Actress, Nidhi Bhanushali who became a household name with her popular role as ‘Sonu Bhide’ in the long-running sitcom, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (TMKOC), recently opened up about the emotional challenges she faced during her time on the show. Nidhi who was known for her cheerful character in the show, broke a lot of hearts when she decided to leave the show. In a heartfelt interview, the actress shared the reasons behind her decision to leave the series and take a break from acting.
Nidhi Bhanushali talks about the pressure on the sets on TMKOC
In a candid chat with HindiRush, Nidhi revealed that working on the show, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah for seven years affected her mental well-being a lot. Her journey that began with a lot of excitement, gradually turned into an emotionally exhausting one. She shared how working was fun for her but she realised pretty late of how much pressure it was putting on her mind. She shared:
“One of the biggest emotional breakdown I felt was when I was working with TMKOC for 7 years and it was the same routine. Initially, I enjoyed a lot because I was learning a lot but when it became a routine, I did not realise that there was a lot of pressure on my brain. It was very overwhelming. Jab aap bhagte rehte ho aur aapko lagta hai ab rukne ki zarurat hai saans lene ke liye. That’s when I decided to quit everything and take a long break.”
How did Nidhi Bhanushali land into TMKOC
In the same interview, Nidhi recalled her first audition for Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. She shared that acting was a spontaneous decision and not something she had planned to pursue seriously. She mentioned that she along with her family had decided to never commit to a long term project, but destiny had a different plan for her. When she gave the audition, she got selected and eventually became one of the most loved characters from the show. She shared in the interview:
“Once randomly, I went to audition for TMKOC, I was giving two or three more auditions that particular day. TMKOC was one of them and we knew it was for one or the shows, and it might be a longer commitment. We had decided we would never sign up for a show which is a longer commitment. But when we got to know that it is for this show and TMKOC was already on-air for 4 years by that time. I was also an avid viewer, so it interested me to give an audition.”
Nidhi Bhanushali left TMKOC in 2019
Nidhi Bhanushali, who played the lovable ‘Sonu Bhide’ on TMKOC, decided to leave the show in 2019 after nearly seven years because of her mental health, education and other emotional challenges she faced. She had joined as a child artist and in no time became a household name. Over the years, several other known faces left the show, including Disha Vakani (who played ‘Dayaben’), Bhavya Gandhi (who played ‘Tapu’), Neha Mehta (who played ‘Anjali’), Shailesh Lodha (who played ‘Taarak Mehta’) and many others. Despite several exits, the show continues to stand strong.
What are your thoughts on the emotional challenges that Nidhi Bhanushali faced during TMKOC? Let us know.
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