Earlier this year, Sab TV’s Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah entered its name in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest running sitcom on Indian television after completing 18 years and over 4800 episodes after the first episode aired in July 2008. Mandar Chandwadkar is one of the actors who has been constant on the show since its inception. He is known for playing the iconic character of Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide, the ‘ekmeva’ secretary of Gokuldham Society.
In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama, Chandwadkar candidly looked back at his journey with the show and shared some interesting bits about the behind the scenes happenings while shooting at TMKOC’s iconic sets at Mumbai’s Film City.
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has completed 18 years. You have completed 18 years while playing Atmaram Tukaram Bhide. How do you look at your journey so far?
The journey has been in different phases. When I had just joined, there was a feeling of a struggler getting a daily soap. At that time, it was important to get a daily soap, so that you start earning a fixed income. I felt good then. The character was also such that there was scope for performance. In those days, there were a lot of female-oriented shows like Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Kasauti Zindagi Kay where male characters hardly got a chance to do anything. At that time, this show came out where every character had an equal scope to perform.
In 2010, we realized that there is something in this show that the audience is admiring and finding funny. However, such themes have also been explored before. But the special thing about this show is that it shows unity in diversity, just like our country India. Asit Kumar Modi came up with this chamatkar by adapting Taarak Mehta’s Duniya Ne Undha Chashma. We have our writers who come up with different stories and characters; every character has a caricature hidden inside.
For example, every society has one Jethalal, who doesn’t give maintenance on time, is happy and doesn’t take tension but problems always find him. There is also Daya, who is a very different type of a lady. Disha (Vakani) played that character wonderfully. Then there is Bhide, who vows by his principles. He doesn’t like unnecessary spending. Popatlal is eager to get married since years but it’s not happening. Sodhi family has an amazing combination of Punjabi and Parsi. Similarly, nobody can think of a combination of Babita and Iyer.
Then came a time when we realized that this is responsibility wala kaam and we need to keep it up. We kept on improving year after year. I got to learn a lot from Dilip (Joshi) bhai (who plays Jethalal) as a senior actor. Then Asit bhai showed more trust in Bhide and family, so he started creating stories revolving around them. The audience showered us with love from day one till today. Two generations have grown up but this show’s magic still sustains. There are people who don’t eat their meals without watching TMKOC. People who used to stay in separate rooms started coming together to watch this show.
Do you recall the moment when you got selected for the show back then?
Absolutely! I had given an audition in 2008, which was like any other audition. At that time, there were no online auditions. My co-star Sonalika Joshi (who plays Madhavi) had referred 2-3 actors for the show, including me. I was in Indore, so I took a flight and came to Mumbai, as there was an urgency. I met Asit bhai and our earlier director Dharmesh Mehta, who took my audition. Asit bhai must have given green signal to him as he would have liked. So, I was okayed then itself. This was a big thing for me.
How did you get into the character of Bhide for the first time? What was your preparation like?
There wasn’t a preparation process as such. I just kept on learning basically. Taarak Mehta wrote Duniya Ne Undha Chashma for years but, being a Maharashtrian, I wasn’t aware of it. Just like PL Deshpande is to Marathi, Taarak Mehta is to Gujarati. He used to observe and write. He also created fictional characters like PL Deshpande did. I understood and realized what they want and I gradually kept on learning. Asit bhai helped me a lot in understanding what exactly they want in the character.
At that time, Taarak bhai was also associated with us. He used to watch all the episodes. Initially, he didn’t understand and like it much but after one or one and a half year, Asit bhai told me that Taarak bhai has now started liking my character. It was an achievement for me that the writer who made this character has started liking it.
In a humorous show like yours, do the actors improvise or strictly stick to the script?
We have been given a lot of freedom by Asit bhai. The writers have been doing their work 100%. While reading, we add some tadka from our side. But we will be able to add tadka only if we have something (in the writing). The main plus point of the writers and Asit bhai is the atrangi ideas they bring. For example, a whistle being stuck in Bhide’s throat, Haathi bhai being stuck inside a rickshaw, my moustache getting stuck on my face, Jethalal getting involved in funny problems, etc. These are next level ideas. They already have humour. We just see what we can do with it while performing.
All of you are tasked with bringing out six episodes per week, which involves a lot of shooting. Do you all get time to watch your own show?
We surely do. In today’s times, technology has gone so ahead that we are able to see it anytime on Sony LIV. It’s not necessary that we watch only at 8:30 pm. When we are at home, we watch with everyone. If not, we watch whenever we get time. But we surely watch. I definitely do, so that I realize how better I could have done in a scene. Even after 18 years I feel like, ‘There was a punch missing. I will make sure next time’.
Is the atmosphere on the sets as light-hearted as the show?
It’s the same – light-hearted. There is no tension and pressure about anything. We have such creative freedom. Today, in every other serial (on other channels), there is an interference by the channel on how a scene is shot and even when it comes to the choice of curtains and tea cups. But by the grace of God, we don’t have any such restrictions. We have such creative freedom that if we feel this character won’t speak like this, we are allowed to change that. We don’t need anyone’s permission. That’s because we have been fully into our characters all these years.
What are the similarities between Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide and Mandar Chandwadkar?
There is only one similarity. I am very disciplined in real life, just like Bhide. But the way Bhide thinks so much before spending money is not something that I do (laughs).
In the show, there is a playful leg-pulling between your character and Jethalal. How is your bond with Dilip Joshi in real life?
We share a very good bond. I personally have been a fan of Dilip bhai as I have seen a lot of his serials like Kya Baat Hai, Yeh Duniya Hai Rangeen, etc, when I was a struggler. I really like how he deeply observes his characters and gets into them. I got to see that from close quarters after joining this show. We share the same room and have our meals together. The observation continues round the clock of how he works on his character.
TMKOC has a lot of characters but not a single saas (mother-in-law). Have you all ever discussed this?
No, there has never been a discussion about this. That’s because people have seen that a lot in all these years. Even today, every second serial is about that; it has a saas along with bahu, son and daughter. That’s why people actually don’t miss that there is no saas here. But you must have noticed that all these years, there has been Jethalal’s saas (who is never shown). They keep speaking about her and she gives funny nicknames to Jethalal.
Do you keep getting acting offers for other projects?
I never feel the need. An artist should feel satisfied. If the job which you are doing has satisfaction, you don’t need anything else. When I shoot 12 hours here daily, I am absolutely satisfied as an actor. And it’s a responsibility; it’s a daily soap. The show has been successful because every actor has been dedicated towards the show. You won’t find any of them in any other serial. That’s because Asit bhai has kept such a bonding intact.
On a lighter note, will Popatlal get married first or Tapu?
(laughs) As Bhide, I am not at all concerned about Tapu’s marriage. I just want Sonu to be married off.
But not with Tapu I guess…
That is for sure (laughs).
Also Read: Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah: Why did Vishwasur exclude Tapu Sena from Navratri celebrations?
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