Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is one of the longest-running comedy family shows in television history. The plotline to the light-hearted comic punches, the show has given us joy whenever we feel a little down. Lately, the show has been mired in controversies. It was Shailesh Lodha who played the role of Tarak Mehta. He left the show and accused the producers of not clearing his payment. Now another actress of the show Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal who played the character of the Parsi woman married to a Punjabi - Mrs. Roshan Singh Sodhi has quit the show after 15 years. She hadn't been shooting for the show since 6th March 2023. Though the reason is shocking. She has accused the show's production team of sexual harassment. 

According to the actress, Asit tried to take advantage of the situation and made her feel uncomfortable at times. “From the beginning, Asit ji used to say ‘you are looking very nice.’ He once asked me what do you drink to which I boldly said whiskey. After this, he repeatedly asked me to come and drink whiskey with him. In 2019 when our entire team went to Singapore. During the trip, Asit me to come and drink whiskey in his room. I was surprised to hear this from him. Then a day later he said, ‘you are looking very beautiful, I feel like holding and kissing you. Hearing this, I trembled in fear. Once he told her ‘If you don't have a room partner at night, come and drink whiskey in my room. When things did not seem to go his way, he started giving me less screen space,” Initially, she ignored all his statements because of fear of losing out on work. But it was enough now and she didn't want to take it anymore."

Jennifer said, “TMKOC production is a male-chauvinistic place. She wasn't allowed to take a half-day on Holi but male actors were adjusted for their leaves. “When I retaliated, Ramani spoke rudely to me and asked me to get out almost four times. Then Bajaj tried to stop my car by standing behind it. I told them that I worked on the show for 15 years, and they couldn't forcefully stop me, and while I was leaving Ramani threatened me. All this is recorded in the CCTV footage. I was humiliated." Bansiwal claimed that on the next day of the incident, she received a letter from Ramani that mentioned the makers incurred heavy losses since she left early that day. 

Jennifer replied to them on WhatsApp that she was subjected to sexual harassment. However when the accused reverted to her saying she was trying to extort money from them, she decided that she wanted a public apology. She took the help of a lawyer and on 8th April 2023, sent a legal notice to Asit Modi, Sohil Ramani and Jatin Bajaj and also mailed and sent a registry to all the government authorities. Jennifer has filed a case against Producer Asit Kumarr Modi, Project Head Sohail Ramani, and Executive Producer Jatin Bajaj.

Jennifer also said that except for the 2-4 main actors, mental torture with regards to money like deducting money, not paying on time, calling back from vacation for just 1 scene and then nothing for next 20 days etc happens with everyone else on the set but no one will speak because they are working.  Even though I was under pressure for the past so many years. People are asking me, why did I raise my voice after 15 years? I gathered the courage now and that's why I opened up now. Asit Modi said that all her accusations are baseless and said that the actress is trying to 'defame' him and the show. they will deal with her legally. 

Sohil Ramani and Jatin Bajaj stated,  “While moving out from the shoot, she hastily drove her car out at really high speed not looking out for people in her way. She could have damaged the set property. On her last day, she was abusive in front of the whole unit and left the set without finishing her shoot. We had to end her contract because of her misbehaviour and indiscipline during the shoot. During this incident, Asit ji was in the USA. She's currently trying to defame us and the show by forming groundless allegations.” Meanwhile, Mandar Chandwadkar aka Bhide said, "I am wondering why she said this. I have no clue about what happened between them. 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 Mistry slammed Mandar as he reportedly showed his support for producer Asit Kumarr Modi. Mistry said, “He (Mandar) is a male too. He will do whatever Asit Kumarr Modi will tell him. Anything. Another co-star called me yesterday. That person also abused Mandar for over 45 minutes. ‘Sa**a yeh kaise palat gaya’. I said, ‘I do not care’. Let him do whatever he wants to do. I do not care.” Now, amid the controversy that has left the Internet shocked, Jennifer took to Instagram and shared a video where she spoke about justice. In a new video, the actress said, “Don't take my silence for weakness, I was quiet because I wanted to. God knows what is the truth, don't forget we are equal in front of him. The Powai police earlier received an email from Jennifer Mistry. The police have started an inquiry into the complaint.

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• jennifer mistry bansiwal

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