSony YAY!.[55]
Reception
In the first week of 2017, the show stood in the fourth position with 6,004 TVT ratings. In the fourth week, it entered the top five and stood in fifth position with 6,059 TVT ratings. In March 2017, the show remained within the top five shows in the urban–rural metrics. From 19 to 25 June 2017, the show reached the top spot with 6,092 TVT ratings, before slipping to third position the following week with 6,049 TVT ratings.[56] In the first week of 2018, it topped the charts with 6,961 TVT ratings.[57]
From 14 to 20 October 2019, the show again secured the first position with 7,952 TVT ratings. Following the COVID-19 lockdown, from 13 to 19 July 2020, it returned as the number one show with 6,477 TVT ratings.[58]
In May 2021, the series slipped to the last spot in the top-five TRP list, securing fifth position with 6,165 impressions.[citation needed]
In January 2025, the show recorded a 17% decline in ratings compared to the previous week, dropping from third position in Week 2 to eighth in Week 3, with a rating of 1.9.[59] However, in June and July 2025,Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah experienced a resurgence, topping the TRP charts for four consecutive weeks (Weeks 24–27).[60][61]
Criticism and response
The absence of original cast members, particularly Disha Vakani since 2017, has been noted, with fans suggesting it has impacted the show's humour.[62]
Legacy and impact
The cast ofTaarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, celebrating twelve years of the show, in 2020.[63]
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is one of thelongest-running television series in India and has gained national attention and developed a substantial following over the years, and is regarded as acult classic and one of the greatest sitcoms in the history of Indian television.[64] It completed 1000 episodes in November 2012, 2000 episodes in August 2016, 3000 episodes in September 2020 and 4000 episodes in February 2024.[65][66][67][68][69]
In February 2015, Dilip Joshi, Disha Vakani, and Shailesh Lodha hosted the red carpet at the 60th BritanniaFilmfare Awards to promote theClean India campaign.[70] In 2018, theMudra Institute of Communications,Ahmedabad took up the show as a case study.[71] It is also one of the most searched television series in India.[72]
Decoding the reason behindTaarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's success, Yashika Singla ofThe Print stated, "The major appeal of the television show is the idea of ethics and 'Indian values' at the very core of its scripts. To its credit, it also talked about a multitude of social issues and created awareness about them in its own light-hearted manner. It also had an age-inclusive cast that set it apart from other family dramas, beyond the confines of a typical female-audience focusing saas-bahu serial."[64]
Controversies
The show faced a controversy in 2020 whenNeha Mehta left the show, stating that:
I do feel that in many areas discipline and decorum was not maintained on the sets.[73]
In 2022, she claimed that producers of the show have not cleared her dues after leaving the show.Neela Film Productions issued a statement:
We consider our artist as our family. We have contacted Neha Mehta multiple times to complete the formalities with us. Unfortunately, she has been reluctant to sign the exit documents without which we cannot do a full and final settlement as per company policy. She also stopped responding to all our communication from past 2 years and she left the show without meeting us. We wish she would have replied to our emails instead of making false accusations about the makers that have given her 12 years of fame and career. We reserve our rights for appropriate action.[74]
Shailesh Lodha left the show in 2022, and sued the makers of the show for being underpaid in 2023.[75]
Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal quit the show in March 2023 accusing show producerAsit Kumarr Modi, executive producer Jatin Bajaj, and project head Sohail Ramani of sexual harassment.[76]
In May 2023, Monika Bhadoriya accusedAsit Kumarr Modi and project head Sohail Ramani of encouraging ahostile workplace. She further claimed that the producers have withheld the money of many artists.[77] She also revealed that co-starMunmun Dutta argued frequently with producerAsit Kumarr Modi.[78]
Palak Sidhwani, who portrayed Sonu Bhide accused the producers of exploiting her. The actor disclosed that she had received a legal notice from the production, alleging that she had breached her initial contract. In an interview with Bombay Times, Palak stated that she had chosen to leave the show for professional growth and health reasons.[79] In response, the production house issued a statement claiming that Palak had violated several important rules in her exclusive artiste agreement. They alleged that she had engaged in unauthorized third-party endorsements and appearances without obtaining the necessary written consent. Palak, however, denied these allegations, asserting that she had informed the production house of her decision to quit well in advance and had followed the proper procedures.[80]
^Jambhekar, Shruti (23 October 2018)."Gujarat comes alive on TV".The Times of India.Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved23 October 2018.
