Palak Sindhwani aka Sonu Bhide quits show, accuses TMKOC producer of Inhuman treatment; fans react

One of the most popular sitcoms Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has been running successfully for over 16 years. Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's first episode was aired in the year 2008.

After a successful stint for over a decade, the show has seen some of the most iconic characters getting replaced. Some have complained about the production house Neela Telefilms, while some have also spoken about the ill-treatment and mental harassment caused by longer hours and some have called out producer Asit Modi.

Despite co-actors from the show TMKOC, the show is going strong and the makers are either replacing or changing the track so that viewers don't miss out on a daily dose of entertainment.

And now once again, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (TMKOC) has come to light for all the wrong reasons and this time due to one of the actors, Palak Sindhwani who essays the role of grown-up Sonu, Bhide's daughter in the show, has claimed that she has been "harassed" on the sets of the show. The 26-year-old actress claimed that she suffered a panic attack while shooting for the show.

Why did Palak claim inhuman treatment?

Palak released an official statement after she received a legal notice from the production, alleging that she breached her initial contract.

Palak claimed that she informed TMKOC's production house of her intention to quit on August 8, 2024. However, when she tried to discuss the exit formalities with a senior producer on September 7, 2024, she was allegedly subjected to "emotional torture/blackmail."

The excerpt read, "Palak has been subjected to constant inhuman treatment on the sets of the said Serial and is being harassed by all means by the production house and its team which caused her various health issues including mental trauma. This concern about her health deteriorating was intimated to them from time to time on various occasions and she requested to allow her to take some medical leave to rest, but the same was declined by them under one pretext or the other and her such repeated requests fell on deaf ears."

Palak went on to add that she got a copy of her contract years later. The actor shared that she started doing brand endorsements during the COVID period, and it was only after she resigned that the problems emerged.

Neela Telefilms TMKOC makers send a legal notice to Palak for "breach of contract"

In their legal notice, Neela Films accused Palak of making "unauthorized third-party endorsements and appearances without obtaining the necessary written consent as required by her contract". The notice further stated that the actor continued with her actions "despite multiple verbal and written warnings", adding that she had "undermined the integrity of both the character and the series".

Palak reacts to aforementioned claims

In her statement to the media, Palak denied the allegations and alleged that all she did was file her resignation and ask for an amicable separation, and it didn't go down well with the makers.

In an interview with the Bombay Times, the 26-year-old actor said she told the production about her decision to leave the show on August 8, but the makers sat on it and asked her to wait for their official email. "They decided to take some time and then told me that I would be given an official email to which I should mail the resignation letter but that never happened. They delayed approving my resignation and after a few weeks, to my surprise, I saw articles in the media about how I had breached the contract," she said.

The statement read, "Palak has been subjected to constant inhuman treatment on the sets of the said Serial and is being harassed by all means by the production house and its team which caused her various health issues including mental trauma," adding that even after the actress asked for medical leave to rest, her request was declined.

"The production house brushed aside her health and other concerns and instead asked her to work with passion, and forced her to perform scenes on that very same day. As a result, on September 14, 2024, Palak suffered a panic attack on set, of which she informed the production team, who also did not pay any heed to her deteriorating health," the statement said.

As per Palak's claim, the makers have made it difficult for her to exit the show.

Palak replaced Nidhi Bhanushali on the show, is not the first actor who has accused the makers of TMKOC of harassment and exploitation. Earlier, actor Jennifer Mistry lodged a police complaint against the show's producer, Asit Kumar Modi. Actor Shailesh Lodha, who played the role of Mr Mehta in the show for a long time, also filed a lawsuit against Modi for not clearing his dues.

Jennifer Mistry has reacted to the claims of Palak and said that she must quit the show and move on. 

Netizens were of the view that the show must end now as it has lost its charm and is stretching unnecessarily