n recent years, a string of controversies has plagued Sab TV’s beloved show, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Following actor Shailesh Lodha’s lawsuit against the makers for unpaid dues, Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal accused them of harassment, triggering a series of revelations from former cast members. Among them, Monika Bhadoriya, known for her role as Bawri, has garnered attention for candidly sharing her alleged personal experience working on the show. In a recent statement, Monika claimed that she battled suicidal thoughts during her time on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.
In a conversation with ETimes, Monika asserted, “They tortured me so much that I used to feel it’s better to commit suicide than to work here. They mentally tortured me. They would shout at me and misbehave. Sohil would say we are paying you, so whatever we say you have to do. They humiliate actors as if they are not humans. They will say stuff like ‘Arre tumhari maa marr gay, bhai marr gaya paise humne diye.’”
She also recalled the period when her mother was battling cancer and receiving treatment at the hospital, and she had to stay by her side every night. She added that despite her personal circumstances, the production team of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah would call her early in the morning on the sets. Monika claimed that she would try to explain her situation, but her requests were dismissed, with the team claiming there was minimal work.
Upon arriving on the set, Monika would allegedly be made to wait for hours without a clear purpose. She said that she attempted to raise her concerns with Asit Kumarr Modi, but he advised her to focus on work, assuring her that her mother would recover. She even claimed that when her mother passed away, there was no response from Modi, and another team member, Sohil, insisted that work had to be prioritised over personal loss, emphasising that Monika was being paid and therefore had to comply with their demands.
