Daya Shankar aka Chalu Pandey on doing Taarak Mehta

Seasoned actor Daya Shankar Pandey, who is popularly known as Inspector Chulbul Pandey from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah recently opened up about his long association with show and it's producer Asit Kumarr Modi. In an exclusive chat with Times of India TV, Daya Shankar called the popular sitcom as an important part of his life.

Speaking about being a part of TMKOC, Daya Shankar said, "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah sirf ek show nahi hai ye mere jeevan ka ek bahut hi zaruri ang hai (TMKOC is not just a show for me, it's a deeply important part of my life). I'm not bringing this up to place any expectations on the show's producer and creator, Asit Kumarr Modi. Our association dates all the way back to 1986, during our college years—he was my senior at the time, and we’ve remained in touch ever since. I must also highlight that he is a gifted performer. Choosing to step away from acting was a thoughtful move on his part, perhaps even guided by fate. He was truly talented, having earned multiple accolades in inter-college drama competitions."

Daya Shankar Pandey, known for his roles in numerous hit Bollywood films, also spoke about a pivotal moment in Asit Kumarr Modi's journey. He shared that directing a stage play marked a significant turning point in Modi's career. He shared, "Asit Kumarr Modi was my senior in college. After he graduated, we continued participating in inter-college drama competitions. I remember one particular day — I was rehearsing for a college play, but we didn’t have a director. We never had the budget to hire directors from outside. That day, Asit ji came to see the rehearsals. He was just watching from the side, observing the process closely. He once told to me, ‘Pandey, should I direct you?’ At that time, we didn’t have the budget to hire a professional director, and since he had the experience, being my senior, I agreed immediately. I told him, 'Yes, go ahead and direct.' He ended up directing that play, which was titled Bhikhmange, written by Sudhir Kodi ji. It turned out to be a major success and received several awards across inter-college drama competitions, including Best Director and Best Play. That play became a turning point for him, and as you can see today, he’s successfully running Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Sometimes I jokingly feel a bit envious that he gave up on acting to become a producer. Maybe if I had taken a similar path, I’d be in a comfortable position too (laughs)."

For those who might not know, Inspector Chalu Pandey first joined Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah in 2010. He made his debut during a memorable plotline where Jethalal, Sodhi, Iyer, and Nattu Kaka were wrongly accused and arrested in connection with a car theft. This marked the beginning of the character's recurring presence in the show.

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