Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actor Shailesh Lodha wins lawsuit against show’s producer Asit Modi: ‘I didn’t bow down to the arm-twisting’ | Television News
After months of tension between Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (TMKOC) actor Shailesh Lodha and producer Asit Modi, there seems to be some legal intervention as Lodha has won a lawsuit against the show’s maker. Lodha, who played the titular role in the popular TV show for over 14 years, quit the show in 2022 without quoting any specific reason. He had said that he will talk about it when the time is right.
There were rumours that the actor had slammed the makers for not clearing his dues. According to Zoom Entertainment, upon quitting the show, Shailesh had approached the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for the clearance of his year-long dues. Under section 9 of the insolvency and bankruptcy code, the matter was heard and was ‘settled between the parties as per the consent terms by the counsel for the parties.’
Reports suggest that that Shailesh Lodha will be paid ‘as per the settlement terms a sum of ₹ 1,05,84,000 by way of demand draft’ by Modi. After the verdict, Lodha spoke to Bombay Times and said that “the fight was never about the money”. He said, “It was about seeking justice and self-respect. I feel like I have won a battle and I am happy that the truth has prevailed.” He said that he “didn’t bow down to the arm-twisting.”
While TMKOC is one of the longest-running shows on Indian television, it has always been in news for its several controversies around toxic work conditions. Recently, an actor from the show had levelled charges of sexual and mental harassment against Modi. However, he denied the same in a recent interview, claiming he had a ‘pure heart’.
Before Lodha, Disha Vakani, the actor who played the pivotal role of Daya Jethalal Gada, had also left the show in 2017 as she embraced motherhood the same year.