Exclusive - Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Asit Kumarr Modi on Palak Sindhwani's allegations and payment issues; says 'After working for 5-6 years, making such allegations, it’s hurtful'

Asit Kumarr Modi, the producer of the highly acclaimed television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, has recently found himself amidst several controversies. Despite being the creator of one of India’s longest-running and most cherished sitcoms, Modi had chosen to stay silent on the allegations until now. From claims of mental harassment made by Palak Sindhwani to accusations regarding payment issues, in an exclusive conversation with Times of India TV, Asit has finally addressed these concerns and shared his side of the story. (Photo: Instagram)

I feel emotional whenever an actor leaves my show because I see them as part of my family. It really hurt me when Palak left since I think of her like a daughter and have always cared for her. All the actors who have been part of Taarak and worked with me are special to me. Even if someone speaks against me, I don’t hold it against them. My goal is to create a show that spreads positivity and happiness, so I can’t let myself hold on to sadness or grudges. (Photo: Instagram)

I see all this as a part of life and our work. If people had shared their concerns before leaving, I would have understood, but saying such things after leaving is beyond my control. As far as payments are concerned, we have never had any issues. Every artist who has worked with us has been paid on time. Some actors have been with us for 16 years, and they’ve never faced any problems. (Photo: Instagram)

Recently, Kush Shah who played Goli left the show. He is so popular and a very good actor, but he parted ways very amicably, and we both had tears in our eyes. Woh jaa raha tha toh mere aankhon mein aansu the. As I’ve seen him growing in front of me. He was a child when he joined our show. He told me I’ve done the show for 16 years, now I want to explore the world and life. I just thought about one thing “Agar Mera beta hota toh”. I told him “Tu jaa, tu jaake wapas aaja thoda time main adjust kar lunga.” (Photo: Instagram)

We always grant holidays to our actors whenever they request them. Whether they want to travel or go on a Europe tour, we ensure they get the time off. After all, they’re earning money and respect for their families, so why wouldn’t I allow them to spend time with their loved ones? Whether it’s for a family function or any other event, we accommodate their leave requests. They also cooperate by working extra before their time off. It’s a team effort, and everything is managed smoothly with mutual understanding. (Photo: Instagram)

This isn’t a school where actors are punished or marked absent if they don’t show up. I’m not a dictator who enforces strict rules if someone misses a day (laughs). Our job is to entertain viewers, and if I started behaving like that, the show wouldn’t have lasted 16 years. My priority is for all my actors, cast, and crew to be happy. If they’re upset or unhappy while working, it will reflect in their work, and the atmosphere on set wouldn’t be positive either. (Photo: Instagram)

As far as the Palak incident is concerned things are been dealt with legally. We have to maintain discipline on the sets. If you are already working with an organisation, will you be allowed to do other work also, no right? Similarly, we also have certain rules as we have 26 episodes to shoot every month. Everyone works on TMKOC with all their heart and happiness. When someone quits and makes such allegations that time I get hurt. (Photo: Instagram)

Chodne ke pehle aap agar ye sab baat karo toh we can do something. (If these concerns are brought up before leaving, we can address them and find solutions). But after working on a show for 5-6 years and then making such allegations, it’s hurtful. If the environment on our sets was truly hostile, no one would be able to work there for more than a year. When you spend 5-10 years on a show, becoming like family and getting to know each other’s families, making such statements afterwards doesn’t feel right or appropriate. (Photo: Instagram)

I honestly don’t feel comfortable discussing these things. If someone makes such claims after leaving the show, there’s nothing I can do about it. My focus remains on improving the episodes and creating better content. Why would we ever hold back anyone’s payment? We have so many actors, technicians, and crew members working with us. if we weren’t paying them, why would they continue? No one has any complaints. Like any organization, we have procedures that employees need to follow after they leave. (Photo: Instagram)

Mujhe kya Matlab kisi ka ek bhi rupaya galat apne jeb mein rakhne ka. I am very proud of my profession that I make money after bringing smile on everyone’s faces. Why will I stop anyone’s payment? We are living in the day and age of social media where anyone can write anything. There is no censorship. Joh Mann ki bhadaas hai Woh Nikal do. Agar main sabke jawab dene Baithunga toh show nahi bana paaunga, social media he handle kar paaunga. (Photo: Instagram)

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is watched so much, even the reruns, that we have to be careful not to repeat anything from old episodes in new ones. The challenge is to always bring something fresh. We've been celebrating Ganpati, Navratri, and other events for years, so we constantly think of new ways to entertain the audience. My team of writers and I work hard, brainstorming new stories that will keep viewers excited. Our main goal is to entertain. The audience has shown us so much love, especially towards me, and I don't think any producer has been as lucky to receive this much love.