Exclusive - Munmun Dutta on being a part of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah for 16 years, says 'When you are a part of such an iconic show why would you want to leave this?'

Munmun Dutta, adored by millions for her role as Babita Ji in "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah," recently celebrated the show’s 16-year milestone with the cast and crew on set. In an exclusive chat with ETimes TV, Munmun shared her experiences on the show, her fondest memories, and more. She reminisced about her late co-stars, Kavi Kumar Azad and Ghanshyam Nayak (Nattu Kaka) and the bond she shared with them. She expressed how much she misses Disha Vakani and revealed a secret about her. Munmun also mentioned that Amit Bhatt is a huge prankster and shared that even after 16 years, she still has an amazing time portraying Babita Ji. (Photo: Instagram)

Yes, it’s unbelievable. What a surreal, blessed journey. I consider myself very fortunate that we were able to complete this journey together. It has only been possible because of God’s blessings, audiences’ love and our hard-work. I am very grateful. (Photo: Instagram)

There have been so many fond memories from these 16 years. It is very difficult to highlight one. But we have had great time on the sets. Humari bahut alag alag tarike ki memories rahi hain in these past 16 years. So to point out just one is very difficult. You should see us when we all are sitting together, we suddenly react to things arre ye Gaana suna yaad hai aisa hua tha waisa hua tha… we keep chatting about old memories. (Photo: Instagram)

I remember all the ladies we had done rain dance and we had an amazing time together. We had ordered food from outside. There are many more such amazing memories. (Photo: Instagram)

I've definitely seen a lot of changes. When we started the show, all of us were just starting out, and even the channel was not that established. Slowly, we picked up momentum. Within 4-5 months of "TMKOC" going on-air, we realized we were part of something big. We knew it was going to be something wonderful and special. When we completed 100 episodes and celebrated that milestone, it was an incredible moment. From that time until now, it has been a wonderful ride. I still remember that day and never imagined we would complete 16 years. Today, standing here at this special moment, it feels surreal. (Photo: Instagram)

I was recently discussing with my mother how we are going to celebrate 16 years of "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah." I told her how Kavi Kumar Azad ji used to bring a Paratha roll for us, and we loved the Sindhi Paratha his sister-in-law made. He would leave the tiffin in our room. Nattu Kaka (Ghanshyam Nayak) was one of the kindest souls. Azad ji and Ghanshyam Chacha were the nicest people I've ever known. (Photo: Instagram)

I still have Nattu Kaka’s voice notes from before the lockdown. He was unwell, and I had sent him voice notes asking about his health. He was always very positive, saying, "Beti, I will be back very soon... I am fine because of your love." I really wish those people were still with us. (Photo: Instagram)

We always remember those who left us, even the ones who quit the show. I miss Disha a lot. Whenever we crack jokes, we recall, "Remember when Disha said this or that?" We have so many good memories together. Whenever Disha would get calls from unknown numbers, she would change her voice before answering them. (Photo: Instagram)

Amit, also known as Champak Chacha, is such a big prankster. Once, he threw an artificial snake at me, and I ran after him on set to hit him. He used to take his stick and hit people with it, and he still does it. He's very mischievous. We have a lot of fun working on the sets. (Photo: Instagram)

I know people wonder how we can play the same character on a show for so many years. As an actor, whether we’re working on this show or another project, our job is to act, so it shouldn't matter. When you're part of such an iconic show, why would you want to leave and do something else? It's amazing and fulfilling to try different projects, but at the same time, doing various scenes in one show for many years also helps in grooming us. (Photo: Instagram)

I've noticed a lot of changes in myself since I started in the industry. For example, earlier, I struggled to understand dialogues, but now I grasp them much better. I always feel that television actors are the best ones because we perform so many scenes in a single day. We're constantly working around the clock and are well-trained. If we transition to films, we might feel surprised at only doing one scene in a whole day. We are blessed and well-groomed for our work. (Photo: Instagram)