Jheel Mehta

Jheel Mehta Instagram – “Jab bacche Taarak Mehta ke kisse TV pe dekh rahe the, main unhe real life mein jee rahi thi! I was 10 when Mom’s friend told us about this new show that was coming up—Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chashma. I had done an acting role before, so Mom asked me, ‘Auditions dogi vaapis?’
So I went for the TMKOC audition–Asit sir told me to say a few lines, & I did. Bas phir kya? I became a part of the cast. And in no time kids found me relatable & I was being stopped & asked, ‘Ek photo lelu?’ This little girl playing Sonu became a household name & the TMKOC cast became my family. I would spend most of my time with them.
Aur Tapu Sena? Hum bahut masti karte the. One time, we were shooting a dahi handi episode & Asit sir said, ‘Jheel, tayar ho dahi handi todne ke liye?’ I was shocked. Kya? Mujhe yeh karna hai? That’s when the entire Tapu sena helped me achieve the scene. But you know what’s the most special memory? When I couldn’t go for my school trip on my birthday because of shooting, the entire team – from our producer to our makeup Dada – turned the set into a celebration. I will never forget it.
But like every good thing comes to an end, similarly, in 2012, I decided to quit. Everyone kept asking, ‘Why leave such a successful show?’ But I had my board exams & I wanted to focus on it.”
“Did you then ever miss being on sets?”
“I did! I did a few ad shoots and commercials but in 2019, when Papa had a heart attack, I decided to keep everything aside & help Papa with his business. The little girl who once dreamt under studio lights now had a new dream – to become a successful businesswoman. Aur yeh sapna bhi dil se tha, just like acting.
But still, even after 12 years of leaving TMKOC, people remember me as Sonu. A few years back while traveling abroad, an Indian family saw me & screamed, ‘Areh! Humari Sonu yaha kya kar rahi hai?’’ And recently, on my proposal video, along with blessings, people left comments like, ‘Tapu ne toh zeher pee liya hoga!’ I couldn’t stop laughing! It is surprising how sirf ek character play karne se, main pure India ke bachpan ka hissa ban gayi. Isse zyada blessing kya ho sakti hai kisi actor ke liye?” #worldtelevisionday #tmkoc | Posted on 21/Nov/2024 18:35:40