Amid Kush Shah’s exit; A Look at 9 popular actors who left TMKOC midway

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is like the OG and forever fave on Indian TV, right? This epic show has been ruling the screens for a whopping 16 years! Throughout its journey, it's faced its fair share of twists and turns, but hey, it always bounces back stronger on those TRP charts.

Recently, Kush Shah, who played Goli announced his exit from TMKOC. It's not the first time a long-time actor from the show has made that tough call. We've seen this happen before with other cast members too. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and check out all those actors who've bid adieu to Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah over the years.

Raj Anandkat

Raj Anadkat, who played the role of Tapu in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah had bid adieu to the show in 2022. The actor had announced his exit from the sitcom in a post on Instagram 6 December 2022. Raj took over from Bhavya Gandhi, who portrayed the character of Tapu for a span of 9 years.

Shailesh Lodha

Not just Raj Anadkat, but earlier in 2022, Shailesh Lodha who played the role of Taarak Mehta had also quit the show over some differences. There were reports that he wasn't happy with his contract and and was eager to explore new opportunities. Sachin Shroff stepped in to replace him on the show a couple of months back.

Disha Vakani

Disha Vakani, who played Jethalal's (Dilip Joshi) wife Dayaben in the show, was part of the sitcom from its inception. In 2017, she took a break due to maternity leave after her daughter's birth but did not come back. However, Disha made cameo appearance in the show in 2018 and 2019. Her character in TMOKC is depicted as residing with her mother for a pilgrimage. Speculations and talks regarding her return to the show have been frequent news, but there is no confirmation yet.

Neha Mehta

Actress Neha Mehta who played the role of Anjali Mehta, wife of Taarak Mehta had left the show in 2020 after being a part of it for 12 years. She had quit the show due to some differences with the production house and she was replaced by Sunayana Fozdar of Qubool Hai.

Gurucharan Singh aka Mr. Sodhi

Gurucharan Singh from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah was associated with the show for many years. However, he chose to leave the show due to his father's health concerns. Gurucharan opted to dedicate his time to his father and support him. Balvinder Singh Suri, known for his role in Dil Toh Pagal Hai, later took over his part on the show.

Monika Bhadoriya

Monika, after portraying the character of Bawri (Baga's girlfriend) in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, gained immense popularity. The actress decided to part ways with the show in 2019 to explore new opportunities. Monika was part of the sitcom for nearly six years.

Nidhi Bhanushali

Nidhi, who played Sonu Bhide on the show, said goodbye to the sitcom in February 2019, to focus on her higher studies. She was pursuing her BA from a college in Mumbai and wanted to dedicate her time to her studies. Therefore, the actress decided to leave the show. Later, Palak Sindhwani was chosen to portray Sonu's character. Nidhi took over the role of Sonu from Jheel Mehta in 2012 and captivated the audience with her performance.

Jheel Mehta

Jheel Mehta was the original actress to portray the character of young Sonu, Bhide's daughter, in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Similar to Nidhi, Jheel also decided to exit the popular sitcom to focus on her studies. Managing both academics and shooting for Taarak was becoming overwhelming for her, prompting the decision to leave the show. She spent her formative years on the TMKOC sets alongside Bhavya Gandhi, Samay Shah, and Kush. Subsequently, Nidhi Bhanushali took on the role of Sonu in 2012.

Bhavya Gandhi

Bhavya, who portrayed Tapu in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, bid farewell to the show after dedicating over 8 years to it. Bhavya essentially grew up on the show, starting as a young child. Tapu had become a household name, and Bhavya had captured the hearts of many fans. The torch was passed to 19-year-old Mumbai native Raj Anadkat, who took on the role of Tapu following Bhavya's departure.