A synonym of entertainment and comedy : Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah a.k.a. TMKOC is an Indian soap opera that airs on SAB TV from Monday to Friday.

Facts

• ·         It was premiered on 28,July 2008.
• ·         TMKOC has completed 2330 episodes so far.
• ·         It is the second longest running scripted show in Indian Television history.
• ·         It has constantly achieved high ratings throughout its run, irrespective of the IPL.
• ·         Polish Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture and Natural Heritage, visited the sets of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah in February 2016.
• ·         PM Narendra Modi declared TMKOC as one of the brand ambassadors on the “Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan”.
• ·         The show is based on the column “Duniya Ne Oondha Chashma” written by columnist and journalist Taarak Mehta for Gujarati weekly magazine Chitralekha. 

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Plot

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah traces the story of a successful Gujarati businessman Jethalal Champaklal Gada who lives in Gokuldham Society with his wife Daya Gada, father Champaklal Jayantilal Gada and son Tipendra Gada a.k.a. Tapu. Despite having a good lifestyle and a successful running electronics shop called ‘Gada Electronics’; Jethalal regularly finds himself surrounded with a lot of troubles. To get advice he usually goes to Taarak Mehta a writer whom he calls ‘Fire Brigade’ who resides in the society along with his wife Anjali Taarak Mehta.  Other characters of the show included Society Secretary and a tution teacher Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide, his wife Madhvi Bhide and their daughter Sonalika Bhide a.k.a. Sonu; Dr. Hansraj Hathi, with wife Komal Hathi and son Gulabkumar Hathi a.k.a. Goli; a mechanic Roshan Singh Sodhi with wife Roshan and son Gogi; Scientist Krishnan Subramaniam Iyyer and wife Babita Iyyer; a bachelor and journalist Popatlal and shopkeeper Abdul. Bagheshwar Daadu Udhaiwala a.k.a. Bagha and Natwarlal Prabhashankar Udhaiwala a.k.a. Natu Kaka are Jethalal’s employees and Bagha’s girlfriend Baavri. Daya’s brother Sunder also makes episodic appearences. The show lays emphasis on the moral values, the importance of relationships, unity in diversity and all festivals are celebrated enthusiastically by the members of the Gokuldham Society. The members of Gokuldham society share a close bond and try to solve each other’s problems.

Characters

§     Jethalal Champaklal Gada: The central character of the show who regularly lands in troubles and seeks help  from his Fire Brigade. He has an innocent crush on his neighbor Babita Iyyer and loves to eat Jalebi Fafda( a Gujrati dish).

§     Daya Gada: She is the female lead and wife of Jethalal. Daya is referred to as the “Garba Queen” by members of Gokuldham Society. She cooks delicious food and respect family values.

§     Champaklal Gada: Father of Jethalal, he is an old man and always takes side of daughter-in-law Daya and grandson Tapu and scolds Jethalal.

§     Tipendra Gada ‘Tapu’: He is the son of Jethalal and the head of ‘Tapu Sena’.

§     Taarak Mehta: The narrator and a real life character whom Jethalal calls Fire Brigade and always asks for help from him. He is a writer by profession and always longs to eat spicy food.

§     Anjali Taarak Mehta: Also called as A.T.M., she is a nutrionist and always cooks healthy food for her husband.

§     Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide: He is the secretary of society and a tution teacher, also delivers achaar and paapad which his wife makes. His famous dialogue is “Mai Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide iss Gokuldham Society ka ekmev secretary”.

§     Madhvi Bhide:  She is wife of Aatmaram Bhide and makes aachar and paapad at home.

§     Sonalika Bhide ‘Sonu’: She is the daughter of Bhides and is a brilliant student in academics.

§     Roshan Singh Sodhi: An overcharged Punjabi mechanic who is always ready for parties and always lend a helping hand to others.

§     Roshan Sodhi: Wife of Roshan Singh Sodhi and a Parsi woman.

§     Gurcharan Singh ‘Gogi’: He is the smallest member of ‘Tapu Sena’ and son of Roshan and Roshan.

§     Dr.Hansraj Hathi: A doctor by profession who is overweight and loves to eat.

§     Komal Hathi: Wife of Dr. Hathi, a carefree woman and she is also overweight.

§     Gulabkumar Hathi ‘Goli’: He is the son of Hathi’s and also loves to eat a lot.

§     Krishnan Subramaniam Iyyer: A scientist by profession who does not like Jethalal and tries to keep him away from his wife Babita.

§     Babita Iyyer: She is wife of Iyyer and Jethalal has an innocent crush on her. She is sweet and jolly in nature and a health conscious lady.

§     Popatlal Pandey: The bachelor of Gokuldham Society and addresses himself as “Golden Crow award Winner Antarashtriya Akhbar Toofan Express ka Varishtha Yuva Patrakar Popatlal”. He always carries an umbrella and is desperate to find a suitable match for himself.

§     Abdul: A shopkeeper who owns a small soda shop at the very enterance of Gokuldham Society where all male members meet and discuss day-to-day activities.

§     Pinku: A member of ‘Tapu Sena’ who resides in the society.

§     Bagheshwar Daadu Udhaiwala ‘Bagha’: Also known as Bagha is an employee in Gada Electronics. His famous dialog is “Who toh jaisi jiski soch”.

§     Natwarlal Prabhashankar Udhaiwala ‘Natu Kaka’: An employee of Gada Electronics who always demands a salary hike from Jethalal; and thinks of various discount schemes for customers.

§     Sunderlal a.k.a. ‘Panoti’: Daya’s brother who always demands taxi fare from Jethalal for various reasons and makes episodic apperences. Referred to as ‘Veera’ by Daya. Jethalal does not like him at all and considers him a 'Panoti'.