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Lesser-known facts about ‘Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chasma’ star Dilip Joshi, aka Jethalal

ETimes.in | Last updated on - May 12, 2026, 20:30 IST
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​Lesser-known facts about ‘Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chasma’ star Dilip Joshi, aka Jethala

Dilip Joshi, who is best known for his role in ‘Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chasma,’ has been one of the longest-running actors on ‘Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chasma.’ He has seen a lot of ups and downs, throughout his life before he landed ‘TMKOC’ and ended up making a career for himself.

2/6

​Dilip Joshi debuted as a Bollywood actor in the popular film ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’

Yes, before anything else, Joshi has already had his Bollywood debut. In the early 90s, Joshi was often seen on screen in a side role in some of the most famed films from Bollywood. His debut as a film actor came with the film ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’, which also starred Salman Khan, Bhagyashree, Reema Lagoo, Mohnish Bahl, Alok Nath, Rajeev Verma, Laxmikant Berde, and many others.

3/6

​Dilip Joshi was a famed theatre star before working in the film and TV industry

For over 25 years, he worked as a theatre artist and is credited on many plays from his earlier days. After spending so much time in the theatre, he officially wanted to make a shift in his career, which is why he started auditioning for TV and film roles.

4/6

​Dilip Joshi almost did not star in ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chasma’

While ‘TMKOC’ has become a career-defining show for Joshi, the truth is, he almost did not star in the series! When he auditioned for the show, he was auditioning for the role of Champaklal Gada, which had been played by Amit Bhatt since the start of the show. However, he almost rejected the role, as he felt at the time that he would have been able to play Jethalal better.

5/6

​The famed TV star once did not have any projects for a whole year

Before landing ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chasma’, Joshi did not have any kind of acting projects on his hand, and remained unemployed for almost a year. After a year of not landing any proper gigs, he finally auditioned on ‘TMKOC’ and ended up becoming a household name in the market.

6/6

​Dilip Joshi is older than his co-star Amit Bhatt, who plays Bapuji on ‘TMKOC’

Bapu Ji is one of the most iconic characters from the beloved show. While on screen, he may be playing the role of a 70+ year old man; however, in real life, Amit Bhatt is quite young. He is 53 years old and has two twins and lives happily with his wife. What you may not have known is the fact that Joshi, who plays his son on the show, is indeed older than him! Dilip Joshi is actually 57 years old right now, making him 3 years older than Bhatt.

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Copyright © May 26, 2026, 08.51PM IST Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service