Actor Monika Bhadoriya Describes Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah Experience As "Torture"

The sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has been in headlines of late and not for all the right reasons. After the show's producer Asit Kumarr Modi was accused of sexual harassment last month, another actress opened up about the problematic environment on the sets of the show. Actress Monika Bhadoriya, who played the role of Bawri in the show, in an interview with Pinkvilla, opened up on her experience of working on the show and said, "I went through a lot of family tragedies. I lost my mother and grandmother, both within a very short period of time. They both were pillars of my life, they raised me so well. I was not able to deal with their loss and I thought my life was over. During this time, I was working for Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, which was also very torturing. So all this torture and thoughts made me feel that I should commit suicide.

Speaking of how the makers reacted to her parents' death, the actress said, "They (TMKOC makers) said, 'Her father died, and we gave the money. We gave the money to treat her ill mother.' These words had hurt me deeply."

Monika Bhadoriya, who had quit the show in 2019, told Pinkvilla, "I had a dream to bring my parents on the sets of my show, but after seeing the atmosphere on the sets, I decided that I would never ask my parents to come on the sets. But when my mother was ill and was in her last days, I thought I should bring her to the sets and show her where I work, but that remained impossible."

The actress, speaking of her decision to quit the show, said, "There are a lot of people, who are working for money. Money is important but not more than self-respect."

Speaking of the turbulent environment on the Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah sets, an actor, last month, accused producer Asit Kumarr Modi and two others of sexual harassment. The Mumbai Police had received a written complaint from the actor.