Actor Dilip Joshi has put an end to speculation about his future on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. The actor, who has been playing the beloved character of Jethalal Gada for the past 18 years, confirmed that he is not leaving the long-running sitcom after rumours about his exit spread across social media.
Addressing the reports, criticised the growing trend of publishing unverified stories for online engagement. While speaking to media persons, he said, “For some people, social media has become a source of income. To grab eyeballs and increase views, they publish all kinds of stories without thinking twice. But what is truly disappointing is when reputed media houses publish such reports without cross-checking or verifying the facts.”
The actor further appealed to news organisations to verify information before reporting it. He added, “We may not be able to stop social media pages, but I would request our respected media organisations to confirm the information with the production house or the celebrity before publishing it.”
Over the past few days, several social media posts claimed that Dilip was preparing to bid farewell to Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. His clarification has now put those rumours to rest.
This is not the first time the popular sitcom has been surrounded by exit speculation. A few months ago, actress Ambika Ranjankar, who plays Komal Hathi, also faced similar rumours after she was missing from a few episodes. Responding to the reports, she had clarified, “No, I haven’t quit the show. I am very much a part of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Well, for some personal reasons, I was away. I needed some time for myself.”
One of Indian television’s longest-running comedy shows, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to follow the lives of the residents of Gokuldham Society. The ensemble cast includes Nirmal Soni, Munmun Dutta, Amit Bhatt, Sunayana Fozdar, Sachin Shroff, Mandar Chandwadkar and Sonalika Joshi.