As Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah completes an incredible 17 years, the cast gathered for a special press conference to celebrate the journey of India’s most-loved sitcom. Among the key voices was Dilip Joshi, who has immortalized the character of Jethalal Champaklal Gada—a name now synonymous with laughter, love, and cultural nostalgia.
Recalling how it all began, Dilip Joshi said:“When Asit [Modi] called me to his office back in 2008 and said, ‘I want to offer you the role of Jethalal, would you do it?’ I can never forget that moment. Asit and I have known each other since our college days. He had given me roles in all his shows—Hum Sab Ek Hain, Meri Biwi Wonderful, and later, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.”
Dilip also shared his childhood connection with the original source material, “We grew up reading the column ‘Duniya Ne Undha Chasma.’ So I was familiar with the world and its quirky characters. I found them very interesting. But that moment in 2008, when he offered me Jethalal, truly changed my life.”
He admitted how much this role has shaped his life and identity, “If he hadn’t given me this role, I don’t know where I’d be today. I’ve received love and respect from crores of people. I might have missed all that if I hadn’t become Jethalal.”
Despite the show's long-standing success, Dilip Joshi emphasized the importance of staying grounded and committed, “Our job as actors is to give 100% to whatever script we receive. We’ve followed that since day one. Even today, that effort hasn’t changed. When a show becomes successful, your responsibility increases because people’s expectations rise. Not even for a single day have we taken this lightly or thought, ‘Oh, we’re a hit now, it’ll go on its own.’ Every scene is crafted with the same hard work.”
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