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Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal vs Asit Modi: Controversy EXPLAINED
The feud between Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal and producer Asit Modi has been making headlines in recent weeks. Let's delve into the details of what happened.
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Read details of what happened between Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal and Asit Modi
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Find out how the feud between the former actors of TMKOC and the team started
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of sexual misconduct
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, a beloved and long-running television show in India, has gained a massive fan following over the years. However, last month, the show made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Actress Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal, known for her portrayal of Mrs. Roshan Singh Sodhi, came forward with explosive revelations about the on-set environment of the popular sitcom. Jennifer accused the show's producer, Asit Modi, and his team of engaging in inappropriate behavior and mistreating the actors. She shed light on the darker side of what goes on behind the scenes of this popular sitcom.
Everything that looks good on-screen, ain't really good off-screen, cited the actress revealing instances of body-shaming and even claiming to have been a victim of sexual assault. Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal's shocking revelations were also supported by other former actors from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Monika Bhadoriya and Priya Ahuja, who had previously worked on the show, also spoke out about their own experiences, which were almost similar to Jennifer's statements. The revelations made by Jennifer, Monika, and Priya have sparked a broader controversy about workplace ethics on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah sets. For the uninformed, here is a recap of the events that have occurred so far, and how it all started.
Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal vs Asit Modi: Controversy EXPLAINED
Jennifer's accusations against Asit Modi:
It was May 11 when Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal made serious allegations against the producer, Asit Kumarr Modi, claiming that he had made multiple unwelcome sexual advances towards her. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Jennifer revealed that she was not the only victim on the show, and there were other actors who had also experienced similar incidents but chose to remain silent. She told us: "In 2019, in jest, he (Asit Modi) pulled my cheeks twice and said, ‘Tum hanste hue acchi lagti ho’ (Your smile makes you look very pretty) in front of everyone. He also said, ‘Aao, aakar whiskey peete hain,’ (Come, let’s have whiskey together) which was all in fun."
Jennifer revealed that during a trip to Singapore, Asit Kumarr Modi asked her to join him in his room for a whiskey drink, which caught her off guard. The following day, he complimented her and made a remark about wanting to hold and kiss her, causing her to feel frightened and anxious. Jennifer also recounted another incident, stating, "Once Asit Modi said, 'If you don't have a room partner at night, come and drink whiskey in my room.'" She further alleged that when she didn't comply with his advances, he began reducing her screen presence in the show. The actress told Pinkvilla that the instances of misconduct kept increasing which forced her to leave the show. Thus, leaving behind her three months and six days’ salary.
Watch the video here-
Jennifer accused Sohail and Jatin of misbehaving with her:
Jennifer has not only accused the producer but has also made allegations against Sohail Ramani (Project Head) and Jatin Bajaj (Executive Producer). She filed a case against them, citing their rude behavior towards her. Jennifer shared details about an incident that happened on March 8, specifically during the Holi festival. She had requested a half-day off for Holi as her daughter eagerly anticipated this celebration. However, her request was denied, even when she proposed a two-hour break as an alternative. The actress claimed that when she stood up for herself, Sohail spoke rudely to her and asked her to leave the set multiple times. Furthermore, she stated that Jatin attempted to block her car. Jennifer asserted that CCTV footage captured all of these incidents.
Jennifer has accused Sohail Ramani of withholding her due payment. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Jennifer revealed that her payments were deliberately held back, and when she approached Sohail for clarification, he allegedly insulted her. She revealed, "I called up Sohail and asked, 'Have you blocked my payment?' His exact words were, 'Abhi call kiya hai na, aadhe ghante mein payment aa jayegi' (You've called now, your payment will be released in the next half an hour.) I asked him, 'Why did you stop my payment?' He said, 'Production vale se aisa baat nahi karne ka. Production sabse upar hai, actor neeche hai.' (Nobody talks to the production team like this. Production is above the actors)."
After experiencing such incidents, Jennifer sent a legal notice to Asit Modi, Sohail Ramani, and Jatin Bajaj, and registered letters to relevant government authorities.
Watch the video here-
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah sets is a male-chauvinistic place:
According to Jennifer, it has been disclosed that all actors working on the show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah are subjected to bonded labor. Furthermore, she mentioned that the atmosphere on the set of the show is highly male-chauvinistic, as leaves were conveniently arranged for all male actors except for her.
Jennifer revealed Ghanashyam Nayak was harassed:
Jennifer also mentioned that the late actor Ghanshyam Nayak who played the role of Nattu Kaka initially was also harassed by the makers of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.
Mandar Chandwadkar's reaction to Jennifer's claim:
Reacting to the accusations made by Jennifer against Asit Modi, Mandar Chandwadkar, who essays the role of Bhide had told Pinkvilla, "I am wondering why did she do this. I have no clue about what happened between them." Reacting to Jennifer Mistry's 'male chauvinist' comment, Mandar Chandwadkar asserted, "It is not a male-chauvinistic place. It's a happy place with a healthy environment, else, the show wouldn't have run for so long."
Jennifer's reaction to Mandar's statement:
In an interview with Pinkvilla, Jennifer said that she didn't expect her close friend Mandar Chandwadkar would speak against her. She explained, "Mandar knows every single part of my life, every single minute of my life, he is so close to me. When he spoke against me, then I said I won't tolerate this. He knows I have all the phone recordings with me and that is the reason he is quiet. I don't expect anything from him that he should support me as a friend because he is working there and has a family, and everything is important. That is true. But if he can't speak for me, he should not speak against me. And when he knows the truth. Even after knowing the truth he's not supporting me, then it is his Karma and his life."
Take a look at the post here-
Asit Modi, Sohail Rahmani and Jatin Bajaj's reaction to Jennifer's allegations:
After hearing Jennifer's allegations, Asit Modi decided to take legal action to reply to the notice sent by Jennifer as she tried to defame him and the show both. Asit had said that since they terminated Jennifer's services, she was making baseless allegations. He mentioned that they sacked Jennifer from the show and they have all the proof, and he is not talking about everything randomly.
Sohal Ramani and Jatin Bajaj said that Jennifer misbehaved with the entire team on the show. They further narrated what happened on March 7 and told, "While moving out from the shoot, she rashly drove her car out at very high speed not caring for people in her way. She even damaged the set property. We had to terminate her contract because of her bad behavior and indiscipline during the shoot. During this incident, Asit ji was in the USA. She is now trying to defame us and the show by making baseless allegations. We have already filed our complaint against these baseless allegations with the concerned authorities."
Malav Rajda reacts to the controversy:
After the revelation, the makers released a statement calling Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal indisciplined, lacking focus on work, having an abusive nature, and someone who regularly misbehaved with everyone on the sets. When Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's former director Malav Rajda was asked about Jennifer's behavior, he called Jennifer a friendly person and mentioned that she got along with all the departments and people on the sets. Malav said he was a part of the show for 14 years and had never seen Jennifer misbehaving or abusing anyone on the sets. He also dismissed the claims that Jennifer lacked discipline or arrived late on the sets.
Take a look at the post here-
Monika Bhadoriya's allegations against TMKOC makers:
Monika Bhadoriya accused the makers of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah of not paying her dues for three months which equated to around Rs 4-5 lakhs, for over a year. The former actress revealed she fought for her money for over a year. The makers have put a hold on several former actors' payments only to torture them. She mentioned Raj Anadkat (who played Tapu) and Gurucharan Singh (who played Roshan Singh Sodhi) are yet to receive their payment.
According to Monika, her days on the set were like “hell” and she mentioned how the makers remained unsupportive towards her. Monika shared that while her mother was undergoing cancer treatment she would spend the night at the hospital and the makers would call her early morning for the shoot. Asit Modi never called Monika to condole after her mother passed away. Monika shared that despite being in trauma she was asked to come to shoot after seven days of her mother's demise.
Further, she added that no one from the current cast members would dare to raise a voice against Asit Modi's behavior. Monika was also asked to sign the contract to not speak ill about them in the media. Slamming Sohail Ramani, Monika mentioned that he misbehaved with everyone on the sets. She shared that Sohail even abused Nattu Kaka aka Ghanshyam Nayak and revealed that the artists are treated like 'dogs' on the sets of TMKOC.
Priya Ahuja reveals not receiving increment for 5 years:
After Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal and Monika Bhadoriya, Priya Ahuja opened up about her experience of working on Taarak Mehta sets. Priya Ahuja revealed how her character got neglected in the show and how Asit Modi gave a sexist reply when she asked for work. She said that when she reached out to the show's producer enquiring about her role, he ignored her calls, and when once he answered, Asit told Priya, "Why do you want to earn? Sit at home like a Queen. Your husband is earning." Despite being associated with the show for more than 5 years, Priya claimed that she didn't receive any increment throughout her tenure.
Jennifer recorded her statement:
On May 26, it was reported that Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal had recorded her statement at Powai Police station against the team of TMKOC. Jennifer had revealed, "I went to Powai police station yesterday and recorded my statement. I reached there around 12 pm and left from there at 6:15 pm. I have given my entire statement to them. I was there for 6 hours. Now, the law will take its course."
Watch the video here-
FIR filed against Asit Modi, Sohail Ramani, and Jatin Bajaj:
After several days, on June 19, the police took action and booked Asit Modi, Sohail Ramani, and Jatin Bajaj under sections 354 and 509 of the IPC based on a complaint filed by Jennifer. No arrests have been made so far. A police official confirmed, "The FIR has been registered against Modi and the investigation is currently going on."
Jennifer's comment on the FIR registered against Asit Modi:
Pinkvilla reached out to complainant Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal, and she exclusively shared her reaction to the FIR file against Asit Modi, Sohail Ramani, and Jatin Bajaj. The actress stated, "I was called to the police station yesterday (Monday, June 19) evening. I reached there at 7:30 PM and I was there till 12:30 AM, and finally, the FIR has been registered. I've been told by the cops that they will call me whenever they need any information next. The law will take its course, whatever I could do, I have done. Mainly, the FIR has been registered because it was stuck for the past many days, and that's a huge thing."
Asit Modi reacts to the FIR filed against him:
On June 20, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's producer Asit Modi released a statement reacting to the FIR filed against him, Sohail Ramani, and Jatin Bajaj. He said, "We deny all allegations and have given our statement to the police. We are not aware if FIR is registered. In any case, the matter is under investigation; hence no further comments".
The case is still under investigation and more details are still awaited.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who has experienced sexual assault of any kind, is going through depression or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help.
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