From his emotional bond with late veteran co-star Ghanshyam Nayak to his experience of working with Asit Modi; Bagha aka Tanmay Vekaria gets candid about his 13 years with Taarak Mehta

In a recent podcast, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Bagha aka Tanmay Vekaria got candid about his co-star Ghanshyam Nayak's demise, he shared about his bond, emotional breakdown and more. Tanmay also shared that it has been 13 years since he has been playing Bagha and more.

I have taken innocence, discipline, commitment towards the job, his boss and his commitment towards his one partner from Bagha. And I have given a lot of things in terms of mannerisms to Bagha. The real challenge was that after Taarak happened, to make a place in everyone's homes amid such stalwarts in the show.

The best part about Ghanshyam ji was that what he was off the camera, he was the same onscreen. He was very innocent, such a humble human being and very simple. He used to stay in Malad, where people would yell Nattu kaka, woh apni hi masti mein rehte the. He was such a sweetheart, he didn't know how to speak in English, but he had a style of speaking in English and he would emphasise any random words which would turn out hilarious for the viewers.

I was with him for 10 years from 2011-2021, when he passed away. Till then we would go to shoot together and come home together, we have done so many events together and stayed together, sometimes he would call his son Tanmay, his name is Vikas though. I have been so close to him, I really miss him. Though the new Nattu kaka, Kiran Bhatt is a gem of a person. But I shared a completely different bond with Ghanshyam Ji.

I still remember it was 2nd October 2021, when I got a call from his son that Papa was no more. I was suffering from Dengue and I was completely on bed rest but I wanted to go for his cremation, I cried a lot, and when I saw him, I couldn't hold my tears. I was broken from the inside and I couldn't accept that he passed away. A few days were extremely disturbing for me but then I had to accept it. I still miss him, whenever I pass by his home, I miss those moments.

There are so many funny moments, off the camera there are many funny moments that we enjoy and between that, we shoot for the show. All of us have a very light-hearted time, we all keep laughing while reading the script, we then rehearse, improvise and then shoot. Off-camera, all of us are best friends, they are best friends of each other. Dilip Sir, Shyam Pathak, Mandar and Amit Bhatt share the same room, and if I am shooting with them then I share their room, we all eat together in the break.

Amit Bhatt and I are childhood friends, my Nani home was in the same building as Amit's home. So I have been with him since childhood, he is the most mischievous on the sets. I do share a great bond with Dilip sir, but we still maintain some respectful distance. Ambika and I have also been together since our theatre days.

It has been an amazing experience working with Asit bhai, he has taken such a huge show, and his stress is on a different level. He has sustained the show for so many years, there must be some purity that god has blessed him with the success. Even today, he is so passionate about the show, that he gives his creative input for the scripts, and he often doesn't sleep and works hard for the show. He wouldn't compromise on budgets and would make sure that what matters on screen should be there. Making Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah a brand, its his 95% hard work, the rest can be divided between us.