New Delhi: Television actor Shailesh Lodha quit the popular show 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' in April 2022. Though the actor never said anything directly, his Instagram posts and interview hinted that all was not well between the makers and him. He later complained about unpaid dues, recently took legal action against the makers of the show, and filed a complaint against TMKOC producer Asit for his unpaid dues. 


Now Asit Modi has said that Shailesh Lodha quit the show did so after a ‘minor tiff’ and he feels ‘hurt’ over how Shailesh has been ‘targeting’ him.  


In a conversation with ETimes, Asit said that he received a notice a couple of months ago, but he has never refused to clear the dues. 


“I received a notice a couple of months ago and couldn’t fathom the reason because I hadn’t refused to clear his dues. In fact, we followed up with him regarding his pending dues by regularly sending emails and text messages because he had to complete the formalities. That’s how it is in every organisation. However, he didn’t agree to complete those formalities,” he told ETimes. 


He also said that Shailesh quit the show because he wanted to take up work outside, but it was not possible to accommodate his request as TKMOC is a daily soap. 


“I feel hurt by his behaviour as we shared a good relationship. I took the risk of entrusting him with the responsibility of playing the title role even though he wasn’t an actor aur ek dinn jhagda hota hai aur woh aadmi bura ho jaata hai.  He quit the show, we didn’t tell him to leave. Pyaar se aakar unko paise le lene chahiye the par he didn’t want to sign any document or complete the paperwork and other formalities. If there was a problem, he could have shared it with us, but he filed a case instead. We have a record of emails and text messages sent to him. How are so many people working on the show for the past 15 years if their dues are not cleared on time? Strangely, jab tak aap show ka hissa hain tab tak sab achha aur jaise hi chhod dete hain toh sab bure. I fail to understand this attitude,” he was quoted as saying by ETimes. 


Shailesh said he did not want to comment on the case as it is “sub judice” but added that he didn’t approach Asit to cast him for Taarak Mehta and he was an established poet since 1981 and worked in TV shows like ‘Waah Waah, Comedy Circus and Kya Baat Hai before. 


Shailesh Lodha is replaced by Sachin Shroff in the show.